Geraci Law Offices has secured yet another traffic ticket dismissal on behalf of a client. What should you do if you receive a ticket for some sort of traffic infraction like speeding, missing a traffic signal, or something else? Read on to learn more if you'd like to keep your driver's license clean.
Were you lucky enough to see some red and blue lights flashing in your rear-view mirror recently? Getting caught speeding or checking out your phone while driving is no fun.
First things first; in the future, just don't do it for the safety of yourself, your passengers, and everyone else on the road. But it's safe to say many drivers out there knowingly or otherwise skirt the rules of the road from time to time. Luckily for you if you've recently received a speeding ticket, there's a chance you don't have to pay as large a fine as you thought or even get the number of points on your license that your speed calls for.
The thing is, most courts and district attorneys' offices have some sort of system in place to help drivers reduce or at times even dismiss the tickets against them.
Between The Law Offices of Michael T. Pattison and Geraci Law Offices, Mike Law has helped hundreds, if not thousands of drivers save points and money after being charged with a variety of NYS VTL violations.
What exactly is NYS VTL? What are points and driver responsibility assessment fees? The following are some of the key terms to know when it comes to traffic violations in New York State.
NYS VTL
That would be New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law, and if you're a licensed driver, you should probably be familiar with the legal consequences of disobeying that code in case you ever face them.
Points & driver responsibility assessment fees
When someone is charged with a VTL violation like speeding, cell phone use while driving, or running a stop light, among numerous other possible traffic infractions, the driver faces fines ordered by the local court and points placed on their license, which could result in increased monthly car insurance payments or even the loss of driving privileges. That reality is exactly why so many people contact Mike Law Offices for assistance with resolving their traffic tickets. When a driver accumulates six (6) or more points in an 18-month time span, they are required to pay an annual assessment fee of $100 to the DMV for three years, for a total of $300.
If convicted of a drug or alcohol-related driving offense or refuse a chemical test, the annual fee goes to $250 for three years. So, clearly the points can add up and the only ones harmed are the driver and their bank account. To learn more, check out the DMV website here.
The Mike Law way
What do the firms at Mike Law do after being hired to fight a ticket? First, they contact the court to enter their Notice of Appearance, notifying the court that their client is being represented by an attorney. Next up, it's time to contact the District Attorney or local Prosecutor assigned to the court to see if they would be willing to offer the opportunity for the client to plead guilty to a reduced charge. Some common methods for working out a reduced charge are for the driver to take a defensive driving course or even pay higher fines to minimize those pesky license points that add up with additional tickets. What some might not know is that once someone has accumulated 11 points on their license, which could easily come from just one high speed ticket, the DMV has no choice but to suspend that license.
Now, if everything goes right, and you or your attorneys fight the ticket in just the right way, you will be thrilled to receive a letter from the Court that looks similar to this one right here. This is a recent letter Geraci Law Offices received in regard to a client who was ticketed for failing to yield the right of way to an emergency vehicle (aka VTL § 1144-AA or New York's Move Over Law). For this charge, a driver is faced with 2 points and up to a $150 fine for a first offense.
After carefully reviewing the client's case, Geraci Law determined that the driver was never issued a Supporting Deposition, and as a result moved to dismiss the case due to this error. A couple of weeks later, the client received the news that their ticket had been rightfully dismissed, meaning no fines and no points.
If you find yourself in the unfortunate position of being ticketed for a driving infraction, do your homework, decide on the best path forward, and get it taken care of. And if you're unsure what to do, contact Mike Law to learn more about your options. Geraci Law Offices and The Law Office of Michael T. Pattison have helped clients with traffic tickets in all Monroe County Courts, such as Greece Town Court, Brighton Town Court, Pittsford, the City of Rochester, you get the idea. But their services go beyond Monroe County, as well. That includes all the counties that make up the Greater Rochester Area (Genesee, Seneca, Livingston, Wayne, Ontario, Orleans, etc.) and even some further out counties like Onondaga, Erie, and Jefferson. So, if you or anyone you know has a ticket in any of these areas and would like to minimize the assessed fines and points, it can't hurt to give Mike Law a call.
To learn more about some of the standard fine and point fees that go along with certain traffic charges, check out our page on Vehicle and Traffic Law here.
If you'd like to speak with a representative at Mike Law about your traffic ticket today, call 585-888-MIKE (8645) or message us here for a legal consultation! We look forward to hearing from you.
In the meantime, lay off the gas pedal, give the driver in front of you some space, and most importantly, drive safe!
