Lawyer’s Traffic Ticket Guide for Dunkirk Town Court

The Town of Dunkirk covers only 6.3 square miles, but is home to a population of 1,318 (2010 U.S. Census), and contains the City of Dunkirk, which has a population of more than 12,500 and covers nearly 5 square miles. The town and city are located along the banks of Lake Erie, and transportation needs are met by New York State Thruway/Interstate-90 (which is the source of most traffic violations), and New York State Route 5.

Getting a speeding ticket can be quite overwhelming; many drivers are often pulled over on Interstate 90 for speeding. Interstate 90 has many vast stretches of road where the driver can easily lose sight of the speed limit or even his speedometer. In such cases, a driver can find him/herself facing a hefty speeding ticket.

If you are looking for the highest quality legal representation call our firm today and see how our lawyers can help you. Call us now at 800-893-9645.

Tip: The court is a place of respect, please be sure to present yourself in a respectful manner. It is advised that formal clothes be worn, often times the judge frowns upon those litigants who come to court in shorts, open-toed sandals, or similar items.

Sign-in: Even though you may have met with the officer in court and discussed your matter, it is important to check-in with the court clerk in the front of the courtroom. Failure to advise the clerk that you are in court may result in your case not being called.

Trial: Each motorist is entitled to a trial on his or her traffic matters. In general, a traffic trial will occur on the driver’s first court appearance. The first court appearance is usually designated as a pre-trial conference.

Suspension: You must respond to the summons to prevent a suspension of your driver’s license or driving privileges. It is a crime to drive with a suspended or revoked license.

Pleading Not Guilty: If you choose to plead not guilty to your traffic violation, please follow the instructions provided on your ticket. Usually you will be able to enter your plea in person or via mail. Once the court receives your not guilty plea, you will receive a court notice. This notice will tell you when your court appearance is. At this appearance you will be given the opportunity to present your case’s strengths and weaknesses.

Pleading Guilty: If you choose to plead guilty to your speeding ticket, please follow the instructions provided on your ticket. Please note, pleading guilty to a traffic violation is the equivalent to a conviction after trial. This can lead to many financial consequences. Once the court receives your plea, you will be sent a fine notice. This fine must be paid in full before the due date provided. Failure to pay this fine can result in a suspension of your driver’s license. Also please keep in mind, depending on your speed, 3-11 points will be added to your license.

A conviction to a violation with points does not convert into an automatic insurance increase. The algorithm that most insurance companies use to assess an insurance increase is proprietary in nature and not widely shared the public. There are many factors that can be taken into consideration including but not limited the driver’s age, type of vehicle driving, and accident history.

In New York State there is no such thing as a 1-point violation. In particular, a speeding ticket ranges from 3-11 points. Please take a look at the following chart for more information.

Points will affect a driver’s privilege to drive for 18 months from the date in which the ticket was issued. In other words, the points do not run from the date of the conviction. They run from the moment the officer issued the summons.

If a driver accumulates 11 points, his/her driver’s license will get suspended.

At Joseph P. Villanueva, Attorneys At Law, we provide our clients with the highest quality legal representation. We have helped countless drivers like you reduce fines, fees, points and insurance increases.

Our team of skilled attorneys is led by former New York City prosecutor, Mr. Joseph Villanueva. With a former prosecutor on your side, you will have the legal advantage of viewing your case from the perspective of the defense attorneys as well as the prosecutor.

Let our team help you save money, points and insurance increases. Call us today for your consultation at 800-893-9645.

For more information, please visit the following links:

• Traffic Ticket FAQs
• Tips on Avoiding a Speeding Ticket
• Top Reasons to Hire an Attorney
• Email Us