San Luis Obispo Traffic Lawyer
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If you have been charged with a traffic violation, a skilled criminal defense attorney at the Law Offices of John C. Carlson could help you determine your legal options. Contact our team today to schedule a consultation with a San Luis Obispo traffic lawyer.
John has handled literally hundreds of traffic matters and knows exactly what a citing officer must prove in court to have the citation upheld.
A traffic case often involves more than just preparing for and attending a traffic trial. If a plea deal is reached or the officer does prove his case, then you probably will need to sign up for traffic school and pay fines. In more serious cases, you will need to attend a special driving safety course, or your license will be suspended.
If you have correctable violations, proof of correction must be submitted to multiple parties in a timely manner, or else these charges won’t be dismissed. John has experience in resolving all traffic-related issues that come up in a typical case.
A traffic fine for the citation alone typically ranges from $250 to $1,000. This does not include other penalties, such as the time and expense for attending traffic school, possible license suspension, and vehicle impoundment, to name a few. The last thing you need is an expensive attorney. John’s rates are competitive with all other traffic law firms in the state.
There are several, and some of the more critical ones are listed below:
Each county has different local rules and guidelines on how traffic cases are resolved. It is imperative you find an attorney who has experience resolving traffic tickets in the county where you were cited. Resolution strategies in one county will not work in another county. John has conducted traffic trials in nearly all counties in California.
How many miles per hour you were cited over the speed limit is of critical importance. It will determine the fine amount, whether or not you are eligible for traffic school, and whether your license will be suspended if you are found guilty, among other things. A good attorney knows the accuracy of each type of speed calculation method used by officers and how the accuracy may be compromised. A simple example is distance – a radar device loses accuracy if the car is too far from the officer’s radar gun when the measurement is taken.
Officers are required to bring documentation to traffic trials to prove their case. Such documentation may include officer training in equipment use and visual estimation, radar/lidar calibration, daily equipment check-logs, and highway surveys, among other things. Determining whether the officer brings all the required documents is easy; the harder part is determining whether the documentation actually supports what the officer is claiming. A very basic example: an officer brings to trial his speed estimation training certificate with the date the course was completed. If the date of completion is too many years prior to the date of citation, the officer cannot support his claim that he has been properly trained to use his radar equipment.
The citing officer will mark on your ticket if you have any correctable violations. Examples include tinted windows or no license plates. Normally, if you can correct the violations before the date of trial, they will be dismissed. A good attorney will tell you how, where, and when to fix the violations and how to obtain proof of correction. The attorney will submit the proof of correction on your behalf before the trial date. Should you elect not to correct the violations, you should be advised of how much the fine will be.
Often, the citing officer and/or the court will agree to settle your case before trial. For example, in exchange for a no contest plea, you will receive a reduced fine, or traffic school if you would not be eligible based on your cited speed. The hard part is determining whether accepting a plea deal is likely to result in a better outcome than going to trial. A good attorney will speak with the officer before trial to determine the strength of the evidence, while also considering how other similar cases have resolved.
John has resolved hundreds of traffic ticket matters throughout the state of California. An experienced San Luis Obispo traffic lawyer could help ensure that you obtain the best outcome possible based on the unique facts of your case. Contact our firm today to schedule your consultation and begin fighting for your rights.