Ridgefield Traffic Lawyer
After a traffic offense, it is hard to know what penalties you could be facing and how best to approach a defense. A Ridgefield traffic lawyer could determine what the potential penalties are and whether going to court and fighting your ticket is the best course of action for your situation.
When Is Contesting a Traffic Offense Worthwhile?
When someone pays the fine for a traffic ticket, they have effectively entered a plea of “nole contendere,” which means they do not accept guilt for the offense but also do not wish to contest it.
Because of this, fighting a traffic ticket in court is sometimes a high-risk, high-reward maneuver—an acquittal would mean the defendant does not have to pay a fine or have points added to their license, but a guilty plea or verdict means both fines and points will be assessed against the defendant.
Before deciding whether to fight back against a traffic ticket, it is always worth consulting with a Ridgefield traffic attorney. If going to court is the right call for your situation, experienced legal counsel could help present your case as effectively as possible and, if necessary, work to mitigate penalties associated with a particular infraction.
How Does the DMV’s “Point” System Work?
Every traffic offense defined under state law—most of which are listed in Chapter 248 of the Connecticut General Statutes—has a point value associated with it. Anyone who is convicted of a specific traffic infraction in court will have those points remain on their driver’s license for a full two years after the ruling.
Different traffic offenses have different point values within a range of one to five, with one-point offenses being the least severe and five-point offenses being the most severe. Point values associated with traffic offenses that Ridgefield lawyers commonly help with are listed below:
- Speeding (C.G.S. §14-219) – one point
- Improper turn/failure to signal (C.G.S. §14-242) – one point
- Running a red light (C.G.S. §14-299) – two points
- Failure to obey stop/yield signs (C.G.S. §§14-301 and 14-302) – two points
- Improper passing (C.G.S. §14-232) – three points
- Passing a stopped school bus (C.G.S. §14-279) – four points
- Negligent homicide involving a motor vehicle (C.G.S. §14-222a) – five points
Acquiring six points within two years will result in the DMV sending out a warning letter and potentially mandating driving retraining, and acquiring 10 points within that same period automatically results in a 30-day license suspension. If a driver gets 10 points on their license again within five years of such a suspension, their license will be suspended again for a maximum of two years.
To learn more about getting your license suspended in Connecticut, click here.
Seek Help from a Ridgefield Traffic Attorney
Guidance from a legal professional could go a long way towards ensuring you make the right call in your traffic case. Retaining a Ridgefield traffic lawyer should be your first move before pleading innocent to any traffic infraction or criminal offense. Head over to Avvo.com to learn why we have over 300 5-star reviews. Call today to talk about your unique circumstances.