No one is ever truly anticipating a traffic or parking ticket. Because these things are so unexpected they are easily forgotten as well, even though they should not be. Traffic citations and parking tickets add up, and they add up pretty fast. Should you fail to pay your traffic or parking tickets they can even lead to more trouble for you. Phone cases, those who fail to pay their traffic citations or parking citations have been punished with additional fines or even face jail time depending on the citation. Although it seems small, failure to pay traffic citations can really throw off a lot in your life, this includes having your license suspended, sometimes even indefinitely. While your citation may be as small as fifty dollars, those fifty dollars can determine your eligibility to drive.
In several cases, the solution is as simple as paying the citation off; this may also include any additional late fees or potential reinstatement fees for your license should your license be suspended. However, there are many instances where I take it is not paid because the defendant would like to challenge the ticket. Challenging to take it does not make you innocent nor does it make the fever go away so you should definitely speak with a skilled traffic or criminal defense attorney in your area to see what your legal options are.
When preparing to fight a traffic ticket you should be prepared to go to court. Much like defending yourself in a criminal case you would gather all evidence that proves you are not guilty of the offense the traffic ticket is displaying. Are some cases where a ticket is simply invalid, or the ticket was written incorrectly. It’s important to pay attention to every detail written on your ticket such as the due date for the amount of the citation, or any court dates that are written down for you to appear at. Failure to do your part does not make your case any easier. There are times where fighting a ticket can even make your situation a lot more complicated.
Before making matters any worse for yourself, you should contact a criminal defense attorney in the area the citation was received to see what your legal options are. Even before making a payment you should see if there is a way to avoid the fee as well as any points on your license for failure to pay. By contacting an attorney you are ensuring that your rights have not been violated and you do actually have legal options. Contact a Decatur criminal law lawyer as soon as possible.
Thanks to The Lynch Law Group for their insight into criminal law and unpaid citations.