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People have many ideas about what justice should look like. For most people, justice ought to ignore things like class or wealth when it comes to dispensing judgments. Being wealthy, the son of someone important or having a significant position in government or society should not lead to special treatment by a court. Continue reading “You’re Not Above The Law – No Matter Who You Are”

One of the questions we get from clients quite often is whether an error on the ticket will lead to a dismissal. Plain and simple, getting a speeding ticket can cause a lot of unneeded anxiety, pain and headache. Trying to get out of paying the fines, surcharges and increased insurance premiums is everyone’s first objective. Many times our potential clients believe that just because the officer misspelled the address or wrote the license plate wrong on the ticket means that the case will be dismissed. Continue reading “Will An Error On My Speeding Ticket Lead To A Dismissal?”

It is not an easy job for a police officer to pull someone to the side of a busy highway and risk his life to issue a traffic ticket.  Any experienced officer will probably be the first to tell you that they have literally heard all the excuses from drivers trying to get out of a traffic ticket.  Each time an officer pulls someone over the chances are pretty good that the driver is giving some sort of explanation to get out of the traffic ticket.  There are so many different scenarios that can play out on any given day during a traffic stop but something that happens almost all the time without fail is a driver giving an “excuse” for bad driving behavior. Continue reading “Women Vs. Men Speeding Excuses”

There are some records that you might want to avoid, like getting clocked driving over 120 mph on the highway.  Recently a Washington state driver was caught riding his motorcycle at 130 mph through central Oregon.  The man was enjoying the thrill of riding his new motorcycle on the open roads in Oregon before a police officer clocked him on his radar doing 130 miles per hour in a 55 mile per hour zone. 

After being pulled over the man was honest and told the officer that he was checking to see how fast his bike can really go and if he got what he paid for.  Well it turns out that the motorcyclist might have gotten more than he paid for as the automatic fine for anyone driving over 100 miles per hour in Oregon is a whopping $1,103 fine.  In addition the bike enthusiast could also have his license suspended.

In New York traffic tickets work pretty much the same way.  The faster you go the higher the fines and penalties.  If you are traveling a mere ten miles or less over the speed limit then you are facing 3 points against your license and less than a $300 fine.  Compare that with driving 40 miles over the speed limit and you can be looking at a $600 fine, $85 surcharge and an additional $675 with the DMV Driver’s Responsibility Assessment.  Not to mention having your license suspended or possibly revoked and the judge possibly imposing up to a 15 day jail sentence.

Our firm once represented two motorcyclists in Orangetown Town Court charged with going 150mph in a 50mph zone on the Palisades Interstate Parkway (11 points) as well as 12 additional points for other various tickets:

The biggest cost factor doesn’t actually stop with the fines assessed from the court and the DMV.  Insurance premiums for high speeding tickets are pretty much guaranteed. The only way guaranteed way to get a reduction is by taking a defensive driving course that will reduce your rates a mere 10%.

What Should I Do If I Have Been Issued A New York Speeding Ticket?

No matter how much you were going over the speed limit, it’s a good idea to talk with a skilled traffic defense attorney and see what options you have available.  In many cases an attorney can negotiate a better outcome and maybe even get the ticket dismissed.  Either way fighting your ticket before pleading guilty can save you hundreds of dollars in fines, surcharges and insurance premiums.

Everyone knows the feeling of when running late for work or the experience of trying to make it to a party or gathering only to see an officer around the corner scanning your car with his radar gun.  You attempt to slow your car down, but it is too late you get pulled over.  You try to make excuses to try to appease the officer and attempt to get yourself out of a potential ticket.

A traffic ticket in New York can cost you hundreds of dollars in fines and penalties and potentially more money in increased insurance premiums.  This is especially true if you have more than one or two tickets in your driving history.  So it makes sense that fighting your ticket can save you hundreds of dollars and is the best way to go in keeping your license clear.   But did you know that you can start the fight right when the officer pulls you over?

A recent study by the PEMCO car insurance surveyed over 1000 people in the states of Washington and Oregon people were asked how often they had been pulled over by police.  66 percent of them admitted that they had been stopped more than two times and 25 percent of them stated that they had been pulled over at least four times.   This study had shown that men are getting more traffic tickets then women.

You may be thinking that there is a clear gender bias at play here but there are other factors to consider.  First some research points to the fact that women are more inclined to talk to the police officer and communicate exactly why they were driving in a particular way whereas men usually remain quiet and are upset with themselves for getting caught.  Either way there is no harm in a friendly explanation as it may go a long way in getting you out of your traffic ticket.  The only problem can be that once you are pulled over on the side of the road any information that you provide the officer can be used against you in court so you must be very careful as to what information you offer the police officer.

Some people just get lucky and end up with a sympathetic officer. If you weren’t that lucky and ended up getting a ticket, contact a skilled traffic ticket lawyer for assistance!

If you have been issued a traffic ticket or multiple tickets for speeding and other violations it is important that take care of the ticket one way or another.  Ignoring the ticket can only make matters worse and might make the penalties worse and harder to resolve.  It is not a valid excuse to say that you were never given a court notice or the traffic ticket never stated how much the fine was. 

