Police officers in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts pull drivers over for various reasons. The Massachusetts Traffic Code includes numerous laws and regulations that govern traffic violations. Everything from when to use your headlights to laws governing the use of cell phones while driving is included in the traffic code. At Geraghty Law LLC, our Massachusetts traffic ticket attorneys help drivers charged with traffic violations understand their rights and legal options.
A traffic ticket could result in a fine and points. However, some traffic violations may result in criminal citations, which may carry harsh punishments. Our Worcester criminal defense attorney is a seasoned trial lawyer and former assistant district attorney. His knowledge of local courts, Massachusetts RMV rules, and prosecution tactics is an advantage in traffic ticket defense in Massachusetts.
Contact Geraghty Law to discuss how we can help you with a Massachusetts traffic ticket. We are available 24/7 to offer personalized attention and effective legal defense.
How Our Massachusetts Traffic Ticket Defense Lawyer Can Help You Protect Your Rights
Being cited for a traffic offense can be costly now and for many years to come. Sometimes, individuals receive traffic tickets even though they did not violate a traffic law. Fortunately, you can fight traffic tickets in Massachusetts.
Our Worcester County criminal defense lawyer helps clients protect their driving records and avoid increased insurance costs, license suspensions, and even jail time by developing an aggressive traffic ticket defense in Massachusetts. Personalized defense strategies for fighting traffic tickets include:
- Monitoring deadlines and requesting hearings
- Representing you at a Clerk Magistrate’s hearing
- Investigating the circumstances surrounding the traffic stop and ticket
- Introducing evidence to challenge the officer’s version of events and the state’s evidence
- Negotiating for reduced charges and/or penalties when going to trial is not in your best interest
- Arguing for the dismissal of a traffic ticket based on legal or procedural issues
- Representing you during all court appearances, trials, and appeals
Traffic court may appear less serious than other offenses. However, it is a legal proceeding that can significantly impact numerous aspects of your life for years to come. Working with an experienced attorney gives you a real chance to protect your record, finances, and freedom.
Contact Geraghty Law LLC to discuss how we can help you fight traffic tickets in Massachusetts. We provide strong defenses for our clients facing traffic tickets and/or criminal charges.
Understanding Traffic Ticket Charges in Worcester County, Massachusetts
Traffic offenses may be charged as civil or criminal offenses. Many traffic violations are considered civil infractions, which can result in fines and points being added to your driver’s license. Other traffic tickets are considered criminal traffic violations, which can result in jail time and other criminal penalties.
Common traffic citations include, but are not limited to:
- Speeding and driving at excessive speeds
- Driving without the required automobile insurance coverage
- Operating a vehicle with a suspended license, without a valid license, or with a revoked license
- Negligent operation of a vehicle and reckless driving
- Leaving the scene of an accident
- CDL violations for commercial truck drivers
- Driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs (OUI)
- Causing a hit-and-run accident
- Fleeing from or eluding law enforcement officers
- Negligent homicide and/or manslaughter involving a motor vehicle
- Improper lane changes and illegal U-turns
- Following too closely
- Running a stop sign or a red light
- Failing to yield the right of way to traffic or pedestrians
Motor vehicle offenses that do not have the possibility of an arrest are considered civil offenses. Speeding, ignoring a stop sign, and equipment violations are examples of civil traffic tickets. Operating under the influence (OUI) is a common example of a traffic offense that can lead to criminal charges. However, any traffic offense, including speeding, reckless driving, and failing to yield the right of way, could lead to criminal charges if your actions caused another party’s death or injury.
It is crucial to assess what kind of charge you are facing when you receive a traffic ticket in Massachusetts. The legal implications depend on whether your case is civil or criminal in nature. A reckless driving attorney or speeding ticket defense attorney in Massachusetts is the best source for this information.
What Happens After You Are Charged with a Traffic Violation in Massachusetts?
What happens after you are charged with a traffic violation in Massachusetts depends on whether you are facing a civil or criminal offense.
You have 20 days to respond to a civil motor vehicle infraction. For most civil traffic tickets, you have the option of paying a fine or appealing the ticket. To appeal a civil traffic ticket, you must request a traffic ticket hearing before a Clerk Magistrate.
Ignoring a traffic ticket is strongly discouraged as it could lead to additional penalties, including late fees, license suspension, and collection actions. You give up your right to a hearing when you fail to respond to a traffic ticket. The Worcester Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) will send you a letter giving you 30 days to pay the fine. Failure to do so can cause your driving privileges to be suspended.
For serious traffic offenses, you are charged with a crime and must appear at an arraignment to enter a plea of guilty or not guilty. Criminal traffic tickets may be charged as misdemeanors or felonies, depending on the circumstances. A criminal traffic ticket moves through the criminal justice system, which may involve discovery, plea negotiations, motion hearings, and a trial.
What Are the Penalties for a Traffic Ticket Conviction in Massachusetts?
Penalties and collateral consequences for traffic ticket convictions in Massachusetts include:
- Fines and surcharges that range from less than a hundred dollars to thousands of dollars, depending on the charge
- Court fees, if you want to appeal your ticket to the Clerk Magistrate
- Points against your driving record through the Safe Driver Insurance Plan (SDIP)
- Suspended or revoked license
- Increased insurance premiums
- Criminal record that could impact employment opportunities, housing applications, child custody, etc.
- Requirement to complete mandatory programs, such as a substance abuse program for an OUI conviction
- Jail or prison sentences for criminal traffic convictions
The penalties and consequences for a Massachusetts traffic ticket depend on several factors. Your criminal history, aggravating circumstances, and the specific offense impact the outcome of a traffic ticket case. Hiring an experienced traffic ticket lawyer in Worcester County can help minimize the negative consequences of a traffic ticket.
Defenses to Traffic Violations in Massachusetts
There could be one or more defenses that could prevent a traffic ticket conviction. Potential defense strategies for traffic tickets include:
- Presenting mitigating circumstances to explain your conduct, such as speeding to get to a hospital because of a life-threatening emergency
- Challenging the evidence presented by the state, including hiring forensic experts and other specialists
- Identifying errors made by the police officers or the state, including faulty breathalyzers, defective speed detecting equipment, procedural errors, etc.
- Unconstitutional traffic stops and lack of probable cause
At Geraghty Law LLC, our legal team analyzes every detail of your case to determine the best possible defense. We represent Massachusetts residents and out-of-state visitors who have been charged with traffic violations.
Talk to a Worcester County Traffic Ticket Defense Lawyer Today
Are you dealing with a traffic ticket in Massachusetts? If so, we can help. Contact Geraghty Law LLC today to discuss your situation with a Worcester traffic ticket attorney. We can help you with all types of cases involving traffic tickets, including license suspension defense, out-of-state traffic tickets, Massachusetts RMV ticket points, and criminal traffic offenses.
