Traffic Ticket Defence Lawyers in Sydney

It is important to check your traffic ticket carefully. Has the alleged offence been clearly stated? Are the details in the traffic ticket correct? Where the offence is a camera detected offence, it is always a good idea to view the photographs of the infringement by following the instructions on the infringement notice. In some cases traffic tickets are issued in error or they are defective at law or even issued out of time. An expert traffic ticket defence lawyer in Sydney will be able to carefully assess your case and advise you of your options.

If you have received a traffic infringement, you may realise that you were not the driver of your car at the particular time and date in question. If this is the case, it is important that you ascertain who the driver of your vehicle was as soon as possible and complete a  nomination with the correct driver’s details. This can be done by either completing a Statutory Declaration and submitting your nomination by post or by completing a  nomination online.  It is important to note that there are significant penalties for providing false information in any nomination.

In some cases, it may be appropriate to seek a  review of your traffic ticket. Unfortunately, the circumstances which are considered in a favourable review of a traffic ticket are very limited and may be available when:

• i. You have held your drivers licence from more than 10 years and have a clear driving record.
• ii. The fine was issued to the wrong vehicle.
• iii. Your vehicle was stolen during the time of the alleged offence.
• iv. You were no longer the owner of the vehicle at the time of the alleged offence.
• v. There are circumstances or reasons warranting a review of the traffic ticket and/or leniency.

Your lawyer will be able to assess your traffic ticket and the circumstances of the alleged offence before advising you whether you should consider submitting a review of your penalty notice.

Many traffic infringements attract demerit points. As a general guide, the more serious the traffic infringement, the more demerit points will apply to the offence. A list of offences and their applicable demerit points can be found  here.

All drivers commence with zero demerit points. If an offence is committed which attracts demerit points, they are added to your driving record. If you reach or exceed your maximum demerit points quota within a 3 year period, your licence will be suspended or will not be eligible for renewal for a specified period of time if it has expired. The demerit points quotas in NSW are as follows:

• – Unrestricted licence – 13 points
• – Professional drivers – 14 points
• – Provisional P2 licence – 7 points
• – Provisional P1 licence – 4 points
• – Learner licence – 4 points
• – Unrestricted licence during a good behaviour period – 2 points.

You can check your demerit points through Service NSW or  online.

There are a few options available if you  cannot afford to pay your penalty notice. You can set up a payment plan to pay your traffic ticket by instalments, request a reduction of your fine or to have it written off or apply for a Work and Development Order to pay off your fine by doing unpaid work, courses or counselling.

The decision whether to pay a traffic ticket or elect to have it determined by a court is not a straight forward decision. If you do not agree with your traffic ticket and wish to contest it, you will need to complete a court election and defend your matter in court. At your first court date, the court will ask you to indicate your plea to your infringement. If you enter a plea of not guilty, your matter will be given a hearing date where the court will consider the evidence and hear submissions as to whether the offence in the traffic ticket has been proven.

It is important to obtain legal advice from an expert traffic ticket lawyer in Sydney before deciding whether to elect to take your traffic ticket to court. In some instances a court election is unwise as the court has the power to impose fines which far exceed the amount stated on the traffic ticket. In addition, court costs are also payable if a plea of guilty is entered or the court finds the offence proven.

In some cases, your traffic ticket will give rise to your licence  being suspended for a period of time, meaning that you will not be able to drive during your suspension period under any circumstances. This can have a significant impact on your ability to complete ordinary tasks and can place your employment in jeopardy. Thankfully, in many cases, a  right of appeal exists against the decision to suspend a driver’s licence.

Our team of traffic ticket defence lawyers can assist you with your  licence appeal. Our team of traffic lawyers in Sydney will  help you in your licence appeal by identifying whether you are able to appeal your licence suspension and to draft and lodge your appeal on your behalf before helping your prepare your appeal and then appearing on your behalf in court to try and obtain the best outcome for you in the circumstances. There are strict time limits which apply to lodging of any licence appeals so it is important that you seek advice from an expert traffic lawyer in Sydney without delay to discuss your options.

Choosing the right traffic ticket defence lawyer in Sydney is important to maximise your chances of obtaining the best possible outcome in your case. Our team of lawyers have many years of experience in traffic law and possess a detailed knowledge of the various legislation governing traffic law. Our lawyers are highly skilled and respected advocates who pride themselves on their ability to give you detailed, yet easy to understand legal advice and to present your case persuasively to obtain the best possible outcome.

The decision whether to accept your traffic ticket and pay the infringement is not always as straight forward as it appears to be. The accumulation of demerit points and the prospect of licence suspensions for certain offences can result in an unexpected escalation of consequences. It is therefore important to obtain legal advice prior to making any decision to accept the traffic infringement or to decide to proceed by way of a court election.

If you have elected to have your traffic ticket determined in court, or have been issued with a Court Attendance Notice, our lawyers will be able to advise you as to any potential defences which you may have and to guide you with the best approaches to your case to maximise your chances of a successful outcome. Our lawyers are highly regarded advocates who pride themselves on obtaining the best possible results for our clients.

If you have received a traffic ticket or infringement, our team of traffic ticket defence lawyers in Sydney can help. We will carefully consider your case and provide expert advice on your options.

Our team of expert criminal and traffic ticket defence lawyers in Sydney have a proven track record of securing successful outcomes for our clients in criminal law matters. Our  results speak for themselves.

If you require expert representation in a criminal or traffic law matter, don’t delay. Contact our expert criminal defence lawyers in Sydney today.

The content contained within this guide is expressed as a general guide as to this area of law and is not intended to contain legal advice specific to an individual’s case. If you, or someone you know has been charged with a criminal or traffic offence and requires legal advice, do not hesitate to contact Australian Lawyers and Advocates to discuss any  criminal law or  traffic law matters further.