What Qualities Should You Look For In An Attorney When You Have Traffic Violations?

Interviewer: When someone needs an attorney to help them with their traffic issues, what are some of qualities that they should be looking for when they’re researching?

Has Your Attorney Established Relationships with the Prosecutors and Judges in the Jurisdiction?

Michael Kramer: Knowledge of the traffic law is good, but in Westchester County with all its local town, villages and city courts, it’s more important who you know. Meaning that you’re not really practicing law, you’re practicing personal relationships, when an attorney goes to court and he tries to negotiate these tickets.

Negotiation Skills Are Vital When Handling Traffic-Related Offenses

There’s a certain approach that you want an attorney to take that will help you and not hinder you. In my opinion, you don’t want an attorney to be overly aggressive and adversarial because you’re looking to work out a deal, you’re not fighting the case necessarily.

There’s a way to do that, there’s a way to establish these personal relationships and that’s only done through experience. I would want an attorney who’s had years and years of experience in these types of matters in all the local courts of Westchester County.

Therefore, when he or she walks into a court, the clerks and the judge and the town prosecutor knows that attorney and has developed a relationship with that attorney. Therefore, common sense tells you that an attorney is going to be more successful than an individual who just shows up unrepresented and is just one of many people begging for a deal.

Do Some People Take Traffic Offenses Too Lightly?

Interviewer: Do you think that motorists generally take traffic tickets too lightly?

Michael Kramer: Many do, they don’t think it’s that serious and they don’t want to be bothered. Therefore, they just sent back the ticket in with a plea of guilty then all of a sudden they get a notice in the mail from the Department of Motor Vehicles. The DMV has assessed x amount of dollars because of their point total or they’re told, “If you’d get one more ticket in the next 18 months your license is going to be suspended or revoked.”

It Is Always Advisable to Consult with an Attorney before Pleading Guilty to a Traffic Offense

Even if you don’t hire an attorney, if you don’t hire my services, certainly call for a consultation. I’d be happy to discuss what the consequences are and whether it’s the type of ticket that you don’t have to really be bothered with. If it is a first offense and you have no other points it may not be worth the expense and the effort to hire an attorney. It might be worth it to just send it in with a plea of guilty.

I will be totally honest with them in terms of what’s best for their individual situation as to whether they should accept the ticket or whether they should contest it.

Can Traffic Violations Limit Future Employment Options?

Interviewer: Do you think employers become a little bit more selective in who are they going to be hiring based on someone’s driving record?

Michael Kramer: It depends on the job. If they’re driving a company car it can be an issue. If they’re driving a van transporting patients for a particular organization, certainly an employer is going to be very sensitive to that particular individual’s driving record.

There are many times that the company’s insurance policy would not allow a driver with moving violations on their license. This is based upon the particular job involved, but most employers could care less about their driving record. They’re just concerned that the employee makes his or her way to work and does a good job and then goes home and comes back the next day. It’s mostly an individual decision. But there are often times it has a bearing on the job or the motorist’s ability to drive to that job.