Nobody wants to ever end up on the wrong side of the law, but from time to time it does happen to even the most law abiding citizens. Luckily, these are usually minor infractions that don’t appear as if they’ll have a huge effect on someone’s life. Most people deal with minor infractions by simply paying their fine or accepting their probation, but doing this can actually have serious negative repercussions. Anyone accused of an infraction, regardless of how minor it seems, should seek the help of a lawyer to avoid these repercussions.
Insurance rate hikes
The majority of minor infractions that people suffer are related to traffic citations. Most people simply pay these tickets and get on with their life, but if they knew the consequences, they may rethink this course of action. Paying these tickets is basically an admission of guilt. Admitting to speeding or any traffic violation may not seem like anything to worry about, but it can actually have a terrible effect on a person’s insurance rates.
Vehicular insurance companies are in the business of making money, so if they believe a driver is a higher liability than others, they will raise their rates. These companies will routinely perform searches on their policyholders’ driving records. When they see that a driver has received a traffic ticket, there is a good chance they will raise their rates. This increase in rates will always cost more than hiring a traffic lawyer to handle the ticket at the onset of the situation.
Vehicular insurance companies are in the business of making money, so if they believe a driver is a higher liability than others, they will raise their rates. These companies will routinely perform searches on their policyholders’ driving records. When they see that a driver has received a traffic ticket, there is a good chance they will raise their rates. This increase in rates will always cost more than hiring a traffic lawyer to handle the ticket at the onset of the situation.
Employment eligibility
Everyone who has filled out an employment application in their life has been privy to the question of whether or not they’ve ever been convicted of any crime. These applications usually go on to say that a conviction will not necessarily bar a person from employment, but anyone who has answered this question with a ‘Yes’ before knows that it usually does. The definition of ‘infraction’ varies between states, and what may be considered a minor crime in one state could be considered quite serious in another.
In the current economy, most companies have huge discretion on who they hire. This is simply because so many people are looking for jobs. If an employer has one potential candidate with nothing on their record and another with a minor infraction, they have the benefit of choosing the individual with a completely clean slate. This can be especially true with jobs that focus heavily on driving. Even the accumulation of minor traffic tickets may prevent a person from securing a job that involves any amount of driving that could cause the company liability.
In the current economy, most companies have huge discretion on who they hire. This is simply because so many people are looking for jobs. If an employer has one potential candidate with nothing on their record and another with a minor infraction, they have the benefit of choosing the individual with a completely clean slate. This can be especially true with jobs that focus heavily on driving. Even the accumulation of minor traffic tickets may prevent a person from securing a job that involves any amount of driving that could cause the company liability.
The government takes it seriously
Many people choose not to hire legal help because they don’t believe that the government takes minor infractions seriously. This couldn’t be further from the truth. There have even been lawsuits brought on behalf of people in Georgia and Alabama after their minor traffic fines went from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars simply because they missed a court date. These individuals were subsequently jailed for not being able to pay the fine, so it’s quite obvious that state governments have no problem with treating minor infractions as serious crimes.
These minor infractions have recently also hit the national stage when a strip search case went all the way to the Supreme Court. A New Jersey resident was wrongfully arrested for a minor misdemeanor and then subjected to two different strip searches after a six day incarceration. The wrongful arrest was related to a bench warrant for a fine that the man supposedly had not paid. As it turns out, however, he had paid it two years earlier and a clerical error simply kept the ticket in the system. Experienced attorneys can fight these ‘minor’ citations and make sure that they’re removed from the record completely.
These minor infractions have recently also hit the national stage when a strip search case went all the way to the Supreme Court. A New Jersey resident was wrongfully arrested for a minor misdemeanor and then subjected to two different strip searches after a six day incarceration. The wrongful arrest was related to a bench warrant for a fine that the man supposedly had not paid. As it turns out, however, he had paid it two years earlier and a clerical error simply kept the ticket in the system. Experienced attorneys can fight these ‘minor’ citations and make sure that they’re removed from the record completely.
Driver’s license revocation
As mentioned earlier, traffic citations are the most common infraction a person is likely to face. People don’t usually realize, however, that hiring a traffic attorney is actually much cheaper than a criminal attorney. This is due to the fact that traffic lawyers can handle several cases in the course of a day. The low cost of taking on legal aid compared to an insurance rate hike, however, is not the only benefit a person will see from using a lawyer.
Certain crimes, such as driving under the influence, automatically lead to a suspension of a person’s license. Regrettably, people don’t often realize that simply accumulating several minor infractions can also lead to this suspension. Those who merely mail in the fine listed on their ticket are usually unaware that they are likely getting closer and closer to losing their license. These tickets can cause points to accrue on a person’s license, and these points will eventually lead to a license revocation. This may be one of the biggest reasons hiring a lawyer is pertinent even when dealing with minor traffic infractions.
Being involved in the legal system is not something that anyone is looking forward to at the beginning of their day. Simply seeing blue lights in the rearview mirror after rolling through a stop sign is enough to get anyone’s heart pounding. Unfortunately, people don’t realize how serious these minor infractions may become. They may not even lead to any jail time, but their consequences can be brutal. This is why it’s necessary for anyone accused of a crime, minor or major, to get legal help as soon as possible.
Certain crimes, such as driving under the influence, automatically lead to a suspension of a person’s license. Regrettably, people don’t often realize that simply accumulating several minor infractions can also lead to this suspension. Those who merely mail in the fine listed on their ticket are usually unaware that they are likely getting closer and closer to losing their license. These tickets can cause points to accrue on a person’s license, and these points will eventually lead to a license revocation. This may be one of the biggest reasons hiring a lawyer is pertinent even when dealing with minor traffic infractions.
Being involved in the legal system is not something that anyone is looking forward to at the beginning of their day. Simply seeing blue lights in the rearview mirror after rolling through a stop sign is enough to get anyone’s heart pounding. Unfortunately, people don’t realize how serious these minor infractions may become. They may not even lead to any jail time, but their consequences can be brutal. This is why it’s necessary for anyone accused of a crime, minor or major, to get legal help as soon as possible.
Hauptman, O'Brien, Wolf & Lathrop are dedicated to serving Nebraska. Their approach of treating every case as its own specialty differs from the cookie-cutter methods of many others. Their successes defending the rights of those in the Omaha area are numerous; so contact them if you want the best Lawyers in Nebraska on your case.
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