Top Rated Petersburg VA Traffic Lawyers • 1500+ Client Reviews
The traffic law is strictly enforced in Petersburg Virginia. Petersburg Police Officers and Virginia State Troopers aggressively patrol the streets of Petersburg and Interstates 95 and 85. Traffic violations are classified as felonies, misdemeanors, and infractions. An experienced Petersburg VA Traffic Lawyer can typically represent the client in misdemeanor and infraction cases without the client having to appear in Court. Our goal is to protect the client. Our lawyers will present your best defense. CAUTION: A traffic violation conviction may increase the automobile insurance premium by as much as 79%, according to a study conducted by Insurance.com
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30,000+ Clients Represented
1500+ Client Reviews
60+ Years of Combined Experience
Experienced Petersburg VA Traffic Law Attorney
Riley & Wells Attorneys-At-Law is a reputable local Petersburg VA law firm. Our lawyers possess over 60 years of collective traffic law experience. Our firm is a recognized “Best Law Firm” by U.S. News & World Report. We are routinely recognized by the legal community for superior legal ability and the highest ethical standards. Our traffic attorneys examine every case with great care. We present every applicable defense and use every resource the law allows to secure our client the best possible outcome under the law. Our Petersburg VA traffic lawyers have been positively reviewed more than any other law firm that defends Petersburg traffic cases. We have the necessary experience to help prevent bad things from happening.
Most Rated Petersburg VA Traffic Lawyers Review
Free Consultation with Most Rated Petersburg VA Lawyers
Some drivers think they do not need a lawyer for their Petersburg VA traffic case. The biggest issue with representing yourself before the Petersburg Court is often being able to make the trial date work with a busy schedule. The lack of experience and legal knowledge present other issues as well. The average person typically does not understand the best course of action to defend a Petersburg traffic case. Experienced Petersburg VA traffic lawyers know the best tactics and options for obtaining the best results. Our lawyers spend hours in the Petersburg VA Courts every week and are familiar with the habits of the different judges and the law enforcement officers who make the arrests and issue the traffic tickets.
Petersburg VA Traffic Attorney Recognized by Virginia Super Lawyers
Super Lawyers is a legal rating service of outstanding attorneys from over 70 practice areas including traffic law who have attained the highest degree of recognition and professional achievement. This organization recognizes the nation’s top rated lawyers using a patented process of independent research and peer input. Our Petersburg VA traffic lawyers have been recognized by this publication since 2009. No more than five percent of the Virginia lawyers are named to this list and no more than 2.5 percent are named to the Rising Stars list. This recognition is merit based. Retain a Petersburg VA traffic attorney who has been recognized by Virginia Super Lawyers with this elite award.
Petersburg Virginia Traffic Courts Are Adversarial By Design
If you have been accused of a Petersburg VA traffic violation, then your case will eventually be set for trial before the Petersburg General District Court. Trials are adversarial in nature. This involves a structured and formalized dispute between the defense and the Petersburg Commonwealth Attorney. The adversarial system ensures a fair trial according to the rules of law and evidence by allowing each party to present their case and challenge the other party’s evidence and arguments. The Petersburg judge evaluates the evidence, arguments, and reaches a verdict. This system ensures that the prosecution meets its high standard of proof. Our lawyers in Petersburg VA can help you with your traffic violation.
“AV Preeminent” Petersburg VA Traffic Lawyer • Top Rated
For over 135 years, Martindale-Hubbell has been the authority for evaluating the legal ability and ethical standards of attorneys through a Peer Review Rating system established by judges and attorneys. Riley & Wells Attorneys-A-Law are AV Preeminent® rated Petersburg VA traffic lawyers. The top Martindale-Hubbell rating standard. This is awarded to lawyers who are ranked at the highest level of professional excellence for legal expertise, communication skills, and ethical standards. Retain a top rated Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent rated Petersburg VA traffic lawyer for your case. Review the law firm’s legal rating and exercise caution before you retain a Petersburg VA traffic attorney with an inferior rating for legal ability and ethical standards.
Traffic Violation Penalties – Petersburg VA
- Incarceration
- Maximum fines of $2500
- Loss of driving privileges
- Moving violation demerit points
- Auto insurance premium increases
- Employment issues
Petersburg Traffic Court Defense Attorneys
A conviction for a Petersburg VA traffic violation can jeopardize your driving privileges and your driving record. In more serious cases, your freedom and your employment may be at risk. The Petersburg Sheriff’s Office, the Petersburg Police Department and State Police aggressively enforce the traffic laws. You may need representation if you have been charged with a Petersburg traffic violation. We represent clients before the Petersburg Courts every week. An accomplished Petersburg VA Traffic Lawyer who specializes in traffic law can present your best defense. CAUTION: You will have to wrestle with the Judge, the Commonwealth’s Attorney and the law enforcement officer alone if you waive your right to counsel.
Petersburg VA Reckless Driving Speeding Ticket Attorneys
The most enforced traffic law in Petersburg VA is probably involves the speeding laws. A top rated Petersburg VA speeding ticket attorney can help you with your case. There are several different speeding laws in the Va. Code. The most serious type of speeding ticket is the Petersburg reckless driving speeding ticket. Driving a motor vehicle 20+ mph over the posted speed limit is reckless driving in Virginia pursuant to Va. Code 46.2-862. Reckless driving is a criminal misdemeanor offense. Contact a reckless driving lawyer Petersburg VA with a track record of success to defend your case!
