Speeding tickets are not all that uncommon, but if you continue to speed and get tickets, the fines will increase, and eventually, you will end up having to go to court. If a summons is issued that requires you to appear in front of the judge, it can be helpful to have a lawyer attend court with you.

Finding a Lawyer to Help You

If you are looking for a lawyer to help with a speeding ticket or a summons, you need to find one that is well versed in traffic laws and fighting traffic tickets. Often, you have to appear in court if you have many tickets or if the speed you were traveling at was considered unsafe for the conditions or excessive for the road you were on. 

Many times, the police officer that charges you will do so because there is no set fine for the speed and the court will set the fine when you appear. Having a lawyer there to help you try and reduce the charge or the fine can be helpful. If your speed was high enough for the court to consider jail time, you can not afford to go to court alone. Your lawyer will try to work out a plea-bargain with the prosecutor for a reduced fine or to keep you from serving time in jail. 

Modified Charges

In some cases, your lawyer may be able to get your ticket or charges modified to lower the fines you may have to pay. The ticket you get from the police officer may only have fines set for specific things like twenty miles an hour over the speed limit, racing, or reckless driving. Because the police officer has to use the fine schedule on the ticket, modifying the charge can only happen if the judge agrees to it. 

Your lawyer will need to talk with the prosecutor, and if they can come to an agreement, the prosecutor will talk to the judge. If the judge agrees to a reduction or modification of the charges, the judge will change the charge and then set a fine that you will need to pay. If the charges include incarceration, the judge is the only one that can suspend the sentence, and your lawyer will need to file a motion for the court to consider. 

If you are not able to pay the fines on the day you go to court, the judge can find you in contempt and hold you in jail. Let your lawyer know if you are going to need time to pay the fines so they can make arrangements with the court and keep you out of jail. Contact a local speeding ticket attorney to learn more.