A Defense Lawyer Can Help You Fight a Traffic Citation

 Posted on October 06, 2022 in Criminal Defense

In Wisconsin, driving is a privilege, not a right. This means that the state can take away your ability to drive for a number of reasons, including being convicted of traffic violations. With some offenses, you may lose your driving privileges on the first infraction, and with others, you can receive several tickets before you lose your license. Losing your ability to drive often means that your ability to work and attend to personal responsibilities may be compromised. If you determine that your driver’s license may be at risk of suspension, you should contact a skilled attorney so that your rights can be protected.

Appointed Lawyers and the True Cost of Traffic Violations

When the crime you are accused of is punishable by imprisonment, the state will provide you with a public defender. However, many traffic violations are not punishable by imprisonment, so if you want legal counsel, you must retain a lawyer yourself. Also, many people prefer hiring a private defense attorney, as public defenders are often overworked, underpaid, and unable to dedicate the necessary attention to each case they are assigned.

Keep in mind that there are hidden costs beyond the traffic ticket fine. According to some sources, a traffic ticket could increase your insurance premiums for up to five years. Taking that into consideration, the total cost of a Wisconsin traffic ticket is likely to be much higher than you might expect. On average, for example, a Wisconsin driver will pay between about $200 and $800 for a speeding violation.

When You Can Lose Your Driver’s License

When you are issued a traffic ticket, you have three options. You could:

• Pay the fine, plead guilty, and incur a conviction.

• Pay the fine and request court supervision, which typically means attending traffic school and avoiding additional traffic violations for a certain period of time.

• Contest the ticket and attend a hearing, which is essentially a bench trial in front of a local judge.

While it may be tempting to simply plead guilty, pay the ticket, and put the matter behind you, supervision often means that the conviction will not appear on your record so long as the terms of supervision are met.

If you have two or more convictions on your driving record within a 12-month period, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation can suspend your driver’s license for up to one year depending on the severity of your infractions. The minimum suspension period is two months.

Contact a Milwaukee County Traffic Violations Attorney

Many people do not understand the consequences associated with traffic violations until they are in court and it is too late to mount a proper defense. Our goal is to keep you on the road with a clean driving history. If you are facing traffic violations, contact an experienced Waukesha County traffic ticket defense lawyer. Call 262-303-4916 for a free consultation with a member of the team at Bucher Law Group, LLC today.

Sources:

https://wisconsindot.gov/pages/dmv/license-drvs/susp-or-rvkd/point-system.aspx

https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/safety/education/drv-behavior/speeding.aspx