Deferred Disposition for San Antonio Traffic Tickets
When you get a traffic ticket, there are a few options to get the ticket resolved. Tickets can be handled in three different ways. You can pay the ticket outright, you can go to court on your own and fight the ticket, or you can hire an attorney to fight the ticket on your behalf. For many people, the best option is to hire a traffic ticket attorney. Make sure you understand what happens when using each option.
- Option One: Paying the Ticket — Your first option when receiving a traffic ticket is paying the ticket outright. This is an option many drivers accept simply because they do not want to deal with the time involved in going to court. However, if you simply opt to pay the ticket on your own, you are pleading guilty to a misdemeanor crime. This means in addition to having points added to your driving record, you will have a criminal record, and you will be facing higher insurance costs.
- Option Two: Going to Court — Many drivers believe they can fight traffic tickets on their own. This is a bad idea because as a regular citizen, you may not know what options are available to you, nor do you necessarily understand the various options for pleading your case. This is why representing yourself in court is never a good idea, even if it is only for a traffic ticket.
- Option Three: Hire a Traffic Ticket Attorney — This is always going to be your best option. First, an attorney knows what the long-term ramifications of traffic tickets can be, and they understand how to defend against any charge you could be facing. Second, in nearly all cases, an attorney can appear on your behalf and request deferred disposition. Most drivers are unaware of this option.
Understanding Deferred Disposition
Think of deferred disposition as being put on probation. Your traffic ticket attorney will enter a no-contest or guilty plea on your behalf. Once this is done, the court will put certain orders in place which typically includes paying the fine associated with the citation, as well as court costs. If you are under 25 years of age, the court will likely require you to attend a safe driving course. Once the deferred disposition is over (between 30-180 days), if you have met all the requirements, your case will be dismissed. The result is you have no criminal record, you are not assessed points against your driving record, and you will not face increased insurance costs.
Eligibility for Deferred Disposition
Not all traffic tickets are eligible for deferred disposition. For example, if you were traveling 25 or more miles over the posted speed limit, your case will not be eligible. If you have a Commercial Driver’s license (CDL) and receive any citation, even if you were traveling in your own vehicle, your case is not eligible. Other cases include school bus passing violations, or citations issued in work zones when workers are in the area to name a few.
Hire a Traffic Ticket Attorney Immediately
Your best bet when you are given a citation for a traffic violation in San Antonio is to hire a traffic ticket attorney immediately. Doing so gives you the best chance of negotiating a deferred disposition and avoding the consequences of a guilty finding including increased insurance costs, points on your driving record and a conviction on your record.
Contact Texas Ticket Fighters, a division of Eric Ramos Law, PLLC immediately upon receiving a citation. Our goal is to get the charge reduced or dismissed so you can keep a clean driving record.