Rockville Traffic Lawyer

A Rockville traffic lawyer can help whether you are facing minor or major traffic violations. Take steps to protect your rights, your driving privileges, and in some cases, your freedom. Contact a skilled defense attorney and learn more about what you are facing and your options.

All who receive a traffic citation in Maryland now have a limited window in which to declare their innocence [Maryland Transportation Code Section 26–201]. They cannot wait until they appear in court to enter a plea. Failing to do so within a few weeks of receiving their citation means an automatic verdict of guilty. The alleged violator will receive a bill in the mail (which must be paid immediately) and notification of when and where to report for their jail sentence if one applies to their offense.

If you wish to plead “guilty with explanation” (meaning there were extenuating circumstances that contributed to the offense), you must request a pre-trial waiver hearing within 30 days of receiving your citation. At the hearing, you and your Rockville traffic lawyer explain your situation to the judge. He or she will then decide whether you have a viable defense that can be used at your court appearance.

Rockville Traffic Lawyers Handle These Cases

Some of the more serious “must appear” Rockville traffic citations are the following:

Speeding: [Section 21–801] – This offense was recently modified by the state legislature and now bases its penalties on how fast you drove over the posted limit, whether an accident was involved, and the number of previous convictions you have. Penalties range from $80 and one DMV point, to $530 and five points.  Greater penalties exist for violators who speed in  road construction or school zones.

Driving without a license: [Section 16–101] – The penalties can bring up to 60 days in jail, a $500 fine, and five DMV points. If your license has already been suspended or revoked prior to your arrest, additional time is added to the wait period before your suspended license can be returned, or before you may reapply for a new license if it was previously revoked.

Reckless driving: [Section 21–901] – A fine of $500 and six MVA points are the punishment for a first conviction. Subsequent convictions can be more severe, though the MVA points are the same.

Fleeing and eluding: [Section 21-904] – Up to a year in jail, a fine of $1,000, and eight MVA points can follow a first conviction. After that, the sentences get heavier, and if there are more than three convictions, the sentence can be as high as 10 years, especially if you caused an injury or fatal accident.  The same penalties may be imposed for leaving the scene of an accident.

Aggressive driving: [Section 21–901.2] – An offense where a driver is simultaneously ticketed for three or more moving violations on a predetermined list of seven offenses. Sentences can involve up to six DMV points and the cumulative fine amount for all ticketed offenses.

Driving without insurance: [Section 17-107] – There are minimum liability coverage requirements that all drivers must carry and present as proof of insurance when requested by a law enforcement officer. Penalties involve up to a year in jail, a $1,000 fine, and five DMV points.

Rockville Traffic Lawyers Can Help With Camera Tickets

Traffic cams” are attracting more attention, not only from drivers, but also from the media, politicians, and the judiciary.  They are used to catch speeders and those who run red lights or commit other “intersection-related” Rockville traffic citations.  But these camera and ticket administration services are provided by private companies, which are contracted by local municipalities, and there are no uniform guidelines for performance quality of these outsourced service providers.

Many critics and ticketed violators complain about the unresponsive treatment given to many who dispute these “tickets in the mail” throughout the state.  And in Maryland, clear rules for identifying drivers of a vehicle that was “ticket cammed” in a vehicle loaned to them by the owner don’t even exist.  So, the owner usually gets the ticket.

Traffic cam offenses are civil.  No jail time accompanies guilt, and violations are not a part of the suspect’s driving record.  This means the information is not usually available to auto insurance companies, and no Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) demerit points are incurred.  But those advantages can be outweighed by the difficulty innocent drivers have in getting out from under these “nuisance tickets.”

Find the Right Rockville Traffic Attorney

With all the expenses of owning a vehicle, paying traffic fines or facing increasing insurance premiums due to demerit points on your driving record are some of the last things you want to struggle with.  Luckily, the Rockville traffic lawyers at our firm are ready to help.  Call today to receive your free initial consultation.