If you are required to be in court on criminal traffic offences, you need to prepare. You can lose your driver’s licence, get a criminal record, and possibly even face prison. Legal advice is critical to steer the case in your favour using all the tools we have in the toolbox.
Traffic offences are usually heard in the Magistrates’ Court.
Preparing for your hearing
Vanessa Ash can help you by determining if you can fight your case, and how to present yourself in court. Vanessa Ash can insist on an appeal, or rehearing, or present special circumstances that may help get a better result for you.
Things that matter when going to court for driving offences include your personal circumstances, so while you may have indeed broken a law, sometimes there are mitigating factors. These could include:
- Feeling upset because of something that has happened
- Mistakes
- Accidents
- Miscalculations
- Bad weather/vision impairment
- Driving an unfamiliar vehicle
The Magistrate wants to know that:
- You are sorry for your offence
- You are sorry for any victims of your offence, and how you are going to remedy your harm (paying for damage, apologising)
- You have a good driving record
Valid and reasonable reasons you may need to keep your licence include:
- Living far away from public transport
- Difficulty using public transport – disability, shiftwork
- Driving for work
- Sick or elderly under your care
Fines may need adjusting for your personal circumstances too:
- You don’t earn much money
- You have a lot of payments to make
- You have a lot of dependents
- Future plans that could be put into jeopardy by a heavy fine
- Your age, job, or other personal details
Things that help in court:
- Character references – someone who in a position of authority or reverence who can vouch for you
- A letter from your employer concerning how the loss of your licence could affect your employment
- A medical certificate
You may not get completely off your fines or loss of licence, but life does matter in our court systems, so use this to your advantage, and get good legal advice. Vanessa Ash is an expert lawyer.
Write your own story. Call Vanessa Ash and Associates today.