How Can a Lawyer Help with Tickets?

Can DMV Revoke My License?  What Happens to Insurance?  How Can a Lawyer Help with Tickets?

Some traffic matters carry more than just insurance increases.  Certain really fast speeding tickets in North Carolina can actually be criminal offenses and result in immediate revocation

– Danny Glover 

Generally speaking, it’s not a bad idea to consult with an attorney before moving forward with a speeding ticket.  At Glover Law Firm, we provide a confidential consultation that is free of charge.

We will want to ask a bunch of questions about the traffic ticket and citation.  We will also need to ask questions about your driving history, which includes wrecks.

While it may come as a surprise to you, we also need some information about other people on your insurance policy and whom may live within the same household.

That’s because there are a series of considerations in determining the most appropriate way to proceed.

When people call us they occasionally assume an PJC or Prayer of Judgment Continued is always the best way to go.  Frankly, sometimes it makes sense; but, sometimes, another option may be more appropriate.

As of January 17, 2017 North Carolina General Statute 20-141(p) says*:

(p) A driver charged with speeding in excess of 25 miles per hour over the posted speed limit shall be ineligible for a disposition of prayer for judgment continued

– N.C.G.S. 20-141(p)

In fact, there are restrictions to continuing judgment.  It is by no means automatic or guaranteed.

There are some citations or types of licenses that under the laws of North Carolina, cannot receive a PJC.

For example, if you have a Commercial Driver’s License, such as a Class A or Class B CDL, an PJC just isn’t really an option.

We also need to consider wreck histories, specifically “at fault” wrecks. . .even if they don’t necessarily show up on a Record Check.

That’s because of certain rules in North Carolina addressing insurance points and the ability of your carrier to increase premiums.

As you probably can tell by now, it is sometimes a complicated and confusing process.

And because of that, we’re here to answer your questions.

We don’t charge for our time during the consultation, so it doesn’t cost you anything to get information.

If we think you can handle the ticket yourself, we’ll let you know that too.

Modified Transcript of “How Can a Lawyer Help with Tickets?” for the Hearing Impaired

Danny Glover here again with Glover Law Firm. I’ve got another question here that I found online, general question. I was going 94 in a 65 mile an hour speed limit zone.

I have no prior convictions. What can be done about my case?

94 in a 65 is a big speeding ticket and would result in this person losing their driver’s license for up to a year if they’re convicted of that. It would also result in a huge insurance increase even though this is their first offense.

They want to know what can be done. In our judicial district, the Outer Banks and Elizabeth City, an attorney can talk to the district attorney, either in court of before court, we can talk to the law enforcement officer that wrote the ticket to see if there’s any aggravating circumstances or any reason why the state would object to reducing the speed.

That may result in some work on the driver’s part. They may have to do a driving school.

That may be in person, it might be online. The speed limit of 65 miles an hour and the, it’s not an infraction even at 94. This is actually a misdemeanor crime. That is 29 miles an hour over the speed limit, so that automatically excludes what’s called a prayer for judgement continued or PJC.

Oftentimes clients call in and they want PJC. If you’re 25 over you can’t get that.

The first step that would have to be done would be reduce the speed to something below 25. At that point PJC could be back on the table, but we may be able to do even better than that depending on your circumstances.

If we can get it down to nine over the speed limit then you are avoiding an automatic revocation of your license and your automobile insurance increase, if it happens at all, will be a lot less than 94 in 65.

If you have any huge speeding tickets near Elizabeth City or the Outer Banks, feel free to give us a call. I’d be happy to talk to you about it. It’s a free consultation.