Regardless of how insignificant your traffic ticket may seem at the time, it is almost always worth your while in the long run to consult a criminal attorney about your case. The simple truth is that moving violation citations will have various negative effects on all aspects of your life, including carrying a point on your DMV record, causing an increase in insurance payments and possible loss of driving privileges. Ignoring these traffic tickets will not make them go away. In fact, it will only make the situation worse. Cases that start as simple traffic violations or financial burdens such as keeping current insurance or registration can snowball into arrest and prosecution for criminal charges. Failure to appear on a traffic matter is a criminal offense and driving on a subsequently suspended license will often result in jail time. A criminal defense attorney who is well versed in California traffic law can use this knowledge of the law and legal processes to get tickets reduced or dismissed
If you fail to pay your traffic ticket on time or do not appear in court, the Court will usually have the DMV place a hold on your license pursuant to Vehicle Code 40509.5, charge you a steep monetary fine, and refer your case to GC Services. GC Services is a collection agency used by the Los Angeles County Superior Court to try to collect money from delinquent (unpaid) traffic tickets.
If the status of your traffic ticket says “VC 40509.5 Holds”, you should immediately contact a criminal defense attorney prior to taking any further actions. A criminal defense attorney can fight your traffic ticket and the big fines GC Services will be attempting to charge you. With the help of your attorney, you can clear up your license suspension in a quicker manner and avoid further legal actions, including an arrest warrant or bench warrant out for your arrest.
Many people view traffic matters as a purely financial transaction. Using a narrow lens, these people often assume that it doesn’t make sense to fight a ticket if it’s cheaper to just pay the ticket. The problem with this is that they fail to consider the long term effects on insurance rates and employment opportunities. This rule is especially true for anyone with a commercial or Class A license. For a commercial driver, a simple traffic ticket can mean a permanent loss of income. The Law Offices of Mark A. Gallagher are uniquely equipped to deal with a variety of traffic citations, from minor infractions to serious moving violations, misdemeanors, and felonies. If you have been cited for a violation that you believe to be the result of an error, or received letter from GC Services demanding payment of a huge fine for a traffic ticket you got in the Los Angeles or Orange County area, we can help.
