Source: http://www.mattoxlawpc.com/hopewell-traffic-defense/
Timestamp: 2019-04-22 16:56:21+00:00

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Hopewell Va reckless driving speeding traffic ticket attorney offering affordable and aggressive representation of traffic felonies, misdemeanors, and infractions.
Hopewell County VA has become notorious for the Hopewell County Deputy Sheriff’s and Virginia State Troopers enforcement of the many Code of Virginia traffic violations especially regarding reckless driving and speeding. Experienced and knowledgeable Caroline County VA traffic attorney Trey Mattox has experience defending a wide variety of misdemeanor, felony, and infraction traffic violations including Speeding, Driving on a Suspended License, DUI, Reckless Driving, and possession of marijuana among others. Virginia Traffic Lawyer Trey Mattox would love the opportunity to walk you through the process of how to get out of a DUI, reckless driving, or speeding ticket in Hopewell, VA.
Hopewell VA traffic lawyer Trey Mattox has extensive experience representing individuals charged with a wide variety of traffic violations including reckless driving, speeding, and DUI charges among others. He has successfully defended these cases providing results that in nearly every instance avoid a conviction for the traffic misdemeanor or infraction alleged. If you have been charged with a traffic crime or infraction in Hopewell VA, contact knowledgeable and accomplished Hopewell traffic lawyer Trey Mattox.
The speed limit on Interstate 295 through the City of Hopewell is 70 miles per hour. Therefore, according to the statute going as little as 81 miles per hour can result in a conviction for reckless driving.
· § 46.2-853 Driving vehicle which is not under control; faulty brakes.
· § 46.2-854. Passing on or at the crest of a grade or on a curve.
· § 46.2-855. Driving with driver's view obstructed or control impaired.
· § 46.2-856. Passing two vehicles abreast.
· § 46.2-857. Driving two abreast in a single lane.
· § 46.2-858. Passing at a railroad grade crossing.
· § 46.2-859. Passing a stopped school bus; prima facie evidence.
· § 46.2-860. Failing to give proper signals.
· § 46.2-861. Driving too fast for highway and traffic conditions.
· § 46.2-862. Exceeding speed limit.
· § 46.2-863. Failure to yield right-of-way.
· § 46.2-864. Reckless driving on parking lots, etc.
· § 46.2-865. Racing; penalty.
Virginia Code § 46.2-868 dictates that reckless driving is a class 1 misdemeanor and therefore carries extremely serious consequences. In Virginia, a Class 1 misdemeanor is the most serious category of misdemeanors and falls just one step short of a felony. Specifically, as a Class 1 misdemeanor, reckless driving carries a maximum $2500 fine, one year in jail, and 6 month license suspension. Additionally, there are many secondary consequences such as points on your driving record, license suspensions due to accumulation of points, increased insurance premiums, and failed criminal background checks.
A conviction for a DUI in Virginia carries very extreme consequences and can often lead to time in jail. DUI meaning driving under the influence and can be applied to both drug and alcohol cases. Additionally, there is no categorical difference in Virginia in between DUI v. DWI although the offense is most frequently referred to as a DUI. Similar to reckless driving, a first offense DUI charge in Virginia is a class 1 misdemeanor which has a maximum $2,500 fine, 12 month license suspension, and 12 months jail sentence. Additionally, there are mandatory minimum sentences which must be enforced by the judge upon conviction of an elevated BAC DUI. A DUI can become elevated due to the defendants blood alcohol content (BAC) and previous DUI convictions. There are too many scenarios to list here, but I would invite you to contact me so that we can discuss your case and whether any of these factors would apply to your case.
Trey analyzes each case with extreme care in order to bring to light any possible defenses which can be used in trial. This careful analysis can become important not only at trial but also during negotiations with the prosecutor. There are often questionable situations in a DUI case which may not be significant enough to lead to a dismissal but can be used as leverage for a better plea agreement. It is extremely important to contact an attorney who is willing to spend the time to go over every detail in order to get the best possible result for your case.
