Traffic Ticket Attorney in King County
Being flagged down by an officer and receiving a speeding ticket is the last thing you want to experience while driving. When that happens, lots of questions begin ringing in your head, and you’ll wonder whether it’s worth it to hire a King County traffic ticket attorney to help you fight the ticket.
Fighting the ticket seems like an almost impossible task for most people. For this reason, most opt to pay the ticket fine and move on with their lives. However, they most likely don’t know that a traffic ticket can be costly in the long run.
Being issued with a traffic ticket can have severe consequences on a commercial driver’s career, which is why it’s always advisable to contact a King County traffic ticket attorney immediately if you hold a commercial driving license.
Even if you don’t drive for a living, a traffic ticket can still have an impact on you now and in the future.
The sooner you hire an attorney, the better because it gives the attorney enough time to prepare a strong defense ahead of the court date, keeping your record clean.
Types of Traffic Tickets in King County
King County traffic tickets can be in the form of:
- HOV ticket.
- Work zone ticket.
- Construction zone ticket.
- No insurance ticket.
- Speeding ticket.
- Cell phone ticket.
- Parking ticket.
- Red light camera tickets.
- School bus camera ticket.
- And other traffic infractions.
How To Resolve a Traffic Ticket Infraction in King County
After being issued with a traffic ticket, you’ll need to respond to it before the deadline indicated on the ticket expires. You can choose any of the options discussed below to respond:
Pay the Fine
This is the quickest way of handling a traffic ticket but not the best option in the long run. Paying the fine means you admit you were at fault and are ready to pay the full ticket fine amount.
The traffic ticket case closes after paying the fine, but the fine will appear on your driver’s abstract for up to five years. It may also lead to an increase in your auto insurance premiums.
However, selecting this option isn’t favorable for someone who wants to keep their driving record clean.
Request for a Deferred Disposition
You can request a deferred disposition if you have a moving or non-moving violation. Asking for a deferred disposition is also considered admittance of guilt, but you’ll be asking the court for leniency.
Instead of having the ticket reflect on your record for three years, a deferred disposition usually requests the court to dismiss it after a year or less.
It is worth noting that there are circumstances where the court won’t grant a deferral. For instance, if you were issued a ticket near a school zone or an accident occurred.
Mitigation Hearing
If you agree that you were at fault but want to explain your situation to a judge, you can request a mitigation hearing. You can either appear in person or in writing for this hearing, and if the judge rules in your favor, you may get a reduction in the amount you ought to pay. Regardless, the ticket will still appear on your record.
Suppose the ruling goes against you. In that case, you’ll still be liable to pay the full amount of the ticket fine, and the ticket will appear on your driving record.
Requesting a mitigation hearing may seem favorable but still carries the same repercussions as the first option of paying the fine. Moreover, it’s even more time-consuming as compared to paying the fine.
Therefore, it’s always advisable to avoid this option if you want a clean driving record.
Request a Contested Hearing
Requesting a contested hearing means that you don’t accept the infraction charges and would rather defend yourself in court. Just like requesting a mitigation hearing, you have the option to attend the hearing in person or contest the ticket in writing.
However, choosing the latter means losing the power to appeal the judge’s ruling.
Our lawyers will always advise you to request a contested hearing because it offers a higher chance of a favorable outcome. Although there’s no guarantee of getting a ticket dismissed, it’s a better option than the others.
What if You Fail to Respond to the Ticket?
Failing to respond to a traffic ticket in King County means additional penalties on top of the traffic ticket penalties. The penalties include:
- The court will include an additional late fee to the original traffic ticket amount.
- You’ll lose your right to a fair hearing.
- The court can decide to send your ticket to the Department of Licensing, which has the power to suspend your driving license.
Is It Worth Getting a Lawyer for a Traffic Ticket?
You can either choose to represent yourself in court or have an attorney handle the case for you. Some people decide to contest a ticket and represent themselves in court.
However, doing this may have little or no success because contesting a ticket in court requires experience dealing with Washington state judges and prosecutors and extensive knowledge of state traffic laws.
A King County traffic ticket attorney is best suited to handle such cases because they know precisely how to navigate the system and find loopholes they can use to aggressively defend you in court.
Are All Traffic Ticket Cases the Same?
No, traffic ticket cases are handled differently depending on the infraction. For instance, dismissing a ‘no insurance’ ticket is very different from the process of dismissing an ‘expired registration’ ticket.
Is a Traffic Ticket a Criminal Offense?
Some states classify traffic infractions as criminal offenses. However, in Washington, getting a traffic ticket is not a criminal offense though you can be criminally charged for reckless driving.
What’s the Likelihood of a Favorable Outcome After a Traffic Ticket?
There’s no guarantee that your ticket will be dismissed. But our lawyers will do everything in their power to ensure that your traffic infraction is dismissed and has no impact on your record. We’ll renegotiate with the prosecutors for a reduced charge with lighter penalties as a traffic infraction if dismissal isn’t possible.
A King County Traffic Ticket Attorney Is Ready to Help
Barbara Bowden is an energetic King County traffic ticket attorney with over 30 years of experience handling traffic ticket cases. You can count on her experience to help you retain your freedom to drive after getting a traffic ticket in King County.
At the Law Offices of Barbara Bowden, we’re always available 24/7 to answer all your questions about your case. As soon as you get in touch with us, our experienced traffic ticket lawyers will begin to review your case and develop an aggressive defense strategy.
Our main goal is to mitigate the repercussions of a traffic ticket on your record and prevent you from paying extra insurance premiums.
Besides, we have over 150 5-star reviews on Google and Avvo from clients from Bellevue, Kent, Federal Way, Kirkland, Redmond, Burien, and the greater King County area.
Don’t let a traffic ticket ruin your life or career. Call us at (253) 473-4262 to speak to an experienced attorney right now!
