Traffic Tickets
I get asked all the time if people need an attorney when they get a traffic ticket. Most traffic tickets are civil infractions and don’t carry the penalty of jail time. Thus, most people think they can represent themselves. As an attorney, I cannot stress enough the importance of hiring an attorney to help you through this ordeal.
Traffic tickets carry the penalty of adding points to your driving record. The more points you have on your record, the more money your insurance costs. As a no fault state, every driver in Michigan is legally required to have car insurance.
Another issue people do not take into account is how multiple points add up over time. Sure, the ticket you have now only has 1 point and you’ll go in and pay it, but that ticket you get will impact future tickets. The worse your driving record is now, the harder it is to get breaks in the future.
Here is a link to the Michigan Department of State Court Manual listing all traffic offenses and the possible penalties that the offenses carry:
