If you are reading this you may be searching for the right lawyer to handle your traffic ticket. Below are some things to look for when searching for a traffic ticket lawyer. I have handled thousands of traffic tickets over the years and my clients generally indicate they had a positive experience working with my office. If I needed a traffic ticket lawyer, these are the things I would like to know about my attorney.
Experience
Any lawyer can handle a traffic ticket right? Not really. Traffic Ticket attorneys are specialists and should be well versed in the Vehicle and Traffic law. Traffic ticket attorneys who have been practicing for a while should be familiar with the jurisdiction your case is in. They don’t have to be friends with the judge and prosecutor. That is not how the system works. But your attorney should have an idea of what will likely happen with your case in court, based on their experience. They should be able to give you a best and worst case scenario with regard to outcome. Transparency is important when building a relationship of trust. Your attorney should not have a problem answering your questions and concerns based on their experience
Communication
Lack of communication is perhaps THE BIGGEST issue most people have with their lawyers. Some people are fine with trusting the lawyer or law firm to take care of things and are happy to stay in the dark. Some people want as much information as possible. I don’t know the best way to screen out lawyers who slack with communicating. All I know is that the best way to ruin my day is to agitate a client who deserves a response within 24 hours. We communicate via email and text as promptly as we can, and we keep our clients informed. Perhaps having a conversation with the actual attorney who will be defending you will insure you have a direct line of communication in the future.
Price
Fees for traffic ticket lawyers vary greatly. And in this business, a higher fee does not mean better service. In my opinion, you should not have to pay more than $400.00 for a simple appearance on a traffic matter. (Outside of NYC metro).
Trial Lawyer
Very few traffic tickets go to trial. But what happens when no offer of reduction is offered? Will your lawyer tell you there is nothing they can do, or will he set the matter down for trial? Have they ever tried a case? Most of the good traffic ticket lawyers I know are also criminal defense attorneys. Criminal defense attorneys generally are trial lawyers and are always looking for ways to beat the system. That definitely can work to your advantage.
I hope this post was helpful. It is obviously self-serving but as I mentioned earlier, if I or a loved one needed the help of a traffic ticket lawyer I would give the advice outlined above.
At The Law Office of Christian deFrancqueville PLLC, we strive to educate and support our clients as we work through the process to help them obtain the best results possible. Contact our office at 518-209-3673 to schedule an appointment.