Speeding tickets in Virginia can vary significantly depending on the nature of the offense. The most severe cases are often charged as reckless driving by speed, which elevates the offense from a simple traffic infraction to a class 1 misdemeanor. Although speeding is an infraction rather than a misdemeanor, a conviction can still carry very serious consequences. A speeding conviction can lead to license suspension, high fines, points on your driving record, and increased insurance rates.
Speeding ticket lawyer Trey Mattox has represented thousands of individuals charged with speeding infractions and has an outstanding record of having those charges reduced or dismissed. When contesting speeding tickets, Trey regularly saves Mattox Law clients hundreds of dollars in fines and insurance premiums as well as helping to preserve driving privileges. Trey is intimately familiar with Virginia speeding ticket laws and what is required of the officer ensuring that all possible legal strategies are pursued.
Each traffic case is unique and carries individual issues leading to a variety of potential results. The biggest factor affecting the outcome of a case of course is the original traffic ticket received or allegation. Certainly, we expect far different outcomes for DUI charges as compared to speeding tickets. However, there are many other factors that can affect potential results involved with every traffic case. One of the most important factors the court will take into consideration is your demeanor when interacting with the police officer. The judge will be far more lenient to an individual who is polite and cooperative with the officer as opposed to someone who was argumentative or otherwise uncooperative. Another major factor is the number of prior violations and points on your driving record. Most judges and commonwealth attorney’s will not willing to agree to a favorable outcome without viewing your driving record first. A clean driving record will allow for much better results than one with multiple prior speeding tickets or other traffic infractions, misdemeanors, or felonies.
Driving school is a very powerful tool in the defense of traffic infractions and crimes. In many cases I will advise my clients to complete driving school before the court date in order to achieve a better outcome. In other case, the judge may require the you to complete driving school in order to have the case completely dismissed. Under those circumstances it is up to the you to get the driving school completed by the deadline set by the court in order to have the case dismissed. In many cases judges will issue driving school after your first ticket and are less willing to allow for driving school after subsequent tickets. Of course courts and judges differ from jurisdiction to jurisdiction and some are more lenient in this regard. In most cases the court will allow you to complete driving school online or in person as long as the hour requirement is met. To be in compliance with the courts order you must ensure that the original certificate of completion for the defensive driving program is submitted to the court by the deadline set by the judge. In addition to the certificate you will be required to pay court costs which will vary depending on the court and violation.
In some cases the speed may be too high or there may be too many violations on your record for the court to willing to completely dismiss the case. In those situations, the court may still require driving school for the case to simply be reduced as opposed to being dismissed. There are a couple different routes the court may go in regard to the reduction. The most common and likely scenario would be a reduction to a simple speeding violation. Another common outcome would be the reduction to improper driving. In other circumstances the court may be willing to reduce the original violation to some sort of non-moving violation such as defective equipment, defective speedometer, or failure to obey a highway sign while sleeping. Finally, there are some instances where the court is unwilling to reduce the violation but will waive an active jail sentence and/or license suspension upon the completion of a defensive driving course.
What is a defective equipment ticket in Virginia? A defective equipment charge in Virginia is a violation you may receive for having a tail light out or maybe a cracked windshield. This is a non-moving violation typically indicating that something may have been wrong with your vehicle as opposed to something being wrong with your driving. As a non-moving violation, defective equipment does not carry any points on a Virginia driving record and most other states as well. Many judges in Virginia use defective equipment as a means to reduce a traffic violations that otherwise would carry points on your driving record. A reduction to defective equipment is often a bit of a quid pro quo allowing judges to reduce moving violations to keep points off of a driving record while still allowing him to collect a fine. In many cases the Judge will keep the fine at the standard fine based on the originally charged speed. In other cases, the judge may enhance the fine for having a few priors on your record or possibly demeanor issue with the officer.
