The judicious art of choosing a traffic ticket attorney

America, the land of the free… and home to approximately one and a quarter million lawyers just like me. Some of us love our job and some of us don’t. There are definitely some practice areas that are more exciting than others, and there are so many motivating factors that make lawyers choose certain practice areas as lawyers themselves. Please consider this my disclaimer: I am not here to advocate for lawyers. My only intention is to explain a bit about some of the various practice areas and why some attorneys choose them.

One of the seemingly most glamorous fields of law is that of the high-powered lawyers who work for “Corporate America.” It may not be popular with a lot of people, but it serves very practical purposes by ensuring that companies act within the guidelines of the laws that govern business. These are also the guys who tell manufacturers to put warning labels on things like desiccant packets. Now many of you may think you are not familiar with this term, but these are the little white packets found on so many products that say “Do Not Eat”. Its intended purpose is to act as a drying agent in a variety of products. I’m guessing the “Do Not Eat” label is because they are often found on food or medicine packaging. Yes, to most of us it would seem reasonable not to eat these items, but perhaps someone did at some point, prompting this response from a corporate lawyer in an effort to protect his client from being sued.

This type of lawyer is generally the type that gives the rest of us a bad name because much of their responsibility is to look out for the best interests of corporations or political officials. For many of them, if they have to step on the welfare of others to achieve this goal, then so be it. They are often seen as having little or no conscience, and as simply trying to make money off of other people’s bad luck. Obviously, there are also various disciplines among non-corporate lawyers.

Defense attorneys are often considered just as hateful. This is because they are charged with defending both the guilty and the innocent. Many people find this particularly offensive when there appears to be little doubt about the defendant’s guilt, especially when dealing with heinous and emotionally charged crimes such as murder, rape, brutal assault, etc. Defending people in such circumstances may be difficult for someone to understand, however, the Sixth Amendment states:

“In all criminal proceedings, the defendant shall enjoy the right… to have the assistance of a lawyer for his defense.”

So whether we think someone is entitled to a good defense or not, the Constitution guarantees that this privilege extends to everyone, regardless of race, religion, gender, or level of suspicion of guilt. Most lawyers who have to defend someone they feel is guilty take no pleasure in doing so, but in choosing to defend themselves, they take a solemn oath to do so.

Then there are the injury attorneys. This particular group is also often seen as disgusting by many. It’s not uncommon to hear them called “ambulance chasers,” and the general sentiment is that they make a lot of money off the suffering of others. It is customary for them to charge a fee equal to one third of whatever settlement is awarded to the client for their pain, suffering and other damages. This sounds like a lot, and it is, but often these cases can go on for years and require extensive investigation. It may sound like a lousy way to make a living, but this method of billing clients ensures that the lawyer will recover as much money as possible in damages for his client, thus ensuring a bigger payday for him.

Let’s not forget those lawyers who seem to represent anyone with a checkbook. We have all seen advertisements for these lawyers, usually with a list next to their name of all the areas their law office covers and then a phone number. Although this is perfectly legal, I would be concerned about the level of understanding of the law in many disciplines. It is much easier to learn a lot about one or two subjects than to try to learn many areas of the law. Doing this successfully can be challenging, so you always want to choose someone who specializes in a particular area.

As you can see, the lawyers and the types of law they are well versed in are as diverse as the doctors and the types of medicine they practice. You wouldn’t go to a gynecologist for a prostate exam, so you probably shouldn’t go to a personal injury lawyer for a traffic ticket. Very few lawyers work strictly pro bono, so they obviously go into law with the expectation of making a living. Some can earn more than “a deliverable salary”, some can make a fortune, but many lawyers are in this field to make a living AND help the “little guy”.

I am one of those lawyers. I have worked in corporate law, but it was not something that satisfied me. Consequently, I made the change to the traffic ticket law because I believed there was a need in this field. Some of the other types of lawyers may be willing to represent someone with a traffic ticket, but it usually costs a lot of money to retain them, and then they would have to pay a lot more when the courts imposed fines and other penalties. .

Just turn on the TV and you’ll see that traffic ticket law has become big business, and there’s a lot of aggressive advertising. No matter how soft the seller is, pay attention to how many other types of laws they practice. If it is about more than traffic ticket law, they may not have the level of experience and knowledge necessary to get your traffic ticket dismissed or reduced. I’ve been doing this for about 16 years and have not regretted making the switch. Watching local municipalities line their pockets with the money they get from traffic tickets horrifies me. It shouldn’t be the responsibility of one hapless driver to make sure that cities, counties or the state cover their budget shortfalls, but this is what happens every time someone pays a traffic ticket.

Of all the scathing comments made about lawyers, one thing is probably more accurate than the other. As a lawyer, taking on the legal system in front of a room full of people, we all have to maintain a certain level of trust. Naturally, a bit of an ego develops after representing clients. successfully a few times. This is especially true in cases that seem difficult to win, but through our professional negotiations, our clients are victorious. It is this experience with success that allows me to be confident that we have a 99% success rate in getting our clients’ traffic tickets canceled or reduced, so call us at 954-967-9888 for a free consultation.