Any Attorneys in VA???? - Serious Traffic Violation

[Dom426h]

I found out the hard way that you can be sited for RecklessDriving based on going 20mph above the speed limit or over 80mph in Any speed zone including a 65. Worsted part being that this violation in VA is considered a Class 1 Misdemeanor.

Been searching for an attorney in the area and don’t know the first thing about picking one. Everyone’s websites say "call us for free consultation" Also, ive been getting at least 1 mail item a day since the arrest with marketing info from attorney offices. Which one do i call and how do i know if i really need one? Can I just go to my arraignment date alone and try to plea it down to a speeding ticket?

I'd like to find a fellow viper owner in VA familiar with this violation that can explain to me all of my options no BS and make a recommendation and possibly represent me.

I'd rather not discuss any specifics of my case over the forums so please PM me your email and phone # and I will email you my info and call to discuss.

The court handling my case is just north of Richmond in Hanover, VA

Thank you

 

[JonB]

Good Luck.

[Asking "are there any attorneys in VA" is like asking if there are any Catholics in Rome!]

 

[viperdrummer]

I am a lawyer in Richmond but don't handle traffic stuff. You might ask Mike "Alpine" who is also here and has his own firm.

Ignor Jon. Lawyers have to take sh$t from used parts retailers???? He knows I jest

 

[bluesrt]

get a vet that costs a lot of money------ and is in the county where the tic is in court... they no everyone and will get you the best care

 

[99 R/T 10]

VA is a **** state when it comes to tickets. They survive by the "tax" levied on us poor motorist.

Good luck and beat this ticket!!!!

 

[kcobean]

Don't go it alone! What you pay for a lawyer you'll save in insurance and lowered ticket fees. Ask me how I know.

I don't think Alpine does traffic stuff either, but he may be able to point you in the right direction.

 

[Mopar488]

Definitely get a lawyer that deals in driving tickets. I know of someone in a different part of VA that got a 20 over in a 45 zone and got it reduced to improper equipment, non moving violation. To be clear, it was not me. It costs close to $1000, but no insurance issues. They could not afford to have insurance problems since their stable included a Viper, Mustang GT & RX7. A good lawyer can play the system.

 

[Dom426h]

Good Luck.

[Asking "are there any attorneys in VA" is like asking if there are any Catholics in Rome!]

True & Funny, but the amount of attorneys that are Viper owners that also live in this particular area and deal with this type of issue are probably just a couple if any at all. If this is the case, I would still feal more confident talking with any viper owner attorney in VA that could refer me to someone he personaly knows.

 

[GTLaser]

VA is no joke!!!! And as Kelly states what you pay is what you get. A friend and I hit with the same charge, he wanted to be cheap and got a week in jail, I paid twice as much on a very good lawyer and case dismissed..... PM me and I'll give you his contact info.

 

[SkyBob]

... I paid twice as much on a very good lawyer and case dismissed.....

How do you know who is a very good lawyer? Asking your friends doesn't help if none of your friends have had problems in that area. Reading the ads in the yellow pages doesn't give you a clue.

 

[kcobean]

How do you know who is a very good lawyer? Asking your friends doesn't help if none of your friends have had problems in that area. Reading the ads in the yellow pages doesn't give you a clue.

"Case dismissed" is a pretty good indicator of "good lawyer", and as GTLaser is in Northern VA, I'd guess this qualifies as "Having a problem in that area".

 

[SkyBob]

"Case dismissed" is a pretty good indicator of "good lawyer",

Yes, but how does one research the track record of an attorney?
I'm not being a smartass - in the phone book all the names look the same. It would be great if somebody I know had the same legal trouble, in the same region of the country, and his lawyer got him off with a light sentence and I could retain his lawyer, but how often does something like that happen?

 

[kcobean]

Yes, but how does one research the track record of an attorney?
I'm not being a smartass - in the phone book all the names look the same. It would be great if somebody I know had the same legal trouble, in the same region of the country, and his lawyer got him off with a light sentence and I could retain his lawyer, but how often does something like that happen?

I see your point. I guess it's kinda like any profession. You can't go see how many surgeries a doctor has done, and how many were successful or not, that I know of. You have to call 'em and ask.

