Bucks County Traffic Ticket Defense Lawyer | Montgomery County Traffic Ticket Defense Attorney

Bucks County | Montgomery County | Traffic Violation Attorney | Motor Vehicle Violation Attorney | Traffic Ticket Lawyer

It usually starts with seeing those flashing red lights in your rear view mirror as you wonder whether you are going to be pulled over. As your heart starts pounding, you ask yourself “what do I say?”, “what do I do?”. Hopefully, your encounter with the police was not too bad of an experience. Maybe you got off with a warning along with a strict word of caution from the officer who stopped you – if so, count your blessings. If not, and you were unlucky enough to get a ticket or citation for a traffic related or motor vehicle offense, then - like it or not - the legal process has commenced against you and you are now a “Defendant” in the case of “Commonwealth of Pennsylvania v. ‘You’”.   You now have a decision to make: plead “guilty” as charged, OR “not guilty” and request a hearing. If you think you were probably wrong and therefore should just plead “guilty”, pay the ticket and move on, think again! There are important consequences to such a decision. Of course, it goes without saying that if you were wrongly charged in the first place, you should plead “not guilty” and demand your day in court.

The decision of whether to fight the ticket and plead “not guilty” - particularly with respect to moving violations - is an important one since pleading “guilty” can have significant and potentially costly ramifications. It is possible that a “guilty” plea or conviction could cause an increase in your insurance premiums. In fact, one study found that rates could go up 18% for a first offense, 34% for a second offense and 53% for a third offense (click here for analysis by insurance.com). It is also possible that the status of your license could be adversely affected if your “guilty” plea or conviction results in the accumulation of points. Also, if your matter also involves an automobile crash with accompanying property damage or personal injury, a “guilty” plea or conviction could automatically subject you to civil liability in the event of a lawsuit. This is where an experienced attorney can help. If you contest the ticket or citation and plead “not guilty”, you then have the opportunity to defend against the charge or charges lodged against you in court. Here, a skilled attorney with courtroom experience is invaluable in terms of scrutinizing the charges, looking at the facts, analyzing applicable law, assessing the strength and weaknesses of your case, developing your defense, and seeing that your rights are protected. Even if you think you might be guilty, don’t be so fast to concede that point. Consider first that, even if you think you might be guilty, the prosecution still must PROVE each element of the offense charged against you and prove it beyond a reasonable doubt. The question is not whether you “think” you are guilty, the question is whether you can be “proven” guilty. In this regard, the same law which allows a police officer to charge you with a violation or offense also contains requirements which must be met to actually convict you. If the prosecution fails to meet its burden and actually prove your guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, then you are likely to be found “not guilty”.   Remember, people charged with offenses are found “not guilty” – they are not found “innocent”. That is how our justice system works.

Even if the facts and the law are not on your side and you have a weak case, an attorney can still attempt to negotiate a deal on your behalf where the penalties and repercussions are not as bad as they would otherwise be if you simply plead “guilty” to the original charges.

Attorney Joseph M. Adams can represent and defend you when you have been charged with a traffic offense or motor vehicle violation. Prior to your hearing, Mr. Adams will discuss with you the particular circumstances of your case and explain the process awaiting you. Mr. Adams will then appear on your behalf at your hearing - and, again, depending upon the particular circumstances of your case - either defend you against the charges or attempt to negotiate the best deal possible. You can trust Mr. Adams to competently and zealously represent your interests. As a former Special Assistant Public Defender, Mr. Adams has the experience and ability to make the law work for you. For assistance with your traffic ticket, call Mr. Adams today at 215-996-9977. Reasonable flat fee rates are available.