If you are reading my website you may be facing a Prince William County reckless driving ticket. You are likely confused about what to do and maybe scared even about what’s in store for you at court.
The problem is that you’re surrounded by lawyer advertising that tells you all sorts of conflicting things and has lots of information about going to jail, losing your license, and other different scary possibilities.
Don’t call all the lawyers in the phone book or on the internet.
Instead of calling around, you need to educate yourself about reckless driving, the nature of the charge, the defenses that might be possible, and what your options are in a case like yours. You can download a copy of my free book about Virginia reckless driving to get solid answers to many of your questions.
Do you need a Prince William County reckless driving lawyer?
Do you actually need to have an attorney or can you represent yourself? The good news is that at court more people will be representing themselves than people who have an attorney; you would not be in the minority if you went by yourself. However, you can’t really make that decision until you know about the charge itself. In some cases, a lawyer may be a very wise investment to help you get a good result.
What is Prince William County reckless driving?
Chapter 1 of my book goes into specifics about different kinds of reckless driving charges. The main type of reckless driving charge in Virginia is reckless driving by speed under Virginia Code 46.2-862. That section says that anyone is guilty of reckless driving if you go 20 or more miles an hour over the speed limit or over 80 miles an hour.
Did you know that reckless driving is actually a misdemeanor offense? I don’t say this to scare you into hiring a lawyer but to educate you about the true nature of the charge you’re facing. It’s the same level of offense as a DUI, hit and run, or possession of marijuana. Reckless driving is punished as a crime in Virginia. However, you will see below that there may be other options to work your case.
What defenses are available for a Prince William County reckless driving charge?
The full gamut of defenses are available typically in any court in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Commonwealth has to prove that you are in fact guilty of reckless driving beyond a reasonable doubt. Chapter 3 of my book covers a bunch of different defenses that might apply to a reckless driving case. And even better, Chapter 4 reviews some defenses that don’t usually work.
One of the most common defenses that arise for reckless driving by speed case is with the officer’s radar calibration certificates. The officer has to prove that his equipment was tested and found to be accurate before and after his shift. And he has to prove that his tuning forks (which he uses to test the radar gun) had been tested for accuracy within the past six months. The very nature of arguing these defenses is quite complicated and technical, which is where having an attorney on your side can give you an advantage.
What other options are available in Prince William County for a reckless driving case?
Honestly, this is the big area where hiring a lawyer who is local, experienced and knows the courts can really pay off. Prince William County is going to be like in every other county in Virginia in that the local judges, prosecutors, and officers will determine what other outcomes might be possible.
For example, in some courts, driving school is a great option that might get your case reduced or dismissed altogether. But whether or not it’s available for your specific case in Prince William County will depend upon the facts of your case, the judge, the prosecutor, and the officer. This is where you really want to talk with a local attorney to find out what options are available. But before you do that I highly recommend reading through Chapter 5 of book to learn what types of outcomes might be available in general.
How do I choose a Prince William County reckless driving lawyer?
This is where the rubber meets the road. Once you have learned about reckless driving charges in general, you’ve thought about your specific case, and you’ve looked at the different defenses and options that might be available in Virginia reckless driving cases, you really should talk with a local attorney to find out what options might be available, what they cost, and if it’s something that you would like to pursue. But instead of just asking what’s the price, you should ask educated and informed questions about the lawyer to find out if they’re really going to be the best lawyer for your case. Chapter 8 of my book goes into specific detail about the types of questions you should ask, such as: “Are you familiar with how the particular judges in Prince William County handle cases like mine?”
Another extremely critical issue that you should look into with the attorney is whether or not they will be personally handling your case. I think it’s despicable that some attorneys farm out their cases or even sell off their cases to other attorneys and the client may not even know what’s going on fully. You might talk with one lawyer on the phone, read another lawyer’s information on the internet, correspond with a third lawyer by email, and then be represented by somebody you’ve never even met when you get to court. That’s one of the other important questions that I recommend in my book. Follow that question up with: “Do you ever pass your cases off on other attorneys?” Even though the attorney may have the best of intentions to handle your case personally, if they have a habit of farming your cases out, you want to know that.
Download your free reckless driving book
Now that you’ve seen the overview, what are you waiting for? My book is free. I give it away here on the website because it doesn’t cost me anything to help out folks like you.
Fill out the form below, and we’ll email you a copy within seconds. It should answer a lot of your questions and arm you with knowledge.