In New York the traffic ticket when issued is also a summons requiring you to answer your case to the court which has jurisdiction over your matter.  For most traffic violations your case will be heard by the local municipal or town court.  If you received a ticket within the 5 boroughs of New York City then your case will be heard by the Traffic Violations Bureau (TVB).

The most issued tickets in New York are speeding tickets.  These tickets not only have heavy fines but carry points which can affect your insurance rates and lead to a possible license suspension.  For drivers that are convicted of speeding above 20 miles per hour they are issued 6 points which also requires an additional penalty to be paid to the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles.

The DMV’s Driver Responsibility Assessment applies to all drivers that are convicted of a traffic violation in the State of New York, even out of state drivers.  The program is intended to deter repeat offenses within the state and to encourage traffic safety.  If you receive 6 or more points on your New York State driving record within an 18 month period then the annual assessment is $100 for three years.  Drivers that receive more than six points on their record within an 18 month period are fined an additional $25 per point per year (each additional point is $75).   The DMV will suspend your license if you fail to pay your DMV Driver Responsibility Assessment.

Even if you live out of state or in Canada, if you plead guilty New York may notify your home state and points can be added to your driving record.

Payments for fines and penalties can be made to the court that is listed on your traffic ticket.  To make a payment you can call the local court handling your case and speak with the court clerk on how you can arrange to make your payment.  If your case is with the Traffic Violations Bureau you can arrange pay using this website. It is important to note that paying your fines on a traffic ticket is also the equivalent of pleading guilty to the charge.  This means that you are waiving your right to a trial and possibly having the ticket reduced or dismissed.

If you have been charged with a traffic violation, before paying your ticket, consult with an experienced traffic defense attorney.  An attorney can discuss your options with you and potentially help you avoid costly fines and points.

The first step to tracking down your traffic ticket is to determine the agency in charge of handling your ticket.  In the State of New York traffic tickets are handled by either the Traffic Violations Bureau or by a court of a local municipality or city. 

Tickets Pending in A City, Town, Village or Justice Court

If you lose your ticket you can track it by contacting the court that is handling the ticket. If you don’t know which court is handling the ticket, it can be tough because there is currently no statewide ticket tracking system that can be accessed by consumers online.  You should either contact a representative at the Department of Motor Vehicles or have them assist you in finding the ticket or contact an attorney to help.

Tickets Pending in the Traffic Violations Bureau

If the Traffic Violations Bureau is handling the ticket it can be tracked down in one of its many offices located across the state of New York or online.

What Options are Available to Handle of My Ticket?

(a)  Pleading Guilty

Some people think that pleading guilty and accepting the fine is a simple method of taking care of the problem and ending it as soon as possible.  However by admitting your guilt you are accepting the charges and allowing them to be on your permanent driving record.  You will also receive points on your license that will surely affect insurance rates.  When you admit guilt you are forfeiting your chance at a trial and getting the charges dismissed altogether.

(b)  Pleading Not Guilty

If you plead guilty your matter will be scheduled for court. In all courts except the TVB the ticket can potentially be negotiated down to something less. In the TVB they do not reduce tickets and therefore you will be scheduled for a hearing or “trial”.  An attorney will help to insure that you have the needed legal skill and experience behind you to help you win your case and have the charges and the ticket reduced or dismissed.

Should I Hire An Attorney?

Wherever traffic tickets are concerned one of the best options you can take is to attempt to fight the charges in court.   A lawyer with experience has the training and expertise necessary to effectively help you successfully negotiate any charges you are facing till the outcomes turns in your favor.  Contact the Rosenblum Law Firm for help with traffic ticket cases.  The attorneys at the Rosenblum Law Firm have the experience necessary to help you receive the best possible outcome in your traffic ticket case.

If you happened to be driving down Interstate 684 this past weekend then it is very likely that you were issued a traffic ticket or saw police officers issuing traffic tickets on the side of the road.  In an attempt to prevent car accidents on the Interstate that can cause heavy delays for miles, police officers have issued more than 70 speeding tickets in one day.

Every so often, especially at the end of a month, many police agencies begin cracking down on traffic violations within their jurisdiction.  Many times a speed trap or ticket blitz is issued by the local police department.  For those who were unfortunately issued a traffic ticket on Interstate 684, the police had set up a Speed Enforcement Initiative to lockdown on drivers between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Police officers are generally the first responders to a traffic accident on the road. Police officers and judges that ultimately hear cases take speeding very seriously since there are many cases that they deal with that result in severe injuries and even fatalities.  Cracking down on drivers every so often keeps the public on notice that it is not ok to drive aggressively and at a high rate of speed.

Are There Any Other Speed Traps That I Should Be Aware Of?

Given that so many people travel during the summer it is an opportune time for police officers to be on the lookout for traffic violations.  The general public is generally not aware of initiatives taken by the police to crack down on traffic violations and the police usually jump around to target different strategic areas where violations occur.

Highway safety is a serious concern for both drivers on the road and the police officers that enforce the law.  Every year thousands of accidents happen within the state of NY due to drivers that speed.  If you have been issued a speeding ticket in the state of New York contact an experienced traffic defense attorney to help assist you with your case.

Many times drivers are not aware of how heavy the fines and penalties are with respect to speeding tickets.  An attorney can inform you the fines and penalties that you are facing and possibly help negotiate a more favorable outcome.  Call Rosenblum Law today for a free consultation about your speeding ticket in New York.