For some reckless driving and speeding cases, avoiding any points on your record with a non-moving violation or having the case dismissed may not always be possible. In those cases, our focus will often shift from avoiding the points to at least reducing the number of points going on your driving record and avoiding the class 1 misdemeanor conviction. Reckless driving of course is considered a class 1 misdemeanor so at the very least we need to ensure that you are not convicted of reckless driving to ensure you do not end up with a criminal record. Simple speeding is just a traffic infraction and therefore will avoid the misdemeanor conviction. Additionally, most states DMV point systems are based on speed and the number of miles per hour the allegation is over the speed limit. By convincing the court to reduce the speed we should at least be able to reduce the number of points going on your record. This reduction in points can then have several secondary consequences as well. In some states a conviction over a certainly threshold, such as 15 miles per hour over the speed limit, can lead to an automatic license suspension. By reducing the speed below that limit we can ensure that your license is not administratively suspended by your states DMV. A reduction in speed will also help to ensure that your insurance rates are not effected. Most insurance companies will use the miles per hour over the speed limit as part of their analysis to determine whether your insurance rates should be increased. Therefore, the lower the speed can be reduced to the less likely that your insurance rates will be affected.
Improper driving is a frequently used reduction specific to reckless driving cases. I find improper driving is most frequently used in accident related cases; however, it is certainly used by many judges in reckless driving by speed cases. Many judges and commonwealth’s attorneys use improper driving as means to reduce reckless driving by speed cases because it allows them to issue an elevated fine of $500.00 as opposed to the maximum fine for a simple speeding conviction of $250.00. However, on the positive side, improper driving only stays on a Virginia driving record for 3 years as opposed to 5 years for a speeding violation and 11 years for a reckless driving conviction.
Unfortunately, there are certain cases that, despite our best efforts, result in a conviction of the originally charged infraction or class 1 misdemeanor for reckless driving offenses. Of course in most cases our number one goal is simply avoiding a conviction for that alleged offense. In some cases it is improbable or nearly impossible to get the charge reduced. These cases can be difficult to reduce for a number of different reasons including the nature of the alleged offense, the underlying facts, and what your prior record looks like. In these situations we are hoping instead to convince the court to reduce the consequences of a conviction including the fine, license suspension, and jail sentence.
In the unfortunate case where you are ultimately convicted of the underlying offense there is the possibility the court will issue a license suspension. When facing a case where a license suspension is possibly one of our key goals then become reducing or hopefully eliminating the potential for a license suspension. In some cases it is not possibly to avoid the license suspension despite our best efforts. In those cases we will typically request the court to order a restricted license that will at least allow you to drive to work and necessary appointments. Once the suspension time has elapsed you will then be required to contact the Virginia DMV in order to have your license or privilege to drive in Virginia reinstated.
Fortunately, the judge is typically good about working with individuals faced with traffic violations, and I am frequently able to negotiate a reduction. However, this judge is very particular with what he requires for a reduction. It is extremely important to speak with an attorney who is familiar with Hopewell and how the judge handles his docket.
It is also important to retain an attorney who has established good working relationships with the Hopewell Commonwealth’s Attorney’s office. The Commonwealth’s Attorney or prosecutor does not typically get involved in Reckless Driving or Speeding charges; however, for more serious offense such as Possession of Marijuana, DUI, or Driving on a Suspended License the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s office plays a prominent role. It is extremely important to choose an attorney who is very familiar with the Commonwealth’s Attorney prosecuting your case.
There are several tasks that I frequently have my clients complete prior to their scheduled court date in order to ensure the best possible outcome. Alternatively, Judge Clark will often have additional requirements before he is willing to reduce your charge. Judge Clark requires each of these items to be presented in the proper form. Failure to follow every requirement can result in a conviction. When looking for an attorney to represent you please be careful to speak with someone who is knowledgeable of Judge Clark’s rules. Below please find links to blog articles describing some of the mitigation evidence I use to defend my clients. Please give me an email me at trey@mattoxlawpc.com or call at (804)-451-6033 for additional suggestions on mitigation evidence for your Hopewell traffic case.
