Speeding Tickets in Pennsylvania
Getting a speeding ticket in the state of Pennsylvania is often an unfortunate occurrence that happens to many Pennsylvania residents and visitors at least once. However, a speeding ticket may be given to a person under curious or arguable circumstances that could cause them to want to fight their ticket and the charges or points that come along with the citation. A driver in the state of Pennsylvania has a right to fight a speeding ticket if they should choose, and if this option is chosen, they should always be represented in court by a Pennsylvania traffic ticket attorney.
Fighting a Speeding Ticket in Pennsylvania
A Pennsylvania driver has the right to fight a speeding ticket, and when taking this course of action, the driver must observe several steps:
- Hire a traffic attorney – Hiring a traffic attorney is a must when fighting a speeding ticket. The traffic attorney will be able to organize and outline a case to the best of his or her abilities using their extensive knowledge of Pennsylvania traffic laws. Once the case has been organized, the traffic attorney will then support their client in proving their case of innocence from the ticket before the ticketing officer and a judge.
- Prepare the case – With the help of a traffic attorney, it is best to thoroughly prepare one’s case before bringing it to a judge in a court of law. This preparation will include collecting any witnesses who may have been available at the time the ticket was issued, and asking them to testify on the driver’s behalf. Also, the driver may wish to prepare their own testimony regarding their innocence from the traffic violation at hand.
- Pleading the case – Once the case has been prepared, it is then time to plead the case in court before the judge and ticketing officer. A driver may choose to have their traffic attorney plead the case for them in order to have the best possible chance at being deemed innocent of the violation.
- Filing an appeal – Should the judge find the driver guilty of the violation, they can then file an appeal within 30 days of the verdict if they so choose. Drivers may find this option attractive if they are facing points on their license or a license suspension stemming from their traffic violation.
Fighting a speeding ticket is a common thing for drivers to do in the state of Pennsylvania, as various factors can cause the ticket to be voided and their driving records kept clean. A smooth trial and an innocent verdict will often depend on the proper representation and preparation on the driver’s behalf, and these factors are best secured when a driver chooses to hire a skilled traffic ticket attorney.
Speeding Ticket Penalties in Pennsylvania
When a person pleads guilty to a traffic violation, such a speeding, resulting in a ticket, they are then required to pay the penalty of their individual ticket. Some drivers may find this option attractive because it gives them the opportunity to plead for a lesser offense resulting in lesser penalties or fines. The offenses, penalties, and fines incurred by traffic violations in the state of Pennsylvania greatly depend on the driver’s driving history, if they’re driving for commercial purposes, their alcohol intake, and their age.
Drivers who are proven to be sober, have clean driving records, are not driving for commercial purposes, and are over the age of 18 are the most likely to receive the easiest penalties. The exact cost of each speeding ticket penalty will vary depending on the specific violation being cited and the particular circumstances revolving around the issuing of the citation.
Ways to Pay for Speeding Tickets in Pennsylvania
A person may choose one of 3 different ways to pay for their speeding tickets should they accept their violations or be found guilty of them later in court. A driver may pay their speeding ticket penalty directly to the local court where their citation was issued, they can also mail their penalty amount to the court, or they can choose to pay online through the Pennsylvania DMV website using their local court finding tool. The option to pay for a speeding ticket online allows people the convenience of paying for their ticket from their own homes, which is particularly useful when the ticket was issued a long distance from their primary residence.
Why One Should Hire a Traffic Ticket Attorney
Traffic tickets and violations in the state of Pennsylvania not only come with fines and penalties, they also come with points that can cause a person to have their license lost or suspended. Each time a driver is given a traffic ticket, they may receive any number of points on their driving record, and this number will directly depend on the violation at hand. When a certain number of points is reached, the driver will then experience additional penalties such as license suspension or revocation.
Hiring a traffic ticket attorney to help to fight a traffic ticket is one way a driver can give themselves their best chance at avoiding these penalties, fines, and points. A traffic ticket attorney will be able to help their client to build a case worthy of bringing to court, and allow them the best possible opportunity to receive a not guilty verdict. Pennsylvania traffic ticket attorneys are well aware of the local laws surrounding traffic and speeding tickets around the state of Pennsylvania, and they will be able to prepare the most successful traffic ticket cases.