FLORISSANT MO TRAFFIC TICKETS
When you receive a traffic ticket in Florissant Missouri, the first reaction might be anger (or frustration, or even panic). But once those emotions calm down, you’ll be faced with the question of what to do about it.
There are basically two ways in which you can handle your Florissant MO speeding ticket: 1) You could represent yourself on the ticket; 2) You could hire a good Florissant Missouri traffic ticket lawyer.
We will get your Florissant MO traffic ticket fixed quickly so that no points go on your driving record
If you were to hire The People’s Counsel to represent you, our Florissant Missouri traffic ticket attorney will work closely with the local prosecutor to get your ticket fixed. We do this by asking that the ticket be reduced from a moving violation (so-called because the infraction occurred when the car was in motion) down to a non-moving violation. A good example would be Illegal Parking (because the car was not moving when the infraction occurred).
The reason why we work hard to get your Florissant MO traffic ticket reduced in this manner is because non-moving violations do not carry any points. And if there is one thing you’ll want to avoid, it is points on your permanent driving record!
Our experienced Florissant Missouri speeding ticket lawyer will make sure your auto insurance does not go up
Now let’s take a closer look at option #1 above (when you decide to represent yourself). In this scenario, you do not hire a good Florissant Missouri traffic ticket attorney to help you out. Instead, you act as your own lawyer.
This is certainly a right that you have. Any American can represent themselves in traffic court (or for any criminal matter they might be charged with). But here’s the catch: when you represent yourself, the court will treat you the same way it would any licensed attorney. In other words, the judge, prosecutor, and clerk will not give you any shortcuts just because you didn’t go to law school. A self-represented individual will be expected to have a full understanding of the traffic court system, of any pertinent Missouri law, and a broad knowledge of the individual rules and regulations of the City of Florissant.
EXPERIENCED FLORISSANT MISSOURI TRAFFIC TICKET ATTORNEY
At The People’s Counsel, we have watched lots of people over the last ten (10) years who decided to represent themselves, and who inevitably complained that they were being treated unfairly by the court because they lacked the knowledge necessary to move their Florissant Missouri traffic ticket through the system. And maybe very is unfairness in such a system. But the fact of the matter is, the court will treat you the same way it will treat any other attorney (if you decide to represent yourself). Which means you’ll either have the same level of expertise of a lawyer who has handled hundreds of tickets in Florissant, or you will not.
As a result, the vast majority of people end up doing nothing more than pleading guilty to their Florissant MO speeding tickets. How does someone plead guilty to a traffic ticket? All you have to do is pay the fine listed on the back, and just like that, you will have successfully plead guilty to it.
Why is pleading guilty to a ticket such a bad idea? In the state of Missouri, when you admit guilt to a moving violation (such as speeding), the MO Department of Revenue will assess a certain number of points to your permanent driving record. The exact number of points will depend on what kind of ticket you were issued. For example, if you ran a stop sign, then you might get two (2) points. But if your ticket was for Careless and Imprudent Driving, then there will be a lot more points.
What’s the big deal about points on your driving record? Once your automobile insurance provider is made aware of the points on your record, it will raise your monthly rates through the roof. Why? Because points on your record have the same meaning as when you receive an “F” on your final exam. It indicates that you are a bad driver (who does not follow the rules of the road). People who do not follow traffic laws present a statistically higher risk of getting into a car accident. And in order to cover the increased risk, the insurance industry will blow up your monthly premiums.
How big of an increase to your car insurance? Even one or two points on your driving record can lead to an increase of about 35% above your current rates. That rate increase will last for at least the next three (3) years. Don’t worry about pulling out your calculator to see how much extra you’ll end up paying over that period of time. We’ll do it for you in the next paragraph.
If the average monthly car insurance payment around the nation is about $150, a 35% increase would be $52.50. You’ll continue to pay that increased amount ($52.50), month after month, for a total of thirty-six (36). At the end of the three-years, your total you will have paid will be: $1,890. That’s a lot of extra money that could have been spent on more pressing household items!
But if you’d rather avoid all this craziness, then please do give us a call! Our legal team will fix your Florissant Missouri traffic issues in a flash, and make sure your driving record stays clean. We look forward to hearing from you!