Georgia Traffic Ticket FAQ’s
Will I Have To Go To Court For My Ticket?
Attorney, Jason M. Ferguson will appear on your behalf in court for a Georgia traffic ticket, speeding ticket or moving violation whenever possible. If you are under 21 years of age or have a Commercial Drivers License, a judge may request that you appear, especially if this is not your first offense. There are hundreds of city and county courts across the state of Georgia, each one may have different requirements and whether or not you will need to appear may depend on whether you are a Georgia resident or not, if you live far away from the court, you may be excused.
Why should I fight a traffic ticket?
The most practical reason is to avoid huge increases in your liability insurance premium. In many cases, insurance companies can raise their rates 300-500 percent for 3-5 years in response to convictions for traffic tickets. This can cost you thousands of dollars. Protecting your driving record can avoid these increased costs.
An additional but often-overlooked advantage to hiring an attorney and fighting a ticket is the advantage of keeping your Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) clean, or mitigating charges placed on your record in the event of future traffic citations. Courts look to your past driving record on your MVR when determining what leniency to offer. For instance, if a conviction for speeding shows on your MVR, the chances of future citations being lowered or dismissed are generally nonexistent. By saving your record once, you may save it again and again in the future.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire the Law Office of Jason M. Ferguson, LLC To Fight My Ticket?
Our costs for each ticket we handle are determined by a variety of factors including the nature of the offense/citation, your driving record and the court where you are requested to appear. Once we have all the details of your case we will give you a quote as to what the fee will be. Remember, initial consultation is always free!
If I Do Not Pay The Ticket Or Appear In Court What Will Happen?
Georgia takes this very seriously, if you do not pay your ticket or show up in court a Failure to Appear(FTA) and in many instances a Bench Warrant for your arrest will be issued. Every moving traffic violation in Georgia is considered a criminal misdemeanor so its wise not to just ignore the ticket in hopes that the court will forget about it.
I Don’t Live In Georgia, Will My State Find Out About A Georgia Traffic Ticket?
Most states will report traffic violations to other states or do have reciprocity or sharing of information about tickets. If you live in California and receive a ticket in Georgia and decide to do nothing about paying the ticket or appearing in court as per the instructions on the ticket, eventually your driver’s license will be suspended. This applies to the majority of states. If you get a ticket in Georgia and want to know for certain whether this will be reported to your state please contact the DMV in your state.
How Much Is The Fine For My Ticket?
Your fine will be determined by the specific offense you have been charged with as it appears on your traffic citation and is set by the county or city in Georgia where you received your ticket. There are hundreds of cities and counties in Georgia and even more traffic enforcement officers within these cities and counties that can stop you across the state should you commit a traffic offense. As no two counties/cities fines are exactly the same, the ticket itself provides either a web site where you can look up the amount of the fine, or a phone number to the court where your appearance is requested should you choose to fight or contest the ticket. Just remember that once you pay the ticket it will automatically be reported to the Georgia DMV and it will be more difficult to get the the ticket reduced or off your record, the best time to hire a Georgia traffic lawyer to fight the ticket is before the fine payment is due or the court date has passed.
What Happens If I Plead NOLO For A Traffic Ticket?
Pleading Nolo Contendere or “no contest” means you are pleading neither guilt nor innocence to the charge and this defense can be used once every 5 years and no more. Should a NOLO plea be made in court, the best result is that the points will be removed, however the violation itself will still be reported to the Georgia Department of Driver Services and will show up on your record. if you plead NOLO. The Law Office of Jason M. Ferguson, LLC works to get the charge and the points reduced thus resulting in a resolution that could be better than a straight NOLO plea for most traffic tickets.
Can I really get a free consultation with the Law Office of Jason M. Ferguson, LLC?
Yes! In order for us to fully understand your traffic ticket case and know if we can help, we need to get all the facts from you. There is never a charge for this. Once we have all the details of your case we will give you a quote as to what the fee will be.
What services do we provide for your traffic ticket case?
We offer services to keep your driving record clear without your appearance in court. Our legal services include; contacting the court, the prosecutor and/or the court personnel on your behalf; working with you to put together any evidence required; negotiating a resolution subject to your approval; handling the paperwork and financial considerations such as payment for any court costs, fines or contempt fees.
How does the point system work in Georgia?
Georgia has a “point system” that causes points to accrue to your driving record whenever you are convicted of an offense. These points can affect the validity of your license. The effect these points have on you can vary widely based on how old you are or how many points you have received in the past. It is extremely important to contact an attorney if you are under 21 years old, or if you aren’t sure how many points you currently have on your record. In addition, insurance companies search your Motor Vehicle Record to determine how many points you have. Typically, the more points you have, the higher the premium.
Here are a few of the most common offenses:
Aggressive Driving = 6 points
Reckless Driving = 4 points
Unlawful Passing of a School Bus = 6 points
Improper Passing on hill or curve = 4 points
Speeding (15-18 over) = 2 points
Speeding (19-23 over) = 3 points
Speeding (24-33 over) = 4 points
Speeding (34 or more over) = 6 points
Red Light Violation (non-photo) = 3 points
Open Container while Driving = 2 points
Should I just pay the ticket and save the trouble?
No. You should know that if you just pay a speeding or traffic ticket in Georgia, you are pleading guilty to the offense and you will face the consequences of such conviction. While at the time you are pulled over these tickets may seem no more than just a nuisance, the long-term consequences of being convicted of the charges or “just paying” a speeding or traffic ticket in Georgia can be very serious and extremely costly.
Some of the potential problems are:
• A fine and/or court costs.
• Probation.
• Points added to your driving record.
• Suspension or revocation of your license.
• The ticket will stay on your record FOREVER.
• Car insurance premiums increased and/or denial of insurance.
• They show up on background checks done by prospective employers and can even be used as evidence against you if you are sued as a result of an automobile collision.
The Law Office of Jason M. Ferguson, LLC has the experience and skill to represent you and attempt to assist you in avoiding these expensive results. The facts of each case varies, so contact us for a free evaluation of the circumstances of your case.
Shouldn’t I just pay the Georgia Traffic ticket in the mail?
On the backs of most tickets, you will find what is known as the “window fine.” The instructions will advise you that you can pay this fine through the mail. However, they do not advise you of the effect of paying the ticket. If you pay the window fine through the mail, you will be found guilty and in many cases, the convictions will appear on your driving record. You may also see an increase in your insurance rates. You should contact an experienced traffic ticket lawyer to discuss your rights. At the Law Office of Jason M. Ferguson, LLC we will do our best to work with you to minimize or dismiss your speeding ticket.
The Law Office of Jason M. Ferguson, LLC will fight for you every step of the way, including eliminating or mitigating any required fines. But, in some cases, paying a fine to a reduced charge can be the most economical way to deal with a traffic violation.