Nobody likes having to deal with a traffic violation. This is especially true because the court system is extremely willing to prosecute driving violations. That is partly because speeding and other traffic violations are responsible for more than 10,000 deaths every year in the United States alone!
Traffic violations bring other problems along with them. Many people struggle to find affordable traffic lawyers in Virginia. At the same time, the problem of finding the right lawyer is nothing compared to the problem of dealing with traffic violations without a lawyer.
A quality lawyer is the best way to get through the court system as successfully as possible. At the same time, what is the point if your lawyer costs so much that you actually lose money?
So how can you make sure that you find quality and affordable lawyers for traffic violations in Virginia? Read on to learn all about the most important tips for finding affordable traffic lawyers!
Table of Contents
1. Sit Down and Make a Budget
Before you start your work to find a traffic lawyer, you need to know exactly what you are looking for. In this case, one of the most important things you are considering is cost. As a result, you should sit down and carefully consider what your budget is.
In many cases, there is an obvious cost that is too high for a traffic lawyer. If it is cheaper for you to pay the violation than it is to pay the lawyer, then that lawyer costs too much for your situation. At the same time, dealing with traffic violations is often about more than just cost.
Some people really need to maximize their chances of resolving a traffic violation in their favor. They may need to hold on to their driving privileges, for example.
In such cases, it is not as easy to set a budget. Even if the lawyer costs more than the traffic violation, it might be worth it to hold onto your license.
Still, you should carefully think through how much winning in court is worth to you. Make sure to take into account the long-term consequences as well. You don’t want to decide that it is not worth it, only to regret your decision years later if the consequences of your traffic violation extend that far into the future.
Once you have your budget set, be prepared to stick to it. There are some exceptions, but usually, the budget that you set when you are calm and thinking things through carefully will be the right one to stick to.
2. Make a Long List of Potential Options
The next thing that you want to do is make a long list of possible options. People are looking for different things, so there is no one best lawyer for every situation. However, there is still the best lawyer for you, someone that provides you with a strong defense without costing too much.
If you try to pick the best lawyer out of just five options that you consider, then you probably will not get a lawyer as good for you as if you pick the best option out of 20 options or more.
In other words, casting a wide net is more likely to bring you success.
You can start by just googling “traffic lawyer near me”, but you will not want to stop there. It can also help you to ask around on social media sites.
Facebook and Reddit will probably have groups and subreddits you can join. You will probably be looking for groups related to your city, to Virginia, or to general traffic or legal issues.
In these groups, you can post questions asking for recommendations. The answers that you receive can help you flush out your list of possible options.
You can also ask friends, family, and acquaintances for ideas. They may be able to point you toward other places where you can add to your list of potential lawyers.
On top of that, some people you know may already know a great traffic lawyer. Make sure to let your family know what you are looking for. If they do not know the degree to which you are emphasizing the importance of affordability, they may not give you recommendations that are useful to you.
3. Balance Finding the Most Affordable and the Best Traffic Lawyer
Once you have your list of candidates, you need to narrow down your search. You want to find the best traffic attorney Virginia has for you.
One of the fastest ways to do this is to sort by price. Any traffic violation lawyer who costs too much for you can be sorted out. That way, you do not waste time investigating them further.
After that, you can start to look at the options that are within your budget. You need a traffic lawyer who will be able to do a good job for you.
Try to find lawyers with as much experience as possible with your specific kind of case. If possible, ask them about what they have the most experience with.
It is often best to do this before telling them exactly what you need. That way, if they mention having a lot of experience in the area that you need, you will know that they are not just telling you what you want to hear.
Find the Best and Most Affordable Traffic Lawyers in Virginia
We hope that some of the ideas in this brief article about how to find quality and affordable traffic lawyers in Virginia have been helpful for you. Many people panic when they are dealing with a traffic violation, and they end up picking the first lawyer they find.
Dealing with a traffic violation is a sufficiently serious matter that it is worth taking the time to make sure that you make the right decision.
A little bit of extra effort spent on finding out what options are available to you is an investment that will pay off in the future. To learn more about how to find quality and affordable lawyers, feel free to reach out and get in touch with us here at any time!
Areas of Practice
- Criminal Law
- DUI/DWI
- Traffic Violations
- Reckless Driving
- Felonies and Misdemeanors
Bar Admissions
- Virginia, 1985
- District of Columbia, 1987
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of Virginia, 1985
- U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia, 1987
- U.S. Court of Appeals 4th Circuit, 1985
- U.S. Court of Appeals District of Columbia Circuit
- U.S. Court of Federal Claims
Education
- University of Virginia School of Law, Charlottesville, Virginia
- J.D. - 1985
- Marquette University, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- B.A. magna cum laude - 1982
- Honors: Phi Beta Kappa
- Major: Economics & Philosophy