If you’ve gotten a ticket for reckless driving in the city of Hampton, chances are you’re feeling a little nervous about what’s going to happen next. You’re probably also surrounded by lawyer advertisements designed to scare you into hiring them.
Don’t call any lawyers yet. Instead, learn about reckless driving and the upcoming legal procedures you’ll be facing. My free book can help you with this.
What is City of Hampton reckless driving?
Reckless driving is considered a class 1 misdemeanor in Virginia. This is the same level as possession of marijuana or driving under the influence. Generally, people get reckless driving tickets for speeding. You can, however, get tickets for other violations. You can even get a ticket for no particular violation under Virginia’s catch-all statute. This means that, basically, if you’re driving was considered “dangerous” you can be given a ticket.
What penalties might there be in the City of Hampton for reckless driving?
Chapter 2 will tell you the different penalties that can be incurred from a reckless driving conviction. They can include a fine or the suspension of your license. You could even face jail time. Other consequences include insurance premium hikes and a permanent criminal record, which can affect employment opportunities.
What defenses can I use in the City of Hampton?
In order to incur any of these penalties, though, you have to be found guilty of your infraction. This means that the Commonwealth must be able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that you committed the crime.
This is good news because it gives you the opportunity to defend yourself. Chapter 3 can help with that. It lists and explains various defenses that can aid you in your case. For example, a police officer must have the proper paperwork and certification for his radar gun. Virginia law has certain requirements that the certificate must meet as well.
However, you must be careful with which defenses you use. Chapter 4 will tell you many commonly used and ineffective defenses, such as “I was going with the flow of traffic” or “I had to use the bathroom.”
What possibilities are there in the City of Hampton?
If no defenses seem to help you, there are other options, such as getting your charges reduced to improper driving. Sometimes, judges will sentence you to community service or driver improvement clinic and reduce the charges. You should probably schedule a free consultation with a lawyer in Hampton, though, because they are familiar with the local judges; this does not mean you have to hire a lawyer.
As chapter 7 will tell you, if you still don’t like the outcome of your case, you can always appeal. You’ll get a new trial with a different judge and can withdraw your appeal at any time if you change your mind.
Do I need to hire a City of Hampton reckless driving lawyer?
Ultimately, only you can make that decision based on the facts of your case and the information you’ve learned about reckless driving. You don’t have to hire a lawyer, but if you do, make sure you read chapter 8 because it provides questions to ask an attorney before hiring him or her.
All this information and more is available to you for free. All you need to do is fill out the form below, and the book will be sent to you within minutes.