What is a Traffic Law Counselor?
Traffic law counselors provide legal advice on cases where an individual is accused of violating Oklahoma law.
Traffic law counselors are lawyers that specialize in the traffic law aspects of Oklahoma. A traffic law counselor is not a licensed traffic officer. Instead, a traffic law counselor is an attorney that helps individuals navigate their case when they are charged with a traffic offense. Traffic law counselors are attorneys that have experience handling traffic law offenses in Oklahoma. An individual does not have to hire a traffic law counselor to handle their traffic law case.
A traffic law counselor works as a consultant for individuals charged with a traffic offense. Consultations with a traffic law counselor typically last 90 minutes to 120 minutes. At that consultation, an individual pays an attorney 200 dollars to review the facts of a traffic offense case and make recommendations. Generally, a traffic offense consultation occurs over the phone, but it can also occur in-person or via video chat such as Skype or FaceTime. After the consultation or phone conference, an individual receives an email with the results of the consultation.
In the email, the attorney will discuss factual issues. For example, if an individual appeals the conviction for a traffic offense, the judge may be required to do something for the appeal request to be granted. An attorney may also offer legal opinions to help advise upon the laws in Oklahoma. For example, an attorney will review a Department of Public Safety (DPS) driving record. The driving record may show one or more traffic violations, driver’s license suspensions, or other DPS actions. Other driver’s license suspensions that occur within the five years before the traffic offense may range from $250 to $5000 or more . The attorney will advise on whether a hardship license is available. A hardship license enables an individual to continue to drive while a driver’s license suspension is in effect. There may be exceptions to the hardship license availability, however.
An individual may receive specific advice on whether a trial would be recommended in their traffic offense case. The traffic law counselor will also discuss whether there are other charges for the traffic offense. For example, if a police officer alleges that a driver was driving on a suspended driver’s license, the secondary charge may make a more serious penalty applicable to a traffic offense charge.
If an individual has lost their driver’s license, a traffic law counselor will discuss whether a driver’s license reinstatement can occur before the end of the suspension period. Some exceptions apply to earlier driver’s license reinstatement, such as obtaining a hardship license. Additionally, some traffic offenses come with minimum revocations. A minimum revocation will mean that DPS will suspend an individual’s driver’s license, regardless of whether a traffic offense results in points on a record.
A traffic law counselor will discuss whether mitigating circumstances exist for the traffic offense. Mitigating circumstances may lead to getting a traffic offense reduced to a lower offense, or might allow the case to be dismissed altogether. While not every case will have mitigating circumstances, the traffic law counselor will review the facts of a case to see if mitigating circumstances apply.
If an individual wants to handle their own traffic offense with a public defender, no mitigation or legal opinion will occur. An individual will also have no opportunity for a phone consultation, email correspondence, or review of documents.
When Should You Hire a Traffic Law Counselor?
There are a few distinct circumstances under which hiring a traffic law counselor becomes essential. The most obvious of these is when you are pulled over and cited for a traffic violation, DUI or OUI. While many traffic law violations amount to simple misdemeanors, the court will most of the time hold you to a strict standard of zero tolerance for certain offenses. Plus, with the myriad circumstances under which a violation might occur, only an experienced traffic law counselor can help you to understand the full scope of the legal ramifications and options available to you.
You should also consider hiring a traffic law counselor if you are involved in an accident that becomes the subject of criminal proceedings, or if that accident requires you to handle a significant number of injuries, damages and insurance claims. Any accident involving drunk drivers or intoxication, and any involving large commercial vehicles is almost always going to require the input of an experienced traffic law counselor.
Another situation in which hiring a traffic law counselor is a good idea is when you receive an anonymous letter accusing you of a traffic violation or a hit and run. These letters generally contain very little useful information and provide even less guidance and context. A traffic law counselor can help you to determine whether you have any responsibility and how to respond to the allegations.
Advantages of Traffic Law Counselors
The Internet offers many forms of advice pertaining to traffic law. Much of that advice is either anecdotal or theoretically based. Good advice is much more, however. It is practical, applicable and is informed by experienced lawyers who write legislation, litigate cases and know the practicalities of life in traffic court.
Below are some of the cost and time savings and practical benefits realized by people who contact us:
- (1) Most simple traffic offenses committed in the state of Ohio can often be handled through the mail, without an individual needing to miss work to spend all day in traffic court;
- (2) Challenging a speeding ticket can result in a dismissal of the charge, the reduction of points assessed and/or the reduction of the fine, all of which are lessened when an experienced traffic law counselor reviews the case before it gets filed;
- (3) Negotiation of the charge and/or fine can salvaged when it is known exactly what alternatives are available and how to accomplish them with the least amount of effort;
- (4) Many lawyers offer free consultations, thereby making it financially plausible to gain information and advice from experienced sources;
- (5) Many offenses lead to administrative penalties as well as criminal penalties; an experienced traffic law counselor knows the importance of avoiding driver’s license points and can help with these problems;
- (6) For some criminal cases, a traffic law counselor will be able to get a willful violation cut down to a mere accident; avoiding jail on a willful felony makes counseling like this more than just a "little bit of advice";
- (7) We represent motor vehicle accident victims that have sustained permanent disability, lost income, significant medical and damage to their vehicles. In these instances, our representation typically saves people tens of thousands of dollars and thousands of hours of time, stress and aggravation.
