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What Happens When You Don’t Pay Your Traffic Tickets?

traffic ticket

A driver’s license is essential to get to and from work, to accomplish necessary daily needs, and to provide as ID. But if you get too many tickets and do not resolve them, you can lose your license, pay higher fines, and more. If you have unpaid speeding tickets, our Tarrant County traffic ticket attorneys at Anderson & Anderson, LLP, can assist you with your tickets in Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, and Kaufman counties.

More Fines

If you have traffic tickets in Texas and do not address them before the appearance date, the court fees will increase. There could be additional fees as well – warrant fees, OMNI holds, and SCOFFLAW fees.

Do not ignore your traffic tickets if you cannot afford to pay. Contact our traffic ticket attorneys at Anderson & Anderson, LLP at (214) 370-8260 to help with your traffic ticket.

OMNI Hold

If you do not address your Tarrant County speeding tickets, the Court could put an OMNI hold on your driver’s license. The hold on your license will remain until you resolve these cases. You cannot renew or update your driver’s license until these issues are resolved.

It is in your best interest to retain the traffic ticket attorneys at Anderson & Anderson, LLP who are experienced in addressing OMNI holds. First, we will post bonds to have the warrants lifted and then advise you on when to pay the OMNI holds. OMNI fees are paid directly to the Court, and each Court has different procedures as to when the holds can be paid.

SCOFFLAW

The SCOFFLAW program in Texas allows the state to put a hold on your vehicle registration if you owe the state or county for unresolved traffic tickets. This block can only be removed when you resolve your tickets.

Warrant For Your Arrest

A warrant will be issued for your arrest – you can be arrested anywhere – not just in y our car, but also at home or at work. Avoid what could be a most embarrassing situation, and contact the traffic ticket attorneys at Anderson & Anderson, LLP as soon as you receive a ticket.

Points On Your Driver’s License

If your tickets are not handled properly, judgments of guilt could be entered on your driving record. Points would be entered, and too many points on your driving record would result in the suspension of your driver’s license and possibly an increase in your car insurance rates. Avoid this situation and contact the traffic ticket attorneys at Anderson & Anderson, LLP.

Other Consequences

You also should consider the additional consequences of not resolving your traffic tickets. It may be harder to get a positive resolution to other traffic violations in the future. You also may have difficulty getting acceptable and affordable auto insurance rates and even car loans.

Are you planning to move to another state? Do not think the traffic tickets can be forgotten. Most states are part of the Non-Resident Violator Compact. This allows states to share information about driver license suspensions and traffic tickets. If you move out-of-state and try to get a new driver’s license, you may find that your old traffic tickets will prevent you from getting one.

Options To Resolve Old Traffic Tickets

None of us like to pay for traffic tickets, but it is best to address them as quickly as possible. And remember – no matter how old, your tickets need to be addressed. These are your options:

Pay Your Tickets In Full

Contrary to what you may think, paying your traffic ticket or requesting a payment plan prior to your appearance date is not a viable option. The Court might close your case, but these two options mean you have essentially pleaded guilty to the ticket. Judgment of guilt will be entered on your driving record, and that results in points on your driving record. Too many points and your driver’s license will be suspended.

Take A Defensive Driving Class

Another option is to take a defensive driving class to have your case dismissed. The State allows you to take one class per twelve months. However, do not take the class before requesting the Court to grant your request and paying the required fee to the Court. If granted, you have a certain number of days to complete the TEA-approved class, submit the Certificate of Completion and submit your driving record. If you comply with all these requirements, your ticket should be dismissed.

Fight The Ticket

Do you think law enforcement was wrong to issue you the ticket? You think that you are innocent. You think that the charge is bogus. You can always plead not guilty, appear in court and fight the ticket.

Yes, you can represent yourself in court, but the judge will not give you leeway because you are not an attorney. As a pro se defendant, you must know the law and court procedures just like a lawyer. Unfortunately, many people who represent themselves make mistakes that lead to a conviction. Instead, contact our traffic ticket attorneys to represent you. Our attorneys will review the ticket and the circumstances surrounding the police stop. Our goal is to help you keep your driving record clear of the offense and try to get court fees reduced.

Contact Our Tarrant CountyTraffic Ticket Attorneys Today

Contact our Tarrant County traffic ticket attorneys at Anderson & Anderson, LLP at (214) 370-8260 to help with your traffic tickets. We also handle traffic issues in Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, and Kaufman counties.

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How Expensive Are Traffic Tickets In Dallas County?

traffic tickets

If you received a traffic ticket in Dallas County ticket, you might wonder what it will cost you. Dallas County traffic tickets are not cheap.

