The vast majority of Texans have, at some point in their lives, received a ticket for a traffic violation. Unlike most other violations of the law, a traffic ticket doesn’t bear the same stigma of criminality and is often viewed as a minor offense that even the most law-abiding citizens may be guilty of on a frequent basis. However, don’t let the prevalence and the commonality of a traffic ticket fool you. Trying to resolve a traffic ticket in Texas is at best an annoyance, and at worst, a convoluted maze of red tape that can have you banging your head against the wall in no time. From the moment you see the red lights flashing in your rearview mirror and hear the dreaded siren, you enter the confounding world of
While not considered a serious offense by most people, many Texans don’t realize that a traffic violation is still a criminal offense in the state of
Considering how varied the steps can be to resolve each type of case, it is not surprising that many people find dealing with a traffic ticket a very stressful process. That is where Sullo & Sullo can step in to relieve that stress and confusion. We are a law firm that specializes in traffic ticket defense and you can have peace of mind knowing that only the most experienced and thorough attorneys who are skilled in traffic law are managing your cases. While it would be impossible to discuss all the nuances of traffic procedure and traffic law, we would like to provide a general overview of the anatomy of a typical traffic case. This step-by-step guide to how traffic cases work in
At the scene of the alleged violation
Let’s begin with the cardinal rule of traffic stops. When you see the flashing red lights behind you, make sure that you pull over quickly. As you roll down the window full of anger at the realization that this police officer is going to make you late to your very important meeting, just roll down that window and bite your tongue. The biggest mistake that people often make when they are pulled over is talking too much. Listen to what the officer has to say, nod your head, and be pleasant. No matter how much you are tempted to do it, the golden rule is: DO NOT ARGUE WITH THE POLICE OFFICER.
We cannot emphasize that enough. There are two very important reasons why saying too much to the officer is not a good idea. The obvious one is that you don’t want to anger an officer who has your ticket in his hands. He can make the process of receiving a ticket very unpleasant for you. The second reason, and the one that many people don’t realize, is that the more you say and do, the more likely it is that the officer will remember you. The moment he pulls you over, the officer is making a mental note of your attitude and if you begin to argue, you can be sure that he is writing everything you say down on his copy of your ticket. The ones that the officers usually don’t remember are the ones that are pleasant and don’t say much. This is one of those rare situations in life where you want to be completely boring and forgettable.
Once the officer hands you your ticket and drives off, don’t crumple your ticket and stuff it in your glove compartment or deep into your pockets. Although you may be seething at the audacity of the officer to pull you over when you clearly didn’t violate any traffic law, don’t let your anger cloud your judgment. That piece of paper is a legal document and happens to have on it a very important date. If you read your ticket closely, you will discover that you have just signed a promise to appear at your arraignment date.
