Benefits To Hiring A Houston Or Dallas Attorney In Traffic Court

After getting over the initial inconvenience (and perhaps injustice) of being pulled over and given a traffic citation, you then have to decide how you are going to handle your ticket.  For those who do not have the time to go to court or research Texas traffic law, it is an easy choice: hand the ticket over to an attorney who specializes in violations in traffic court.  Others, however, may feel that they can handle the traffic citation on their own.  Besides, they may wonder, it’s only a minor traffic offense.  How difficult and complicated could it be?

If your only concern is taking care of the ticket, then you can hand over your hard-earned money to the cities of Houston and Dallas.  They will be happy to take your money from you any day of the week.  You can mail in a payment and the ticket will be resolved with points going against your driving record.  However, if you are not eager to give up your money to the city, care about your driving record, and want to get the best deal possible, it’s always a good idea to hire an attorney.  Here are some of the top reasons why you should hire a Sullo and Sullo attorney to handle your traffic ticket.

1. Your attorney keeps you informed. One of the biggest benefits of having a Sullo and Sullo attorney with you in traffic court is that your attorney will keep you informed.  For the ordinary law abiding/breaking citizen, traffic court often appears to be a mysterious milieu: attorneys are walking around the courtroom talking to different players; various defendants are approaching the bench at different times to speak to the judge; police officers are walking in and out of the courtroom signing mysterious sheets of paper; and bailiffs are yelling at everyone to lower their voices and follow courtroom rules. With an attorney by your side, you can remain confident that you know the rules of the court, how your case is being handled, and how the day will unravel.  You will look around and see many frustrated faces, and some dazed and confused faces.  But you can sit back and relax, knowing that your attorney has just informed you of all the ins and outs of courtroom procedure and protocol.

2. Your attorney knows what gets a traffic case dismissed in court.  Many people have the misperception that traffic cases are only dismissed when an officer does not show up to court.  However, there are many different angles through which a traffic case can be dismissed pre-trial.  When you hire Sullo and Sullo to handle your case, you can be confident knowing that your attorney has exhausted every possible means of dismissal.  From finding legal and factual mistakes on the drafted complaint to talking to the prosecutor and officer about any possible mitigating factors, your attorney will work every angle of the case with the goal of pre-trial dismissal.

3. Your attorney knows the rules of evidence and traffic laws.  If your case does end up going to trial, you will be heavily disadvantaged if you do not have an attorney advocating on your behalf.  Probably one of the most important reasons to have an attorney with you in traffic court is the attorney’s knowledge of the rules of evidence and the convoluted traffic laws of the state of Texas.  While this knowledge is helpful in pre-trial matters, it is critical during the trial stage.  Even the most highly-educated, well-meaning defendants fail miserably when going up against a seasoned attorney in trial.  Pro se defendants often do not know how to conduct an efficient voir dire, when and how to deliver certain portions of their case at large, and how to conduct a debilitating cross examination.  Also, many defendants arrive to court very well prepared armed with graphs, pictures and other evidence.  They are often perplexed and stunned when the judge prevents them from showing any of the evidence to the jury because none of the items have been properly introduced in accordance with the rules of evidence.   Don’t let yourself become one of these unfortunate people who are left wondering, “Why didn’t I just hire an attorney?”  You wouldn’t operate on yourself if you discovered you needed gastric bypass surgery.  Instead, you would seek the services of a skilled professional in that area.  So, without the legal background and education of an attorney, why would you litigate a case on your own? 

4. Your attorney knows the court system.  Every Sullo attorney knows the game and how it’s played in traffic court.  Our attorneys who specialize in traffic tickets are in the traffic trenches every day of the week.  They are a part of the everyday routine and see the inner workings of the court system.  Your attorney will know which prosecutors are the best to work deals with and which prosecutors are the best to try cases against.  Your attorney will also know the nuances of each judge and tailor his/her trial tactics accordingly.    Do not underestimate the value of your attorney’s everyday interaction with and exposure to all the courtroom players.  Your attorney will take this vault of information and guide you through the strategy for your specific case.  You will quickly know what will get you in trouble with the bailiffs in certain courts, and what you should say and what you should not say.  Having an attorney with this wealth of knowledge by your side is an invaluable asset.