What Are The Fines And Court Costs For Dallas County Traffic Tickets?

The fines on moving and non-moving violations vary depending on the offense and location of the stop. Below are some examples of speeding fines in Dallas County. For each ticket, add $134 in court costs:

  • Speeding 1-10 MPH over: $97 fine
  • Speeding 11-15 MPH over: $122 fine
  • Speeding 16-20 MPH over: $147 fine
  • Speeding 20+MPH over: $200 fine
  • Speeding in a school zone 1-10 MPH over: $117 fine
  • Speeding in a school zone 11-15 MPH over: $142 fine
  • Speeding in a school zone 16-20 MPH over: $167 fine
  • Speeding in school zone 20+MPH over: $200 fine

What Can You Do If You Get A Dallas County Traffic Ticket?

Ok, so a Dallas County police officer just issued you an expensive speeding ticket. Now that you know what the ticket will cost in fines and court costs, what should you do? You have several options in Dallas County:

1. Pay Your Fine

Many of you have neither the time nor the desire to fight a Dallas County traffic ticket. You mistakenly think that paying the fine is a time-efficient solution. So you mail payment to the Court. If you choose to just pay the fine, the matter is indeed settled, but you will receive a conviction on your driving record. You will be assessed two points on your driver’s license.

2. Fight Your Ticket

You could spend your valuable time preparing your case and to go Court. With preparation, maybe you could get a Not Guilty verdict. Unfortunately, this is rarely the case. In most cases, you need to be experienced in fighting traffic tickets and who wants to spend a day in Court?

Instead of going through this time-consuming process and not properly addressing this case and ending up with the wrong disposition, you can hire the Dallas County traffic ticket lawyer at Anderson & Anderson, LLP to fight your ticket. Our Dallas County attorneys are familiar with the courts and the law. We are more likely to get you the best possible disposition than someone unfamiliar with the law.

3. Do Not Miss Your Court Date

Occasionally, some Texans try to fight their ticket in court, but they miss their court date. If you do not appear in Court, a warrant could be issued. You are then subject to arrest. If arrested, you will need to post a bond, and you will face increased fines and court fees.

If a warrant for your arrest is issued, the traffic defense attorneys at Anderson & Anderson, LLP can help. With this being said, it is best to be proactive and hire our attorneys as soon as you get the ticket. You can avoid appearing in court and possibly missing your court date.

4. Take A Defensive Driving Course

You may be eligible to have your ticket dismissed by taking and passing a Texas state-approved defensive driving course. Taking the class also may prevent points from being added to your license. It may also prevent an increase in your insurance premiums. Please note that you may not be eligible to have a ticket dismissed through a driver safety course in the following cases:

  • You were going 25 MPH or more over the limit
  • You were speeding in a school or work zone
  • You have a commercial driver’s license

If you qualify for a defensive driving course to get the ticket dismissed, you must first contact the court where the ticket was filed. The Court must grant your request, and you must pay the appropriate fee. In addition, you must have a valid Texas driver’s license and valid automobile insurance. If you take the class without first contacting the Court, your Certificate of Completion will not be accepted. You will have wasted time and money.

Once your request for a driving safety course is granted, you will be given a deadline to complete the class and submit your certificate of completion and other required documents to the court. If you give the court everything by the deadline, your ticket should be dismissed, but if you do not comply with all requirements, the traffic court may enter a guilty plea. Then you would have to pay all the fines and court fees. However, if you miss your deadline, please contact our office. We can contact the Court on your behalf and petition the Court to accept the late documents as timely received.

Rather than going through this complicated process on your own, contact the traffic ticket defense lawyers at Anderson & Anderson, LLP. With our knowledge and expertise, we can guide you through the process of addressing your case and attaining a favorable disposition, oftentimes, without the necessity of taking a time-consuming Texas State-approved Driver Safety Course.

Contact Our Dallas County Traffic Ticket Lawyers Now

Did you get a traffic ticket in Dallas recently? Was it near Klyde Warren Park, the Perot Museum of Nature and Science, or another popular sight? You now face possible fines, court costs, and license points, not to mention the hassle and stress of dealing with a ticket.

Our Dallas County traffic ticket defense attorneys at Anderson & Anderson, LLP can represent your legal interests. Our attorneys will review your case and present a strong defense and work for the best possible outcome – sometimes an outright dismissal with no money due to the Court is possible.

We have the time. We have the experience. We have the expertise.

Contact our Dallas traffic defense attorneys today at (214) 370-8260. Our attorneys serve the communities of Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Kaufman, and Tarrant counties.