Culpeper Traffic Lawyer

Traffic offenses in Culpeper usually include offenses on a vehicle or a bike, driving offenses, or anything else that involves the street, including parking tickets. Some traffic offenses, however, are more serious than others, and can have very serious consequences.

For this reason, it is crucial that a person facing traffic charges in Culpeper retains a Culpeper criminal lawyer, particularly a Culpeper traffic lawyer, as soon as possible. A traffic attorney in Culpeper can use their experience to help a person better understand the charges against them and to help provide a robust defense.

Penalties

The potential penalties of a traffic infraction in Culpeper include fines up to $350, depending on the infraction. Sometimes, penalties can include loss of license if a person is under age or potential suspension of license if they have too many negative points in the Virginia DMV.

If a person is charged with reckless driving, which is a misdemeanor offense and not a traffic infraction, the potential consequences could be a fine of up to $2,500, up to 12 months in jail, and suspension of license for six months. There can be very serious consequences for traffic infractions or for reckless driving, which is a misdemeanor in the Commonwealth of Virginia and in the County of Culpeper, but is commonly mistakenly referred to as a traffic infraction. Reckless driving can be due to poor driving behavior and will appear on a person’s criminal record.

Other common traffic infractions that are more serious than one might think include improper lane change, any kind of violation for failure to pay a highway fine, or following too closely. These types of infractions carry points that can affect a person’s insurance. There is an offense that is not a traffic infraction called reckless driving, which can be a speeding offense.

Felony Charges

Something that is charged with a traffic offense, not an infraction, like the criminal offense hit-and-run, could be charged as a felony if the person hits a vehicle that had somebody in it or if the person causes a certain amount of damage to the vehicle and leaves the scene of the accident. The initial offense would be a hit-and-run misdemeanor, but it could be brought up to a felony offense, depending on the facts of the case.

Likewise, if an individual is charged with an alluding offense, the initial offense would be a misdemeanor alluding offense, but should they endanger the life of the police officer or should they have some kind of aggravating factor with the alluding offense, it would be charged as a felony and it could be much more serious.

Hiring a Lawyer

A person facing traffic charges in Culpeper should hire a Culpeper traffic attorney because the only way they can make sure they settle their charge and get the best possible outcome is to have an experienced attorney by their side to take care of the flaws in the evidence and negotiate the best possible deal with the prosecutor or judge.

A traffic lawyer in Culpeper can help at every stage of the proceeding. They can give a person an initial consultation about what the consequences of their offense could be. They can tell a person what to expect and help talk them through any steps that they might be able to take prior to their court date to help mitigate the outcome. They can also help with the in-court process by advocating on the defendant’s behalf, trying to work something out with the Commonwealth’s Attorney in advance, or taking the case to trial in front of the judge.

There are many things that a Culpeper traffic lawyer can do to help a person in a traffic case. They will be able to get a person a better outcome than they can get on their own.