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Loudoun County Traffic Lawyer

Traffic cases in Loudoun County, Virginia can be really serious. A minor traffic offense would be something like a speeding ticket or running a red light. These types of offenses are just infractions and are punishable by a fine and demerit points. A major traffic offense would be something like a DUI or a reckless driving ticket. These are criminal misdemeanors and have jail time as part of the possible punishment. There are some offenses in Virginia that in other states would simply be an infraction, but in Virginia they rise to the level of a criminal misdemeanor. It is important to get a Loudoun County traffic lawyer for these cases because these issues can turn very serious with consequences that are permanent and could affect someone for the rest of their life.

First Steps When Facing Traffic Charges

Someone facing a serious traffic charge in Loudoun County should get a Loudoun County traffic attorney immediately. Once they have an attorney for a serious traffic charge, all of the other steps are going to be much more manageable and it is going to be easier to figure out what needs to be done. Without an attorney, they have to figure out what their charge means and what the long-term consequences are. They have to figure out how to defend themselves in an unfamiliar courtroom. All of these considerations are streamlined with a locally experienced traffic attorney who will save them a lot of time and get it done right the first time.

Penalties

The impact of traffic penalties can range from not having enough money to pay the fine, to affecting more long-term things, such as the ability to obtain housing, get a student loan, or get job opportunities. Having a criminal conviction on record is something that affects a lot of people and takes away many opportunities, especially with the military.

Tickets for Out-of-State Drivers

If someone from out of state receives a traffic ticket, the best thing they can do is hire a Loudoun County traffic lawyer. It is going to be much easier for them to prepare a defense and make sure that all of their options are preserved by getting a lawyer. Their lawyer can make it so they do not have to come back to Virginia, but still have the opportunity to plead not guilty and get all of the benefits of fighting their case. The driver can possibly have their charge dismissed or reduced without ever having to leave their home state.

Loudoun Uniform Demerit Point System

The uniform demerit point system is a point system that Virginia has established that gives demerit points for negative driving behavior on the highway. Every time someone gets a conviction for speeding or any type of driving offense, including reckless driving, points will be added to their record. The number of points that they get within a short period of time will determine whether they are allowed to continue driving on Virginia roads. Any driver with a Virginia driver’s license is subject to this point system. If someone gets too many points in a small amount of time, then their license can be suspended.

Each state has its own version of the demerit point system, so Virginia does not award points to out-of-state drivers. However, they will forward that information to other states so that the other states can determine if they want to give demerit points to their in-state drivers for behavior outside of the state. Virginia does the same thing in receiving information from out-of-state violations for Virginia drivers as well.

Challenging Demerit Points

A driver cannot challenge the points themselves, but they can challenge the conviction that ultimately led to the points. If they want to get their points back, then the driver can appeal or reopen the case to see if they can get the case dismissed.

Another way to get points back is to take a driver improvement course, which produces five positive points back. Every year of positive driving behavior also gives one positive point back.

If someone’s driving privileges have been jeopardized due to an accumulation of too many demerit points, then a Loudoun County traffic lawyer can help petition the court so that they can get a restricted driver’s license. The court issues restricted driver’s licenses to people whose licenses have been suspended so that they are still able to drive to and from important places, such as work, the doctor’s office, and church. This can definitely ease the burden of having a suspended license.

Benefit of a Loudoun County Traffic Attorney

A lawyer can help their client understand what they are up against and what they need to be doing before trial to get the best results possible in court. It is important for an individual to have a traffic lawyer for this so that they are not doing all the wrong things, or wasting time doing things that will not have an effect on their case.

The things that someone can do will depend on the facts of the case. Some people will benefit from taking driver improvement courses, some will benefit from a speedometer calibration, others might not benefit from these things. A lawyer can guide them and best prepare them in these cases.

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