In short, advice that is based on a true understanding of the law, its procedures and the practicalities of life can dramatically alter circumstances for the better.
How to Find the Right Traffic Law Counselor
Finding the right traffic law counselor is essential to achieving the most favorable outcome in your case. There are a number of factors to take into consideration when evaluating your options.
Experience is one of the most important factors to consider when selecting a traffic law counselor. An attorney who has been practicing for several years will have the skills and knowledge necessary to give you the best possible representation. Attorneys who have been practicing for only a short time may not yet have enough experience. You should also ask the attorney how many cases they have handled similar to yours; they should be able to provide you with a clear answer. Look for an attorney who has handled hundreds or thousands of cases like yours.
Client reviews can also be helpful when it comes to deciding whether or not to hire a traffic law counselor. Many attorneys will list testimonials directly on their website. Even if you don’t find any references directly on the attorney’s website, you can still search online for independents reviews on sites like Yelp and Google Reviews. Look for attorneys with a large number of positive reviews. Some negative feedback is bound to come up , but excessive amounts of negative reviews should raise a red flag when hiring an attorney.
Area of specialty is another important consideration when hiring a traffic law counselor. Attorneys regularly practice in a wide range of fields. It’s best to choose an attorney who regularly practices law in the same area that your case falls into. If you are being charged with a DUI, for example, you should select an attorney who specializes in that area of law. They will have the most up to date knowledge of recent legislation as well as local courts and judges.
Communication skills should also be considered when hiring a traffic law counselor. Schedule a free consultation with the attorney so you can ask questions about your case and see how they respond. Evaluate the attorney’s communication skills during that meeting to get an idea of what it will be like working with them. They should explain legal concepts clearly and answer any questions you may have. You should also be able to communicate directly with the attorney via email or phone.
Traffic Law Counselor Myths
The most common myth and misconception about traffic law counselors in Georgia is that they cost too much. This is compared to hiring a lawyer who does not do only traffic tickets. It is a misunderstanding that stems from the ‘myth’ that a traffic ticket is ‘not that complicated . . .’ or that it is all black and white. This is not true, and the truth of defendants getting points on their license, losing their license, or having their insurance rates go up is not something that most people wish to mess with because it has such significant effects on their everyday life, even if they do not realize it at first.
Another misconception is that there are only a few cases that a traffic law counselor can help with. We handle over 2500 cases a year alone, and some traffic law counselors have even more. We have had experience not only with traffic offenses, but also with other matters that often go along with traffic offenses, such as DUI or drug charges, personal injury issues, family law, and criminal dependancy issues and even some wills. We always have a lawyer there to handle any problem that arises, and our experience helps us to understand the larger issues to look out for. We have done enough traffic tickets that the analysis is almost automatic for us.
Another misconception is that traffic law counselors do not get better outcomes than other lawyers. Traffic law counselors often charge lower fees than traditional law firms, but it is the outcome of the cases that is what is most important. The value of the law counselors is not in their higher hourly fees or even in the consultation time, but rather the results they consistently get. The results often speak for themselves. Better case law analysis, more efficient plea strategies to achieve specific goals, and more frequent experiences with special conditions become the norm, thereby allowing for flexibility and a better deal overall. If you have a traffic law counselor on your side, you will never have to wonder if you got an outcome that was fair when it could have been better.
The Traffic Law Counselor Industry
As traffic law continues to evolve, so too will the role of traffic law counselors. With advances in technology, more drivers will be able to access their driving records, traffic laws, and licensing requirements online. This government review provides a wealth of information, such as speeding tickets, DUIs, and accidents, allowing citizens to know more about their legal standing.
Traffic law counselors will have to stay up to date with these changes to better serve their clients. They will also need to become more familiar with the use of technology in their practice. This could include communicating with clients via email or using social media to reach potential customers.
In addition , traffic law counselors will need to keep up with changes in traffic laws and penalties. For instance, some states have introduced tougher penalties for distracted driving, while others have enacted laws allowing for the use of cameras to catch drivers running red lights. Traffic law counselors will need to stay abreast of these changes to provide their clients with the best possible legal representation.
Overall, the future looks bright for traffic law counselors. As long as they are able to adapt to new technology and changes in traffic laws, they will continue to be an important resource for those in need of legal help.