Traffic Ticket Trials
Finder Law Serves Clients Across Jefferson City, Columbia, and Central Missouri
Just about anyone who has been driving for any significant period has received a traffic ticket at some point. If you hire an attorney to help you with your violation, often the charge will be amended to a more minor violation. That’s where most traffic cases end when you retain legal counsel for help, but what happens if the prosecutor refuses to amend the charge or provides no reasonable reduction? Continue reading for more information on what happens when traffic tickets go all the way to trial.
If no agreement is made between your attorney & the prosecutor, the case will be set for trial. The prosecutor will subpoena the officer who wrote the ticket so he can offer his testimony. If any other evidence was collected at the time of the stop (such as BAC tests, field sobriety tests, etc.), those will be admitted into evidence as well. Your attorney will call you as a witness so you can provide your side of the story. Your attorney may also ask that you bring friends or family with you as well. If anyone else was in the vehicle with you, they could be a potentially helpful witness. Friends & family could provide character evidence as to why your charges should be amended or expelled. It’s important to understand that the state has the burden of proof. If the officer doesn’t show up or the prosecutor fails to make their case, you will win. Sometimes simply showing up is all you need to do to win your case.
Once all evidence & testimony has been put on the court record, the judge will make their ruling. Whatever decision the judge makes will be final. That’s why it is so important to do research when hiring an attorney, even if it’s just for a traffic ticket. If you happen to receive a ticket in a county with tough prosecutors, you’ll want to make sure whoever you hire is willing to take the case to trial if necessary. You’ll also want someone local who knows the judges & prosecutors. This will make settlements more likely & ensure that the judge they may be in front of is familiar with their work & knows their reputation. If prosecutors are careless with their recommendations, they will end up wasting their time trying lots of cases. That’s not a luxury most prosecutors have, so your attorney putting pressure on them could help them change their mind about amending charges. A good defense attorney with whom the prosecutor is familiar (especially one who they know isn’t afraid to go to trial) makes it more likely they will try to settle the charges reasonably prior to trial.
Hiring an attorney for a traffic ticket is an important decision. Daniel Finder of Finder Law, LLC has over 10 years of experience in criminal law from traffic tickets to felonies. His reputation in the mid-Missouri area is excellent & he will give your case the attention it deserves. He’s not afraid to stand up to unreasonable prosecutors & ensure that you receive a fair outcome.
