please help me please please

[removeyourpants]

Oh please please help me! I was pulled over in St. Louis county for speeding/no proof of insurance and I need advice finding a traffic lawyer type of person. I used to use our family attorney but he died. Also I'm kind of poor. Should I go through one of those 123 speeding places that are advertised everywhere? Or should I find someone else?

Comments

[goheh_remix]

Why do you want to get out of your punishment? You were wrong, so own up to it. Go to court, and if you're sincerely sorry and/or this was your first offense in a long while, the judge may reduce the fines. And bring your proof of insurance to court.

[removeyourpants]

I didn't ask for your moral input. I asked for advice for finding a traffic lawyer.

[julieannie]

I've worked in the courts. That's not even realistic.

[rizzo]

Call my husband's office. 962-1115. Ask for Ron, that's my husband. He'll give you info from his boss, who does handle traffic. I'm not sure if he can do that type of stuff but it's a start. If he doesn't he can probably refer you.

[removeyourpants]

Ohh I will!! Thank you very much!

[rizzo]

No problem. :)

[kittenok]

I think it is pretty easy to get out of the proof of insurance part just by bringing your proof of insurance to court with you...I did that once, but I still had to pay court costs.

But also, I've use TLC and I think it ended up costing me about $150 altogether (just paying the ticket would have been about $100), so not too bad.

[removeyourpants]

That's not bad at all, thank you!

[kappsgurl]

In my experience, traffic lawyers are a waste of money unless your biggest problem with the whole thing is wasting your time in court. You don't have to know any legal jargon to go to court for a traffic ticket. And judges often respect people who come in there without lawyers. I've gone twice, worn a suit, and pleaded guilty. The judge reduced my charged both times. I've seen people who were ticketed for no proof of insurance in the court by themselves too. The judge just asks that you bring your proof of insurance with you and then that charge is dropped. It's no big deal at all. If you are short on money, don't blow it on a lawyer you don't need.

Judge Should Be All Like "Guilty," Peace!

[jabberwocky]

I think another reason people (and myself specifically) go to traffic lawyers to avoid getting points on their license (and the resultant increase in insurance costs). At least, that is why I use 'em. Payin' an extra hundo now sure beats payin' an extra however-much-per-month for the rest of yer life!

Anyway Erica, I use David Diamond / Traffic Law Headquarters in Brentwood whenever necessary.

Re: Judge Should Be All Like "Guilty," Peace!

[kappsgurl]

You don't get points on your license when they reduce the charges (usually to a non-moving violation). That's all a lawyer does anyway. They won't waste the time trying to prove you didn't speed. Now if you are the type of person who gets speeding tickets routinely, then YES, you should get a lawyer. But if it happens every once in a blue moon and you've got the time to go to court, I still think you definitely should. Have you ever seen the lawyers in traffic court? They spend two seconds talking to the prosecutor and they are out the door with your ~$150 in pocket.

Re: Judge Should Be All Like "Guilty," Peace!

[removeyourpants]

Thanks. I knew I could show up in court but I didn't realize they would reduce the charges if I did. I think I thought lawyers = reduced ticket/no points and no lawyer = a million points on my license. Why the fuck do people even use lawyers for this kind of thing if you get the exact same thing accomplished without them???@!!?

Do you ask for a reduced charge or do they just do it automatically?

Also thanks RØB. I will check out mr. diamond cos I probably don't have the balls to show up in court anyway.

[spikedpunch]

I would recommend TLC as well, they usually do a pretty good job in getting charges and points reduced. You do wind up paying for it in the end cash wise, but which would you rather have?