 

[bluesrt]

How do you know who is a very good lawyer? Asking your friends doesn't help if none of your friends have had problems in that area. Reading the ads in the yellow pages doesn't give you a clue.

you have to call around and talk to them, get one in that town and the most exspensive,and hold on-------------

 

[SkyBob]

you have to call around and talk to them, get one in that town and the most exspensive,and hold on-------------

If the lawyers get wind of the idea that us general public is willing to look for the most expensive to hire then all lawyers will be charging $800/hr for traffic violations.

I'm not willing to believe that a lawyer's skills are directly related to his price.

 

[Fast Too]

I think we need good lawyers to become site sponsors

 

[alpine7822]

To answer your questions, there is no way to tell how good a lawyer is. First off, just because a case was dismissed for one person doesn't mean it's going to happen if you retain him. We are only as good as the facts you give us. I agree that you should get someone who practices in that jurisdiction, as they know the judges and prosecutors and know what is likely and what isn't. They also know how to handle the case through the system to get the best result (whether it's traffic school, reduction of the charge or whatever). You simply have to call and talk to a few and see what they say. You can usually tell by the advice they give how knowledgable they are and if they know what they're talking about. Price is never an good indicator...if it were, then I'd have a stable of Vipers and other exotics (like Terry).

However, if any of them give you a guarantee...RUN LIKE THE WIND! No lawyer can guarantee you anything since we're dealing with human beings. All I will every guarantee is that you will get my best efforts on any given case.

BTW - I do traffic cases and most other criminal stuff. I also handle pretty much anything, or at least can refer you to someone who handles those cases. ALWAYS feel free to contact me...I will give my honest opinion to all Viper owners free of charge.

 

[JonB]

Dom, in my few dealings with Alpine Mike Sitton, I found him to be a very straight-forward, undertanding and even compassionate guy Id feel confident having him represent me, if the jursdiction issue works....

As for that DRUMMER guy.........Im no Mrs. Tiger Woods, so his firm and retainer is prolly too upscale for a junk-yard parts guy like Moi......but I bet I could count on him !

 

[bluesrt]

If the lawyers get wind of the idea that us general public is willing to look for the most expensive to hire then all lawyers will be charging $800/hr for traffic violations.

I'm not willing to believe that a lawyer's skills are directly related to his price.

well thats why u need to talk to them first,and use some common sense here, lawyers are better salesmen than car dealers,you have to prep them,but if they sound like a skilled cat,they better have a high rate also,or its a dead give away..its a fine line,you have to have street people smarts to **** a good one out..just sayin

 

[alpine7822]

well thats why u need to talk to them first,and use some common sense here, lawyers are better salesmen than car dealers,you have to prep them,but if they sound like a skilled cat,they better have a high rate also,or its a dead give away..its a fine line,you have to have street people smarts to **** a good one out..just sayin

That's why my favorite quote about the legal system is "Jury = 12 people picked to decide who has the best lawyer." - Anon.

 

[CitySnake]

I will give my honest opinion to all Viper owners free of charge.

No way you're a lawyer Mike! LOL

 

[Bobpantax]

Ways to find a good lawyer for this type of matter if you have the time:

1. Go down to the Court house and ask around ( bailiffs, court reporters, court clerks)

2. Go down to the Court house and sit in on a calendar of these types of cases and see who does a good job and also do number one above.

3. See what the person's Martindale Hubbell rating is. (The highest rating is Av.) See if the person is listed in Best Lawyers in America. MH and BLA are both peer review ratings.

4. Ask if the person ever worked as a prosecutor who handled this type of matter. Generally speaking, with exceptions of course, the best attorneys who practice in the traffic defense area used to be on the other side and know everybody.

5. Pick someone who does this and/or similar matters all the time. If you had a brain tumor would you go to a general practitioner to fix it?

6. State Bars generally have a toll free number to check a lawyer's ethics history. See if Virginia has one and after you locate a lawyer, check him or her out using same.

 

[Batboy]

My $.02. Got a reckless many years ago (70 in a 35 I think). Went to court without a lawyer, fine=$250 and may have gotten points. In VA they have a plus point system, so even with the violation I was in the positive. If you have a good driving record with VA you should be alright. Mine was in King George county. Also, nailed a couple years ago (many years after the above incident) in Fairfax county (no driving school). This wasn't reckless but was 70 in a 50 (Fairfax County Pky). Went to court to argue speedometer error. Fine=$130 and no points (had positive 8 points at the time). Good luck.

