Speeding Ticket/Traffic Ticket Defense – Virginia & Maryland
You’re driving down the highway in Virginia or Maryland, oblivious to the speed limit, until you look in your rearview mirror. Those flashing red lights are meant for you – the driver who has allegedly violated the traffic laws.
As you wait for the police officer to issue the traffic ticket in Virginia or Maryland, you wonder what options are open to you.
In Virginia, reckless driving and traffic violation leads to heavy fine endorsement and serious punishment such as imprisonment and revocation of the license. This fine may be waived off by hiring a reckless driving attorney to deal the case. If the outcome of the case is positive, fine and punishment is reduced to minimum. However, if the waiving of the fine is not possible, fine or the tickets must be paid in the limited duration to prevent further increment of the punishment.
Drivers who are convicted with traffic violation and reckless driving pay their tickets by any of the means that may be via mail, internet or by paying by hand in person. The procedures that may be utilized in order to pay these tickets depends upon the court dealing the case or on the type of payment being provided.
The instructions on the ticket payment describes when the ticket is to be paid following correct procedure. Different terms considered for ticket payment are:
Pre-court tickets and post-court tickets.
Pre-court tickets, in which the tickets are paid before the court date which usually happens if the ticket is waived off by the help of attorney.
Post-court tickets, where tickets are to be paid after the hearing of the court. Here, the appearance in the court is mandatory.
Apart from paying tickets, depending upon the violation of traffic rules and previous driving history of the person, the court may provide courses for the improvement of driving skills which is mandatory to be attend by these people. The term of these courses depend upon the severity of violation.
Methods of Ticket payment:
Different methods of traffic ticket payment in Alexandria VA includes:
- Online – by e-check, credit card.
- Cash Payment Centers
- Real Estate Debit Programs
- through Phone
- by Mail
- at the City Hall
- Dropbox
The most frequently used and convenient method of payment of tickets of reckless driving is online payment. On the Online Case Information System, the court that has been cited on the ticket to deal with the penalty is searched. Upon locating the specific ticket payment case, the online payment can be made. However there are some additional charges that are to be submitted while paying for the ticket online. Pre-court tickets must be payed soon after the finalization of the results of hearing upon the waiving of the ticket if it is not in the favor of the person who originally hired an attorney. While, the payment for post-court tickets must be payed within 30 days of the hearing.
Other than online system of payment, mailing is an efficient method of payment. Pre or post-court payments must be paid seven days before the deadline which is mentioned on the summons provided. The mailing procedure, amount to be paid and the reference can be obtained by contacting the court in charge.
It is necessary to pay the tickets within the prescribed time. However, in case of misplaced a person can log on to the official website and locate their ticket via name or case number.
THE FOLLOWING ARE SOME OF THE LAWS IN VA, MD & MA:
- § 46.2-860. Failing to give proper signals
A person shall be guilty of reckless driving who fails to give adequate and timely signals of intention to turn, partly turn, slow down, or stop, as required by Article 6 (§ 46.2-848 et seq.) of this chapter.
- § 21-204.1. Lane direction control signals
Where lane direction control signals are placed over the individual lanes of a highway, vehicular traffic may travel in any lane over which a green signal is shown, but may not enter or travel in any lane over which a red signal is shown.
- ALM GL ch. 89, § 1. Vehicles Meeting to Keep Right; Exceptions
When persons traveling with vehicles meet on a way, each shall reasonably drive his vehicle to the right of the middle of the traveled part of such way, so that the vehicles may pass without interference, except that the department of highways may modify such restriction by pavement markings on state highways, on ways leading thereto and on all main highways between cities and towns. The department may by permit, revocable upon notice, authorize cities and towns to modify such restriction by pavement markings. All markings shall be in accordance with accepted standards of engineering practice, as provided in section two of chapter eighty-five.
The provisions of this section shall not be construed as prohibiting a vehicle from crossing a solid center pavement marking line or lines in making a left turn into or from a private way.