What Does It Cost?
New York State gets you to pay three times for a ticket. Sam gets a ticket in Bedford Hills, on the Saw Mill Parkway or 684. The ticket is for 77/55. There are six points, half of your license in New York. First, there is a maximum fine of $300.00. Secondly, there is a $93.00 State Surcharge. Sam unwisely just pleads guilty to make it go away and pays the Court the fine. Two weeks later, with no warning, the third bill arrives in the mail, a Driver Responsibility Assessment from Albany, for an additional $300.00. This is an evil “Points Tax” paid straight to the State, not a Court. Unpaid, it will result in a Suspension. So, a minor 77 mph ticket can run almost $700.00, and that is before the Insurance Company surcharges you. It always pays to fight a ticket….call us with your location and situation and we can ballpark a result for you.
How Do I Choose a Traffic Lawyer?
Not all Offices are alike. Our largest source of business are repeat clients and personal referrals. We often serve as Local Counsel for other Law Offices, and they know to call us first, before answering client questions about a particular Court. This reputation has been earned, one case at a time.
In 30 years, I’ve seen many ticket mills come and go. You want someone who has been in that Court before and is familiar with the Judges, Clerks and Prosecution. A recent check of our files show we have appeared in over 300 New York State Courts in the last few years-there are three different systems for tickets in New York State, and how you defend a client in each is different as well.
This is not a place for an “App” or generic ticket service…you need to have a person you can contact and know who is going to Court for you-your license is on the line. Check our client reviews on Google.
All Tickets Are Local
In some States, all tickets come back to one Court; not in New York. In New York, your ticket comes back to whatever random small Town, Village or City that road passes through, so a ticket on one road can be heard in a variety of Courts with different outcomes. Knowing that Court and the people in it is key…and knowing what happened in another Court to another person is meaningless.
You got a ticket on the Taconic Parkway, or the New York State Thruway. Maybe you got it on 684, or way up on Route 17.
We don’t see it that way.
You got the ticket on I-95 in New Rochelle City Court, or Rye City Court. On the lower Taconic Parkway, Yorktown Justice Court or Mt. Pleasant Justice Court. All are slightly different in practice and outcome. Milan Town Court is infamous on the upper Taconic Parkway, followed by Pleasant Valley Town Court, Stanford Town Court, Putnam Valley Town Court, and Clinton Town Court. Bedford Hills Justice Court is the top Court on I 684. The Town of Southeast has 84 and 684 running through it. East Fishkill Justice Court has the Taconic Parkway and 84 running through it. On Route 17, you might be in Woodbury Justice Court, Blooming Grove Justice Court, or further up, in Rockland Town Court, Monticello Village Court, or Thompson Town Court. Fighting Speeding Tickets in each are slightly different.
If you got a Nassau County Traffic Summons at Axxin Avenue in Garden City, we know their system and procedure. Nassau County Village Courts are a frequent stop for Nassau Traffic Tickets as well for our office.
You Are Special
Every driver has a unique situation and reason to be on the road. The circumstances of every client are not the same, so the tickets are not the same. Understanding the individual needs of each person has been our key to success for the last 30 plus years, and our repeat business and referrals show it works.
New York City Tickets
New York City Tickets are very different from the rest of New York State. Traffic Tickets in New York City do not go to Court….they are heard by Traffic Violations Bureau, with offices in Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan and the Bronx. Traffic Violations Bureau is a Department of Motor Vehicles agency, not part of the Court System. When defending a client, everything that works in Court, does not work the same way in Traffic Violations Bureau, and everything that works to defend your client in Traffic Violations Bureau does not work in Justice Court. Notably, there are no reductions or plea deals in NYC TVB….none. These cases take a lot longer to resolve, but we can give you your best chance in a difficult location. Don’t just give up and pay.
Tickets that come back to New York City Criminal Court for Trucking Violations or Reckless Driving usually have good results with frequent dismissals. Again, location is everything. We Appear at 161st Street, Bronx Criminal Court Summons Part, Queens Boulevard, Kew Gardens, Queens Summons Part, and in Manhattan, at Summons Part in City Hall for Commercial and Truck Violations. Note that Corporations must Appear by Attorney only and these Courts are strict in that requirement.
Upstate New York Traffic Tickets
Since all tickets come back to the individual Town or Village Court, there are dozens of places your Upstate NY Traffic Ticket could come back to. We are very familiar with each County and their practices to obtain for you the best possible result. Don’t pay it because it is geographically far off. Traffic Tickets on the Northway or Finger Lakes are just as easy to challenge as ones locally and we are familiar with all 62 Counties in New York State.
Insurance
Insurance companies have their own rules, different from NY State law as to surcharges…we are aware of the major bright lines for insurance surcharges and work to keep them off your record. You need to be aware of both while defending a client.
Out of State-Not a NY Driver?
Sadly, NY keeps track of you, and you are still subject to NY law. Driver Assessments and other penalties still stick. New York will report out to your home state, so any ticket you get must be challenged here in NY. CDL Drivers have special rules in addition to NY Law. Out of state drivers especially need to fight tickets because often YOUR State will have a penalty we can avoid for you here in New York.
Suspended License?
If your ticket is past the due date, or you have received a letter from Albany or the Court, you need to have this fixed – fast. Suspensions remain on the license much longer than violations, even if they are for a minor violation….and insurance companies and employers care. We have seen individuals denied insurance for non automotive purposes due to a suspension in the past. Worst of all, in the wrong circumstances, a suspension can lead to an Arrest and impound of your vehicle, so this has to be fixed promptly.
Commercial Driver-Trucking Company?
The New York City area is uniquely hostile to both the OTR commercial driver and local tradesman. Truck routes are limited. There are few rest stops. Our Parkway System with Low Bridges snares many drivers from elsewhere. Low Bridge cases often come with multiple summonses, unhappy police officers, and often property damage for a bridge strike. Westchester, Rockland, Nassau and New York City are full of Parkways…and our office has been in every Court and seen every possible ticket for the Commercial Driver on Parkway. Passed Inspection Stations, or Overweight tickets are common. NYC Truck Inspections can result in New York City Criminal Court violations…we go to 161st Street in the Bronx, Kew Gardens, and City Hall. First District Court in Nassau County is a frequent destination, there are many trucking tickets written in Nassau County, and Nassau County. Corporations must Appear by Attorney only, so if the Police Officer has written the Summons to the Corporation, you need a lawyer.
Already Plead Guilty?
If you already plead guilty, we can often obtain a fresh start for your Summons. Often motorists realize the error only when they receive the fine notice, or a Driver Assessment Bill. Please call us to discuss the matter.
