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Flint Traffic Lawyer

When you get pulled over for a traffic offense, you may not think it’s such a big deal. You’ll pay the fine and move on with your life. Unfortunately, it’s not that simple. Each traffic infraction adds points to your license, which can add up and result in the suspension of your driving privileges. Your insurance company has access to your driving record, and they will increase your monthly premiums accordingly. In some cases, your traffic citation may even be serious enough to be treated as a criminal – as opposed to civil – offense involving possible jail time or probation.

For these reasons, it may be in your interest to dig in and fight your traffic citation. With a skilled and experienced Flint traffic lawyer by your side, you stand a good chance at avoiding the harsh consequences of a traffic offense conviction. By ensuring your rights are respected at every step of the court process and challenging the arresting officer’s testimony, Drias Law Group can lead your case to a positive resolution. To find out more about how our Flint defense lawyers can help, call us today at (810) 644-5660for a free and confidential case consultation.

How Can the Flint Traffic Attorneys of Drias Law Group Help Me?

We have a proven track record of defending many types of traffic-related offenses–including those that are treated as criminal offenses:

  • DUI Cases – Operating a vehicle under the influence of drugs or alcohol is a criminal offense with severe consequences. Penalties can include fines, license suspension, jail time, and mandatory alcohol education courses. Repeat offenders face even harsher penalties.
  • Speeding – This is a civil offense with fines ranging from $90 to $155, depending on the speed at which you were traveling over the limit. You will also receive two to four points on your driver’s license. In some cases, your speeding may be considered reckless driving.
  • Reckless Driving – Driving in an intentionally dangerous manner or in a way that completely disregards the safety of persons or property around you is charged as reckless driving. This is a misdemeanor punishable by fines of $500 and possible jail time.
  • Driving With a Suspended License – Driving with a suspended or revoked license is a misdemeanor Michigan. For a first offense, you may face up to 93 days in jail and fines of up to $500.
  • Leaving the Scene – If you get into an accident, you must stop your car at the scene (or the closest safe place) to exchange information with the other drivers. If you fail to do so, you will get charged with a hit and run, a misdemeanor. But if a death or a serious injury occurs, leaving the scene of the accident is a felony.
  • Moving Violation Causing Injury – When you get convicted of causing an injury by committing a moving violation (such as speeding or reckless driving), you could get up to 93 days in jail, a $500 fine, and a one-year driver’s license suspension.
  • Moving Violation Causing Death – When your alleged failure to follow the rules of the road results in a death, the consequences are severe. You will face a misdemeanor charge carrying the possibility of one year in jail and up to $2,000 in fines.
  • Reckless Driving Causing Serious Injury – If you cause bodily harm to another because you were driving recklessly, you may get charged with aggravated vehicular assault. This is a felony involving serious fines and possible prison time.

Defending Your Traffic Offense Case

When you get charged with a Flint traffic offense, your case will be processed in the 67th District Court of Genesee County. At your preliminary hearing, you will have the option to:

  • Plead guilty
  • Plead guilty and provide a written explanation to the Magistrate
  • Deny responsibility and request an informal hearing (no lawyers allowed)
  • Deny responsibility and request a formal hearing where the prosecutor will need to prove the case against you beyond a reasonable doubt, and where you will have the right to an attorney

Note that if you plead guilty and provide a written explanation with the intention of receiving a lenient penalty, the magistrate has no authority over whether points will be added to your license or not. So even if you get a reduced fine, you will still have points on your license and higher insurance premiums. The surest way of obtaining the optimal case outcome is to hire a reputable Flint traffic lawyer to defend your case.

When we take your case, we will overview the evidence against you and ask for your version of events. Depending on the facts and circumstances of your case, we may be able to:

  • Obtain the dismissal of the charges – If the prosecutor doesn’t have enough evidence to raise probable cause as to whether you committed the offense, your lawyer can request the dismissal of the case. This usually happens when the officer violated your rights or made a mistake in filing your report, rendering it inadmissible as evidence of your guilt.
  • Argue reasonable doubt – At your formal hearing (or criminal trial), you will be acquitted if the prosecutor fails to prove every aspect of the case against you beyond a reasonable doubt. As a former prosecutor, attorney Martin Drias knows how the case against you will be built, and were its potential weaknesses may lie.
  • Negotiate a plea for a lesser offense – When going through the expense of a trial is not likely to result in a good case outcome, the best thing to do is to negotiate with the prosecutor. If you are a first offender, or if your case involves mitigating factors, your lawyer may be able to get you a conviction for a less serious offense.

A traffic violation can put your driving privileges, your insurance, your finances, or even your career on the line. In some cases, you may face the prospect of jail time. Don’t let a traffic offense needlessly interfere with your life. Call Drias Law Group today at (810) 644-5660 or contact us online to ensure your case gets the defense it deserves.