Can I fight my traffic ticket on my own?
It is possible, but probably not a good idea depending on your comfort level with the justice system, navigating courts and familiarity to traffic laws. You only get one chance to successfully defend yourself against a traffic ticket. Mishandling the matter could mean the difference between having the ticket withdrawn or being convicted, which could cause your insurance rates to increase by thousands of dollars a year.
Should I fight my traffic ticket on my own?
Unfortunately, the court system does not provide any tutorials or in-depth explanation about the process of contesting a traffic ticket. You will be left to figure out what you should and should not do on your own. The system is unforgiving and even a small mistake or misunderstanding could have huge repercussions.
It may be a good idea to at least speak to a licenced and experienced professional before attempting to deal with your traffic ticket. We offer free consultations, and there is no obligation to retain us. In other words, there is no harm in speaking with us. You have everything to gain and nothing to lose!
Can I make a plea deal on my own?
A plea deal for a traffic ticket will generally involve reducing the offence to a lesser charge. This may mean that is has less points, a lower fine, no suspension, etc. You may be able to do this on your own, but this could be a mistake. There are a number of factors that contribute to a “good deal” and whether or not you will receive one.
How do I get a good plea deal for my traffic ticket?
There are a number of factors that will contribute to the quality of the deal you may or may not be able to get for your case – assuming you are able to get a deal at all. Here are a few of the main factors to consider.
A Strong Legal Defence
The first major factor for whether you will get a good deal on your traffic ticket comes down to your ability to build a strong legal defence. This means that you need to understand the specific law you were charged under and what the prosecutor would need to prove in order to have the Justice of the Peace find you guilty. If the prosecutor is unable to prove the essential elements of the offence, there is a good chance that the charge will either be dropped entirely or they will offer to reduce it to something much less significant. All of our representatives have experience and extensive knowledge of the traffic laws. We would be happy to offer you our expertise for helping to build you a strong case. The stronger your legal defence is, the better your deal is likely to be. This relates to the next point.
Relationship with the Prosecutor
The second major factor is getting a good deal is going to be your relationship with the prosecutor. A lot of people mistake this for meaning that we are able to ask them to do us a “favour”, which is not exactly what we are referring to. More importantly, this means that the prosecutor has seen that we have the experience, knowledge and perseverance to take the case all the way to trial if we need to. Ultimately, we are referring to respect. Having the respect of the prosecutor will mean that they will not offer us mediocre deals. They will save us all some time and often agree to what we are asking for.
Knowledge of the Law
The final big factor in getting a good plea deal is that you actually know what a good deal is. For example, we help a lot of people with Careless Driving charges, which are a very serious 6 point offence with a nearly $500.00 fine. We frequently hear from people who tried to handle their case on their own and accepted a deal to reduce their ticket to Follow Too Closely, which is 4 points and around a $100.00 fine. A few weeks later, they realize that Follow Too Closely is a “major” offence and that their insurance rates are going to skyrocket. When they spoke to the prosecutor, they were told that this was a significant reduction and the fine would be reduced by nearly 80%. It is a deceptively large ticket, and now it is too late to do anything about it. Having the experience to distinguish between a good deal, a mediocre deal and a bad deal is invaluable in these situations.
How can Ticket Shield help?
If you decide to hire us to assist with your ticket, we will ensure that we get you the best outcome possible. We always aim to have the charge eliminated entirely if that is an option, but if it is not, we can almost always have the charge reduced to something much less serious. Even if you think you may just want to make a “deal”, we can ensure that you are getting the best they are willing to offer.
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