Do I Have to Make an Appearance to Court for a Traffic Ticket?

You’ve just been pulled over for speeding. Your heart is racing and you’re terrified. Ugh…you got a ticket. But will you have to go to court for your traffic ticket? Hmm, it depends upon the type of ticket and your desired outcome. Scroll down to learn more!

 

Petty Traffic Violations

Once you get a traffic ticket, you want to know what happens next, what you can do about it, and whether a court appearance is required. Actually, there are many different types of traffic tickets.

As a general rule, in case of petty traffic violations, you are not required to attend court to resolve these tickets. Petty tickets are less serious in nature. They include common and small violations such as ignoring stop signs, switching lanes without a turn signal, and minor speeding. Obviously, you won’t be imprisoned solely for a petty traffic violation. You will only have to pay the fine.

Besides, if you look closely at the bottom of your ticket, it usually states “No Court Appearance Required.” If you see this, you do not have to go to court. Instead, you will have to mail the ticket to the court with payment, and the case is over.

However, if you get a ticket but you are not sure why, or you do not think you did anything wrong, you better go to court. A court appearance will give you the opportunity to get your ticket dismissed or reduced. You can even avoid having points added to your license or an increase in your insurance rates.

 

Criminal Traffic Violations

Unlike petty traffic violations, a criminal traffic ticket alleges that you have committed a criminal traffic violation.

Court appearances are required if you are charged with criminal offenses such as aggravated speeding, reckless driving, driving under the influence, or driving with a suspended or expired license.

You can be arrested when charged with a criminal traffic offense. Other consequences include suspension of your license, fines, traffic classes, points on a driver’s license, increase in insurance rates, community service, etc.

If you are charged with a criminal offense, it’s smart to hire an attorney to represent you. The right attorney can greatly increase your odds of minimizing the overall sentence.

 

AppearMe for Consumers: Hire the Right Attorney to Handle Your Traffic Case

Finding the right attorney can take hours of research. Well, not anymore! With AppearMe for Consumers, you can hire an attorney within minutes – seriously. Submit a request and see for yourself!

By the way, we’ve done the hard part for you by carefully selecting and vetting attorneys before they could be a part of our nationwide network.

Using this web app is super easy. Here’s how it works:

 

Want to Know More?

If you’re interested in learning more about AppearMe for Consumers, please dial (888) 900-3080 or email us at [email protected] for assistance. We’re here for you, day and night!