Most people think that all traffic tickets are the same – equally annoying, including a small fine, and causing an increase in insurance rates. You may be one of the few people that understand that some traffic tickets are far more expensive than others. In fact, you could face a very costly ticket and additional legal proceedings, especially if you are driving with a suspended license.
Most often, driver’s licenses are suspended because of a previous traffic violation – an especially serious violation, such as driving under the influence. As part of your original conviction, you lost driving privileges, usually for a specific period of time. If you are stopped for a NJ traffic ticket during this time period, you could be facing serious penalties.
It’s not at all uncommon for individuals to face possible jail time, to have their vehicle immediately towed and impounded, and to face an extremely high monetary fine. What should you do? Here are a few suggestions:
Contact an attorney as soon as you are arrested. It’s important to contact an attorney immediately so you have someone acting on your behalf and protecting your interests. Your attorney will defend you against the charges and work to get you released. This initial work is critical to your successful defense case.
Clarify all the charges against you. Make sure you understand what the charges are and work with your attorney to request a copy of all evidence related to the charges. Your attorney will probably suggest that you become clear about the circumstances surrounding the ticket – what was the weather and traffic conditions, the charges against you, the name of the arresting officer, etc?
Follow your attorney’s recommendations. First, work with an attorney that understands and has worked with the traffic court system. Your attorney will prep you on what to expect during your court appearance and what questions are likely to be asked. His or her goal is to minimize the charges against you.
Come to court prepared, honest and remorseful. Your attorney will suggest how you can negotiate the charges, accept alternative sentencing options, or minimize the charges. This is a very serious charge – the prosecutor and the judge will be watching you closely to see that you understand these charges and are prepared to accept the consequences.
While it is a very serious charge to be stopped for driving with a suspended license, you can fight NJ traffic tickets and related charges. Your NJ traffic ticket attorney can help you deal with the court proceedings, so that you can get back on the road as soon as possible.