 

[viperdrummer]

I agree with some of Bob's ideas with these caveats.

Martindale and Best Lawyers are ok, but I would trust neither to pick a lawyer, (and not many traffic lawyers will show up in either) I am AV rated and in Best Lawyers, and it is a nice thing to tell your family about, but there are a lot of slugs in both groups. By the same token there are some great lawyers that are B rated, but because of age or not having enough friends, ("peers') they are not A rated by Martindale.

In Richmond, I would certainly trust Mike (even after his comment about my rates). Charles Cosby is also quite qualified and has spent a lot of time in Court. Good luck.

 

[Bonkers]

If you have a good driving record with VA you should be alright.

Delaware doesn't acknowledge the sentences leveled by other states, only the
conviction. VA can all but forgive him, but if he is convicted the DelDMV will decide its
own punishment and recourse. I too am fighting Richmond, only my "offense" was a
$25 parking ticket that DelDMV decided (entirely on its own) was a 3-point high risk
moving violation. And since there is no (read: affordable) accountability by either state
ANY conviction can result in dire consequences at home.

I'm two years, $2500, and four lawyers into my fight - I really do wish you the best
Dom.

 

[PatentLaw]

1) Call the Clerk of the Court. (See link)
Judicial Administration

2) Find out their docket and when similar traffic infractions are scheduled.

3) Sit in on the cases. Watch the JUDGE and how he reacts to the different lawyers. Bring a notepad and paper and write down the attorney names.

4) From doing #3, it will be obvious who has respect and who does not.

5) Talk to the lawyer outside of court while he is leaving ......if you like the guy/gal. Sort of a free consultation/first meeting.

6) Does it matter what other lawyers think of your lawyer? Does it matter if he went to school in a certain area? Of course it doesn't. You pay to win, not to have a movie star.

7) Don't wait to the last minute to do this. Get someone on it quick.

 

[Bobpantax]

I would not completely rely on peer review either. But it does not hurt to check. A peer review rating can indicate a problem with a lawyer.

BLA is fairly difficult to get into and, at least down here, has some value.

If you were asking about a physician specialist and most of the top physicians in his field in his area said he was not particularly competent would you use him? You would at least go the next step and check him out more thoroughly with the Department of Professional Regulation and the Insurance Commissioner of your state. Here in Florida there is a data base where you can see how many times a physician has paid out a settlement. I have used that data base to, in part, screen specialists.

Good lawyers get good results. They tend to be respected by their peers. Although as Viperdrummer said, a newer lawyer may be a superstar who has not yet had time to develop a well known reputation in the legal community.

If you have ticket clinic type operations up there,and it is a busy traffic court, they usually involve one lawyer bringing in many files to the Judge or Hearing Officer; approaching the clerk before the call of the calendar; basically determining what is going to happen ( assuming the witnessing officer shows up) and waiting for the Judge/Hearing Officer to look at the file and quickly process the matter. In many way what you might see is not Justice but merely a factory processing very small cases in a manner that produces a constant flow of revenue through "withhold adjudications"; the payment of "Court costs", maybe a fine, and the imposition of driving school.

Good luck!

I agree with some of Bob's ideas with these caveats.

Martindale and Best Lawyers are ok, but I would trust neither to pick a lawyer, (and not many traffic lawyers will show up in either) I am AV rated and in Best Lawyers, and it is a nice thing to tell your family about, but there are a lot of slugs in both groups. By the same token there are some great lawyers that are B rated, but because of age or not having enough friends, ("peers') they are not A rated by Martindale.

In Richmond, I would certainly trust Mike (even after his comment about my rates). Charles Cosby is also quite qualified and has spent a lot of time in Court. Good luck.

 

[alpine7822]

In Richmond, I would certainly trust Mike (even after his comment about my rates). Charles Cosby is also quite qualified and has spent a lot of time in Court. Good luck.

Thanks for the vote of confidence...but last time I checked, none of my clients were named Elin or Woods!