Every day, drivers throughout the Shallotte, NC, area are pulled over by police officers for alleged speeding violations. Police officers must use appropriate methods for tracking drivers’ speeds, such as properly calibrated radar guns and other devices. If you are issued a speeding ticket in Shallotte, do not assume you can just pay the fine and forget about it. While this might appear to resolve the issue, the reality is that paying the fine for a speeding ticket amounts to admitting guilt for the offense. Doing so can be more disruptive to your life than you expect. Still, the right attorney can potentially help you navigate this situation toward a more agreeable result.
The lawyers at Christina Rivenbark & Associates offer comprehensive legal counsel to Shallotte drivers who issued speeding tickets. The ticket you recently received will have instructions for paying your fine or contesting your ticket. Choosing the latter will lead to a hearing in traffic court, and you should consult with a Shallotte speeding ticket attorney as soon as possible once you have decided to contest your ticket. Our firm can provide the legal representation you need to approach this situation with peace of mind.
North Carolina typically requires a driver to pay a fine for exceeding a posted speed limit. The amount of the fine depends on the severity of the offense. North Carolina also upholds stricter laws regarding speeding than many other states. If a driver exceeds a speed limit by 15 mph or more, or if they commit a speeding offense in certain locations, they may also face reckless driving charges.
While the initial fine will vary for a speeding offense in Shallotte, every driver also faces other potential penalties. For example, they may see an increase in their auto insurance premium, or their insurer may drop their coverage entirely depending on the severity of their speeding offense and whether it violated the terms and conditions of their policy. In addition, the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles may also automatically assign demerit points to their driver’s license. Accruing too many of these points within a short time can have various consequences, from compulsory remedial driving program completion to license suspension or revocation.
License suspension typically follows an accumulation of 12 points within three years. Suspension can also follow the accumulation of eight points within three years following reinstatement of a previously suspended or revoked driver’s license. If the driver experiences problems with their insurance or their insurer cancels their coverage, securing new coverage is likely to be much more expensive due to their new speeding offense record.
Approaching traffic court can be daunting. This type of case unfolds under the sole discretion of a judge. There is no jury to sway if you want to contest a speeding ticket. Instead, you must make a strong argument challenging the grounds on which the ticket was issued, the validity of the ticket, and the officer’s handling of your traffic stop. Our team can carefully review all details of your case, evaluating whether the traffic stop was legitimate in the first place and whether the officer used an appropriate method for assessing your vehicle’s speed.
When you choose Christina Rivenbark & Associates to represent you in traffic court, we will help you build a compelling case demonstrating any legal problems with your ticket. For example, the officer may have used a questionable method for calculating your speed, and your vehicle’s internal computer records could hold exculpatory data that completely refutes the ticket. The average person would be unlikely to secure this evidence on their own, further reinforcing the need for reliable legal counsel if you intend to proceed with contesting your speeding ticket.
Ultimately, it’s possible to resolve your speeding ticket more quickly and easily than you may initially expect as long as you have reliable legal counsel assisting you. Christina Rivenbark & Associates can provide ongoing support and guidance through all stages of your case. We aim to help you resolve it as quickly and effectively as possible.
You might think the fine you face isn’t worth the cost of contesting your speeding ticket. However, if you face an increase in your auto insurance premiums or risk losing your driver’s license, which will, in turn, impair your ability to work, the financial effects of your speeding ticket can be much more impactful than you initially realize.
The right attorney can potentially help you fight your speeding ticket and avoid the associated penalties entirely, but you must be prepared to meet the cost of hiring them. Most attorneys charge their clients by the hour. Therefore, the more time they spend working on a case, the more it costs the client. Make sure you fully understand your attorney’s billing policy before agreeing to their representation.
It’s possible to have your speeding ticket dismissed completely if you can prove you did not commit the speeding offense in question or prove the officer who conducted your traffic stop and issued your ticket violated due process in their actions. When you go to traffic court, you may need to face the officer who issued your ticket. However, if they do not appear to contest your claim, a compelling enough case could be enough to sway a judge and secure a favorable ruling.
The right attorney can potentially help you avoid expensive penalties for a speeding ticket. While it’s technically possible to challenge your ticket without legal counsel, and there is no legal requirement to hire an attorney to represent you in traffic court, doing so significantly improves your chances of avoiding the many penalties your ticket can entail.
Christina Rivenbark & Associates can help clients determine their best strategies for contesting speeding tickets in the Shallotte, NC, area. If you are unsure whether you should contest your recent ticket and need legal counsel to help you prepare for traffic court, contact us today and schedule a consultation with a Shallotte speeding ticket attorney you can trust with your case.