01 Sep Can I challenge my traffic ticket in Arizona?

Many of us don’t even think twice about paying our ticket when we’re pulled over for speeding or other minor traffic offenses in Arizona. However, you may not realize that by paying that ticket you are actually pleading guilty or no contest to the charges on your ticket.

The main difference with minor traffic violations and other charges, is that in most cases, as long as you pay your fine, you will only ever see a courtroom if you challenge your ticket which can be done by either pleading not guilty or pleading for lesser charges.

If you don’t believe you have a strong case to defeat the charges, or if the fine is so small that you may pay more in attorney’s fees, sometimes it makes more fiscal sense to simply “plead guilty”. While you may get a point or two on your license which can lead to a suspended license and higher insurance rates down the road, you can sometimes, depending on the charges, enroll in a defensive driving class to have the charges dismissed, reduce the cost of the ticket and/or erase the incident from your MVD record.

However, if you were charged unjustly and wish to challenge your traffic ticket, you should hire a Certified Criminal Law Specialist like Todd Coolidge. Having an attorney in your corner is vital if you wish to plead to lesser charges because a qualified attorney can help get you to this point with the judge. It is also advised to have the help of an attorney if your traffic violation is criminal–meaning it is related to drugs, DUI, homicide, manslaughter, or other felonies committed in a vehicle.

Do you have a traffic ticket that you need to fight in court? Contact us today to schedule your consultation with Coolidge Law Firm.

*The information in this blog is for general information purposes only. This blog post should not be taken to constitute a formal recommendation or professional advice. We exclude all representations, warranties, legal liability or responsibility relating to its content.

Images used under creative commons license – commercial use (9/1/2016) Chris Yarzab (Flickr)