If you are pulled over for speeding in Norfolk or elsewhere in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area, you could be charged with reckless driving, which is a misdemeanor criminal offense. Fortunately, a Norfolk reckless driving lawyer can help you fight to have this criminal charge dismissed or reduced. Contact a lawyer in Norfolk as soon as you are charged with reckless driving.
The Norfolk reckless driving lawyers at our firm understand the serious nature of reckless driving charges, and we have the local knowledge to fight them effectively in court. In addition, if you are an out-of-state driver passing through the Norfolk area, an attorney from our firm can go to court in your place, helping you to avoid long, unnecessary trips.
Furthermore, our Norfolk reckless driving lawyers know how seriously criminal charges can affect the military members of our community. If you are a member of the Navy or any other branch of the military, our legal team can help you to fight your charges and mitigate any repercussions these charges might have on your career.
In some cases, a reckless driving lawyer can get your case dismissed or the charge reduced:
There are several viable defense options in fighting a reckless driving charge. To learn more, call today to speak with a reckless driving lawyer in Norfolk.
Speed-related reckless driving is defined in Virginia Code Section 46.2-862 as driving in excess of 20 miles per hour above the posted speed limit or of driving faster than 80 miles per hour, regardless of the posted limit. Even if a person’s speed does not exceed the posted limit, he or she may be charged with reckless driving for driving too fast for conditions (46.2-861).
Speeding is not the only traffic offense which is considered reckless driving according to Virginia law, however, and many seemingly innocuous acts can lead to criminal conviction.
State law defines reckless driving in general (VA Code 46.2-852) as driving in any manner that puts a person or property at risk of harm. This statute allows for subjective decisions by law enforcement in determining what is actually “reckless” or “endanger[s] the life, limb, or property” of a person.
Virginia reckless driving laws also explicitly define certain driving behaviors as reckless:
If police or Virginia state troopers pull you over and issue a citation, make sure that what you have is a traffic ticket and not a reckless driving citation. Paying a reckless driving ticket is an admission of guilt that brings consequences including a criminal record. If your ticket says “reckless driving,” contact a Norfolk reckless driving attorney for help.
Criminal penalties for reckless driving in Norfolk are prescribed by Virginia Code Section 46.2-868. As a Class 1 misdemeanor, the maximum penalty for reckless driving is a year in jail and a fine of up to $2,500. Reckless driving while using a handheld communication device—using a cell phone or texting while driving, for example—includes a mandatory minimum fine of $250.
The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) also lists reckless driving as a six-point violation that remains on your driving record for 11 years.
If you are charged with reckless driving in Norfolk, you should consider hiring a Norfolk reckless driving lawyer to help you build your defense. A reckless driving charge can be overwhelming, but you do not have to battle it alone.
In a system where details matter and punishments can have a severe personal impact, you owe it to yourself to have every advantage on your side. Our legal team has experience defending clients throughout the Virginia court systems against reckless driving charges like yours.
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