Should I hire an attorney to get me out of a speeding ticket for driving 15 mph over the limit, or just go to court myself to get it reduced?
First of all, I’m not a lawyer, just a compulsive speeder, so please keep that in mind. That said, I can tell you what I have done that has been mostly successful for my tickets.I start by contacting the court phone number on the ticket and about 50% of the time I do this, the court clerk can offer me a deferred probation (the ticket will be dismissed after a set period of time of unsupervised “probation”). I’m only speculating, but I think that each court or precinct has a set of rules in place, so if your violation falls within a “norm,” and you’re willing to jump through the hoops, then they are preauthorized to offer this option to free up the judges’ and the courts’ time for other matters. That’s my theory anyways. If asking over the phone doesn’t work or you don’t easily qualify for a deferral, the next thing I would do is ask about defensive driving options. That could get your ticket dismissed as well. If that doesn’t work, I’d call a lawyer. Basically, do whatever you can to keep it off of your record, but spending money on a lawyer isn’t always necessary. However, it is worth getting an attorney if you can’t or don’t want to do this on your own. It is also very much worth it if you get a ticket somewhere outside of where you reside (I live in Texas and hired an attorney for a ticket I received in New Mexico since I didn’t want to drive back out there for a court hearing!).Anyways, here in Texas, a deferred sentence is usually 90 days to six months during which you must not get another traffic citation in that county. The catch to a deferral is that if you do get another citation, not only will you have to face the new charge without the chance of a deferred disposition, but you will have to pay the full amount of that original ticket, lose the extra money you paid for the original deferral (they will almost always charge something to be placed on deferred probation), and be found guilty on both the new and the original violation. Fortunately, I have always managed to successfully complete a deferral period without any problems, but it’s something to be aware of.It goes without saying but I’ll say it anyways… Every state is different, so just give the court a call. The worst thing they can do is tell you, “no,” when you ask for a deferred sentence.Good luck.
Should I hire an attorney for speeding 106MPH in a 70? vc 22348 (b)?
It depends on if the clean record will be worth it for you. They have those "ticket busters" lawyer ads all over the place. They practically guarantee an not guilty, but they are friggin expensive. If you really need the clean record, go for it.
Should I hire DUI attorney in CA?
I am NOT an attorney, and this is NOT to be construed as legal advice whatsoever, but I have had DUI convictions in CA in the past, thus answering from my own experience. It looks like you will have at least two charges - violation of CA vehicle code 23152 (a) - driving under the influence http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d11/vc23152.htm and California Penal Code Section 1203.2 (a) - violation of probation unless there were other circumstances such as hit and run, injuries, etc. Unless you hire an attorney, you should definitely ask for one at the arraignment. If you decide to hire an attorney, remember that not all attorneys are the same. Some DUI attorneys will pass your case to less experiences associates or even outsource your appearances to other attorneys who are a lot less experienced. You will not go to chambers so you will NEVER know what kind of offer you would have gotten if you did not have an attorney, so be sure to check your attorney's reviews. Here are some things to look for when selecting an attorney - http://walnut-creek-attorney.com/how-do-i-select-a-good-criminal-lawyer/ Whether you decide if you want to get a private attorney or go with the public defender, you will probably get the same offer. At your pretrial conference the DA, the judge and your attorney will meet and negotiate the offer. Whatever you do, don't do it yourself because you may get really screwed. I am including some resources for you to check.
Should we hire an attorney to help settle auto accident?
My son was in an accident 2 1/2 weeks ago. They are supposedly still investigating. However, my insurance has already notified the other driver that they are denying her claim because she failed to yield right of way to my son. Therefore it seems to me that my son is not at fault. Why is everything still dragging out? He is having to borrow a car for work because a rental was too expensive for us. He is 19 and to rent a car was like $700 a week!!! We didn't want to rent until we were sure who would pay for it. He also had minor injuries, bloody ear, bruised knee, sprained back. He has only been to the dr once and had x-rays once. He has been in pain, but just putting up with it. He is really stressing about all this and I feel like the insurance is totally blowing us off. Should we hire an attorney to get things moving? The other party does have an attorney. Although, I don't know what for, as it was her fault?!
Should I hire a lawyer to help me complete my naturalization application? Do applicants generally hire lawyers to help with the application process? What are good online resources if I run into any questions during the process?