Speedometer Calibration - Speedometer calibrations are often the single most important piece of evidence I present while defending reckless driving cases. It is extremely important to have your vehicle properly calibrated in order to ensure that it is admissible in court and can be as beneficial as possible to the outcome of your case. It is essential to select the right shop with the correct equipment. You will want to take your vehicle to a shop with a dynamometer or “dyno.” In essence a dynamometer is a device used to test the accuracy of your vehicle’s speedometer, among other functions. The technician will put your vehicle on the dynamometer and measure what your speedometer is reading as compared to the actual wheel speed of your vehicle in order to determine how accurate your speedometer is. A favorable calibration will demonstrate to the judge that your speedometer was reading lower than your actual speed. This will help to show that you were unaware that you may have been traveling at that alleged speed. Many of the judges that I appear before regularly give my clients credit for the calibration and will reduce a charge down further than he or she may have otherwise been willing to do. A true calibration will carry the greatest weight in court. Many of my clients will take their vehicles to a shop without a dynamometer before they have spoken to me. Frequently these shops will inform my clients that their speed sensor or speedometer cluster is malfunctioning and offer to replace them. While this can be helpful to a reckless driving case it does not usually carry the same amount of weight as a true calibration.
Community Service - Community service can be a powerful piece of mitigation evidence used to help get the best possible result in court. In some cases a judge will order the defendant to complete community service as a requirement for a reduction of the charged offense. On other occasions, I will advise my clients to complete community service hours proactively in order to present the best case possible. Judges have differing standards when it comes to community services. Most if not all judges will be satisfied with your community service hours if completed according to the following guidelines. First, the community service must be completed for a non-profit organization. However, many judges adhere to strict prohibitions against doing community services for any school, church, or any other organization you are currently associated with. The second requirement for community services work deals with the reporting of the work. Many of the judges that I appear before regularly are extremely picky about how the community service should be documented and presented to the court. Ultimately, you will want to have the supervisor write a letter on a piece of the organization’s letterhead describing the dates and hours you worked, a description of the work, and the total number of hours worked. Some judges even require this letter to be signed by the supervisor in front of a notary.
Driving School - Completion of a defensive driving course can be very valuable to the defense of a reckless driving charge. Often completing the course prior to your scheduled court date can be a useful tool to get the best possible outcome for your case. You must also be careful you choose the correct driving school for your individual case. Driving courses can range in length from six hours up to twelve hours. You must also be sure that driving school is the correct tool for your case. For high-speed cases I often get my clients to complete a 12-hour aggressive driving course. The length and subject matter of these courses can show that a client is very concerned about their case and willing to do what it takes to avoid a conviction. There are two primary sources I use for 12-hour courses. The first is offered through the Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program (VASAP) and is called Reckless/Aggressive Driver Education Program (RADEP). This is a two-day, in person aggressive driving school. The other primary source is one of the many 12 hour courses offered online out of Florida. The state of Florida uses 12-hour driving schools with great frequencies and has many online programs available. Judges can differ significantly when it comes to the value they will place on driving school. Some judges refuse to order defendants to take driving school, some will only use driving school for exceptional cases, and others rely solely on driving school as a means of reducing reckless driving charges. In Virginia, DMV will add five positive points to your driving record if you complete driving school voluntarily and submit the certificate of completion to the DMV. When signing up to take a defensive driving course you should be given the option of court ordered and voluntary for points on your record. It is important to take the court ordered course when completing it prior to your court date to ensure the judge gives you proper credit for completing it.
If you have been pulled over in Hopewell County please feel free to contact me at your earliest convenience. I offer free consultations and am available by phone (804) 451-6033 or email trey@mattoxlawpc.com.
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