Riley & Wells Attorneys-At-Law Can Defend Any Petersburg VA Traffic Violation
- No valid driver’s license
- Hit & Run
- DUI / DWI
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Habitual Offender
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Eluding the Police
- Aggressive driving
- Drive revoked 18.2-272
- Suspended driver’s license
- Commercial driver violations
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License restoration
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Reckless Driving
- Handheld cellphone use while driving
- Fail to “Move Over”
- Out-of-state Driver
- Speeding Ticket
- Accidents
- Moving violations
- No automobile insurance
Virginia Uniform Summons is the Ticket Issued by Petersburg Police
A Virginia Uniform Summons is the legal document issued by Petersburg VA law enforcement officers during a traffic stop. Most people refer to this document as either a traffic ticket or traffic citation. The summons serves as legal notice for the alleged Petersburg traffic violation. Signing the traffic summons is not an admission of guilt but only a promise to appear in court or plead guilty. The summons advises you that your matter has been set for trial before the Petersburg General District Court. A Petersburg VA police officer can also issue a summons for criminal offenses such as reckless driving and other misdemeanor offenses. Allow us to review your summons before you take action.
Petersburg VA is Enforces Traffic Laws on I-95 and I-85
The Petersburg law enforcement community has a reputation for aggressive traffic law enforcement on Interstates 95 & 85. The several mile stretch of I-95 and I-85 that runs through Petersburg can sometimes feel like a speed trap. Speed traps are an area of the road where police officers hide in order to detect vehicles exceeding a speed limit. Long stretches of open highway are common areas for speed traps. RADAR is the most common tool used by police to gather speed evidence in a speed trap. Several Virginia jurisdictions rely on speed traps and traffic fines to fund their local government budget. The Town of Eastville in Northampton County relies more on traffic fines for revenue than any other local government.
Out of State Driver Retain Top Rated Petersburg Traffic Lawyer
Out-of-state drivers must defend their Petersburg Virginia reckless driving traffic ticket because a conviction will be reported back to the home state. The home state and automobile insurance company may then take action against the driver. The City of Petersburg sits along the Interstates 95 & 85 corridors. Motorists from Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Maryland, District of Columbia, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire & Maine drive through Petersburg on a daily basis. In many instances, we can make a motion to waive our client’s appearance so that our client does not have to return to Petersburg VA for the trial.
Conviction for Defective Equipment is a Petersburg Traffic Violation WIN
In some cases, we are able to convince the Petersburg Judge to find our client NOT GUILTY but the Judge is unwilling to dismiss the entire case. This is where a skilled Petersburg VA traffic lawyer can use the defective equipment law to the client’s advantage. The defective equipment law pursuant to Va. Code 46.2-1003 makes it unlawful for any person to use defective equipment on a motor vehicle that is operated on a highway. This violation is not a moving violation and no demerit points are assessed by the DMV. So, convincing the Petersburg VA Court to find our client guilty of defective equipment is a WIN when the original allegation was a moving violation demerit point offense.
Reckless Driving Tractor Trailer Accident DISMISSED
Our Petersburg VA Traffic Attorneys represented a commercial driver operating a tractor trailer on Interstate 85 in Petersburg VA. Our client was involved in an accident. After a careful review of the case, we developed two defenses: 1) our client may not have been in violation of the Bacon and Powers cases, which states the legal premise that the mere happening of accident is not necessarily a violation of the reckless driving law; and, 2) the criminal prosecution was brought in the wrong jurisdiction.
We believed the state trooper alleged the reckless driving violation occurred in the wrong jurisdiction. On the trial date, we entered a plea of not guilty on behalf of the client and the Court heard testimony from the state trooper. At the appropriate time, we made a motion to strike the case for lack of proper jurisdiction. The Judge agreed and dismissed the case. The Double Jeopardy clause of the U.S. Constitution protected the client from a retrial in the proper jurisdiction.
Petersburg Driving on a Suspended Driver’s License DISMISSED
Our lawyers represented a client who charged with driving on a suspended driver’s license. The defense to the case was whether our client had proper “notice” that he knew his driving privileges were suspended. We argued the case and convinced the Judge to dismiss the charge.
Petersburg 3rd Offense Suspended License REDUCED to No O.L.
Our Petersburg VA Traffic Attorneys represented a client who was charged with driving on a suspended license 3rd offense. A conviction for 3rd offense driving on a suspended license within 10 years automatically means 10 mandatory minimum days in jail. Additional penalties include further loss of driving privileges and a maximum fine of $2,500. In this case, we were able to protect our client from these harsh penalties by reducing the case to the lesser offense of no valid driver’s license.
Petersburg VA Traffic Lawyer Client Review
Holding Cell Phone While Driving is a Petersburg VA Traffic Violation
Virginia is a Hands Free Driving State. Virginia law prohibits having a phone or handheld personal communication device in your hand while driving pursuant to Va. Code §46.2-818.2. The Petersburg VA Commonwealth Attorney’s Office or law enforcement agency does not need to prove that the driver was doing anything in particular like texting while driving to prove a violation. This offense is a moving violation demerit point offense. A conviction will post to the driving record. There are exceptions. The hands free law does not apply to drivers who are lawfully parked or stopped, drivers reporting emergencies or drivers using an amateur or citizens band radio.
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11/10/2015 | Updated 10/31/2024
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