Why Do I Need an Attorney to Handle my Traffic Ticket?

You do have the right to represent yourself in traffic court; however, most of the time, these cases involve 3 or more court dates, or “continuances,” which can take 1-4 hours each, meaning you’ll likely need to take time off from work to make it to court–and losing hours at work can be costly, in itself. Then, if you plead or are found guilty, the points assessed to your driving record will result in higher insurance premiums, in addition to court fees and fines.

An attorney will be much more likely to be able to obtain an amended charge, and often, they are able to do so without appearing in court. So, although the attorney will charge a fee for their services, it’s very likely that their one-time fee will end up being less expensive than the accumulated missed work days, court fines and fees, and higher insurance premiums.

Although your fine will be higher when the ticket is amended, you are not accruing points on your record. Don’t ruin your Driving record, spend more money on Car Insurance Premiums, or even lose a job opportunity, lose current employment, or risk your license being suspended. You have nothing to lose by contacting an attorney.

About the attorney

Azra Ahmad, Founder & Managing Attorney

Azra focuses on estate planning, elder law, personal injury and traffic law for families across the St. Louis area. She earned her JD from Saint Louis University School of Law, is licensed in Missouri and Illinois, and is a member of The Missouri Bar, WealthCounsel and ElderCounsel. Before law, she worked as a speech-language pathologist with children and seniors.

Read Azra’s full bio →