What to Expect From A Reckless Driving Case in Virginia Beach

Typically, a person does not end up going to jail after being “ticketed” for reckless driving. It is not the same as other criminal cases. In its outward appearance, the process looks like any other traffic offense. Seek legal representation in Virginia Beach if you have been charged with reckless driving.

The difference is that instead of a ticket, the driver has to sign a summons which is actually a document that says the driver is not admitting guilt to the charge, but promises to appear in court to have the matter heard. The summons is issued instead of the typical arrest process that would happen in other criminal cases. So the driver is not arrested or taken into custody and is free to leave after he signs the summons.

Your Case in a Virginia Beach Court

They can expect the process to be almost identical to that of going to court for traffic ticket, which many more people have experience with than for reckless driving charges. They will sit in the courtroom with a ton of other people with similar charges and wait for their name to be called. Then, they will go up to the front of the court, in front of the judge where the law enforcement officer will stand next to them or next to their attorney. The judge will first ask the defendant or his attorney how the defendant will be pleading either guilty, not guilty, or no contest.

If the driver pleads guilty or no contest, the judge will ask if there’s anything the defendant or attorney would like to say to go towards sentencing and then will issue the sentence. If the driver pleads not guilty, then the law enforcement officer will be asked to testify as to what happened to lead to the charge and then the driver or his attorney has the opportunity to cross-examine the officer and can offer their own evidence. Then, the judge will decide upon the driver’s guilt and issue a sentence accordingly or reduce the charge or dismiss it altogether.

Top 3 Things to Be Prepared For Reckless Driving

The top three things to be prepared for in Virginia Beach reckless driving cases are:

• First, they should be prepared to recognize that it is not a simple speeding ticket; it’s a criminal charge and they should treat it seriously.
• Second, they should be prepared to do some work beforehand such as community service or completing a driver improvement course to show the judge that they are taking the charge seriously.
• Third, they should make sure that if they were going at a very high speed, which is usually over 30 miles per hour over the speed limit, that they are ready for the possibility of going to jail when they go to court that day.