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Traffic Ticket FAQ
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At the Ludeman Law Firm, we handle all sorts of traffic tickets all over the Kansas City area - in both Kansas and Missouri. Whether you would like to plea your ticket or fight it, we can help. If you have a ticket, give us a call or use the form to the left to send along your information.
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Why hire a lawyer for your traffic ticket?
The reasons are many. First and foremost, you should understand that when you simply pay a traffic ticket, you are pleading guilty to the offense. When you plead guilty, you will accumulate points on your Missouri license or moving violations on your Kansas license. Too many points or moving violations and your driving privileges may be threatened
Second, your auto insurance rates can increase for traffic violations that appear on your driving record. Too many tickets and your insurance carrier may drop your coverage altogether.
For people who drive for a living, keeping a clean driving record is necessary to their employment. Commercial license holders have the same options as non-commercial drivers when it comes to keeping their driver record clean.
What can a lawyer do for my ticket?
The most common and cost effective option for most traffic ticket clients is to hire an attorney to negotiate a plea to keep their traffic ticket off of their driving record. In most Missouri jurisdictions, lawyers seek an amendment of the ticket. An amendment means the prosecutor and defense lawyer agree to reduce the charge listed on the ticket to a non-moving one. In some Kansas jurisdictions, diversion is used instead of amendment. Diversion means that the prosecutor agrees to dismiss the traffic ticket (at a later date) upon certain conditions. In most cases, when someone talks about "beating at ticket" or "fixing a ticket," they are referring to an amendment or diversion.
A lawyer can also fight your ticket by setting it for trial. This option is usually more expensive than seeking a plea bargain and the outcome is not predictable. A lawyer can advise the client on the feasibility of a trial for your particular ticket because of familiarity with local courts, prosecutors, and officers who will testify.
Points and Your Missouri Driver Record
Each moving violation in the State of Missouri results in a certain number of points on your driving record. For example, speeding tickets in cities (municipalities) result in two points on your license, while speeding tickets from the State result in three points on your license.
If you receive eight points within eighteen months, your driver's license will be suspended by the Department of Revenue. Twelve points in twelve months, eighteen points in twenty-four months, or twenty-four points in thirty-six months, and your license will also
Moving Violations and Your Kansas Driver Record
Kansas does not use a point system in regulating traffic violations and your driver record. Instead, if you receive more than three "moving violations" in Kansas within a twelve month period, your license will automatically be suspended for one year.
Speeding Tickets
Most speeding tickets can be amended to non-moving violations that will not appear on your record. However, in situations where there is excessive speed or speed in a school or work zone, the ticket may not be amendable. Additionally, nearly every jurisdiction will limit the ability of those with multiple previous violations to plea their ticket.
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