I'm going to chime in and say probably not....If you don't have a criminal background, you've maintained a good record of all your immigration/travel/residence documentation, and you are pretty self-sufficient when it comes to navigating through government processes (e.g.: you file your own taxes), then you could probably apply and go through this process on your own without hiring an attorney. The naturalization government filing fees are very expensive for the average Joe so save your money where you can.Unless ... you want assurance and don't mind spending the money on legal fees, it doesn't hurt to hire an attorney. They'll do most of the work for you and prepare you for your interview and what to expect.Also, if there are "issues" such as the ones described below (and this applies for anyone seeking to get naturalized):- prior arrests- prior convictions (misdemeanor or felonies) either in the U.S. or in another country- if the greencard was obtained based on marriage to a U.S. citizen and there are problems in the marriage (i.e. not living together, divorce, etc.)- lack of documentation- lack of English proficiency- other issuesthen it may be helpful to consult with an immigration attorney to see if hiring one would be in your best interest.I've helped friends and family (pro bono) get naturalized and I can say that the times that I did, they didn't use an attorney (although they had me helping) and it was a fairly straightforward process.Your best resource is to connect with people you know personally who have navigated this process successfully and get their input. USCIS' website is also a great resource. They've come a long way with their website and it is a wealth of information. For self study, the 100 civics questions can be found here:http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site...Your application is not approved quicker because you hire an attorney but in the event you run into problems, or your "case" was a problematic one to begin with, it may be a good idea to hire an attorney.Sorry to be so verbose. The best of luck to you!** A friendly caveat that this forum is neither private nor confidential. This post should not to be construed as confidential legal advice nor has an attorney-client relationship been established as a result of this post :-)
Should I hire a lawyer for my car accident and totaled car?
I live in Florida, a no fault state. Last week, I got in a very bad car accident which resulted in both cars being total losses. I was driving straight and a lady pulled out from a side road trying to get to the median turn lane but didn't see me coming. So, she was at fault. I ended up going to the hospital to get checked out because I had a lot of soreness in my hip and a stiff neck/back. She also went to the hospital, and I was told by someone that worked there that she received a DUI for the accident. The officer on the scene told me she was driving a rental car and she was from out of the country. I have Progressive. I was financing the car (2011 Nissan Sentra) and I owed around $14,500. Progressive offered me $12,500 and I have gap insurance to cover the rest. I put $1000 down on the car when I bought it and have made 6 monthly payments of $253 each. I do have uninsured motorist non-stackable (25,000 each person, 50,000 each accident), bodily injury and property damage (25,000 each person/50,000 each accident), and basic personal injury protection for a 10,000 limit and no deductible. So basically, I will have my car paid off from progressive and the gap insurance, but I feel like I might not be getting compensated. Even though I was financing a car, shouldn't I be getting something a little more, like money to help with a new car? People are strongly urging me to hire a lawyer, are they right? Should I? Please help, this is all new to me. I have been in accidents before, but not this bad, so I need a little guidance!
Should I hire a lawyer? (I am filing for adjustment of status)?
An experienced immigration attorney can save you time and expense in the long run. For example, if you miss a required piece of evidence, the USCIS will issue a request for evidence (RFE) and give you a deadline to respond - usually 45 days out. Once you respond, the USCIS will then put your application back on the stack of pending applications. This whole process can cost you and your new spouse months. Another example: failure to file the I-131 (travel) and the I-765 (employment) at the same time will result in you having to pay the USCIS filing fees if and when you decide to file these applications. If you file them concurrently with the I-485, you there is no filing fee. Your lawyer will know this, you might not catch it. This would cost you an extra $600 in filing fees, not to mention the months that your new spouse could of been working instead of waiting for issuance of an employment authorization document. In short there are many mistakes that can be made in the process that can cost you time and money. The small investment in attorney fees will save you in the long run. Your attorney will also be an ongoing resource for you when questions arise, and will be able to prevent you from making costly moves while the I-485 is pending. By way of another example, two of my clients recently decided to go to Mexico on their honeymoon after they filed their I-485. Fortunately, I was able to stop them before they left and advise them that their I-485 would be deemed abandoned if they left the country without an advance parole document. I hope this answer is helpful.