The cost to hire our Kinston Traffic Attorney would be just $119 for most tickets. For high level criminal matters, or a more detailed outline of what cases may cost more than $119, please visit our FAQ's page.
Until recently it was common for the average cost of a traffic lawyer to be so expensive that having quality legal representation was out of reach for many hard working folks. iTicket.law is a 21st century law firm, meaning that we seek to leverage our proprietary legal software to make this process as convenient as possible for our clients, but also to try to make having representation affordable and accessible to everyone - whether you received a traffic citation in Kinston or anywhere else in North Carolina.
Typical Court Costs & Fines
If we are able to negotiate a dismissal of your citation, the court costs and fines owed to the court would be $0. If seeking a reduction is the most prudent course of action, the typical court costs and fines owed to the court often range from $188 to $263, not substantially different from what's outlined on your citation, but can sometimes be more depending on the circumstances.
Kinston Traffic Court:
Representing Yourself vs. Having an Attorney
When evaluating whether to hire a traffic attorney vs. going to court to represent yourself, there are a number of factors at play to consider - not just the cost of hiring the attorney. There is no question that you can avoid the cost of hiring legal representation if you instead choose to go to court yourself. That said, it is important to consider the opportunity cost. Will going to court mean losing a vacation day (or two or three) because you are forced to miss work? Will you have to hire a babysitter to stay with your children while you go to court?
Going to court to handle a ticket can unfortunately be an uphill battle for someone who is not an attorney. Just consider, it is very common to spend several hours waiting in court just to speak with an Assistant District Attorney - a person whose entire job revolves around prosecuting these types of offenses to the fullest extent of the law. This person is prohibited from giving you advice about how your conviction will impact your license or insurance.
If you decide to fight your ticket, your hearing will likely be continued to a future date so that the citing officer can be present, meaning you would be forced to miss another day of work (maybe more) just to finalize your case. Then, if you are not successful in challenging your ticket, there is no way to rewind and agree to a reduced charge - instead, you may be punished to the maximum extent possible.
One way to think about the question of whether to hire an attorney is to compare it to other professional services. Attorneys are not all that different from people like electricians and plumbers, some of us just wear suits while we try to fix your problems! With that in mind, consider this question: If you have a leaking pipe at your house, do you call a plumber or try to fix the problem yourself? If you're highly experienced in handling such matters, you don't need to hire a plumber. However, if you aren't sure how to handle it, you could accidentally flood your house by trying to fix a small leak yourself.
Hiring a lawyer is the same concept. If you're not very comfortable with North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicle and Department of Insurance Laws, getting what you think is a "good" outcome could possibly skyrocket your insurance premiums. You might save $119 by not hiring an attorney, but your cost over the long term could be exponentially higher.
Do not pay any speeding or traffic ticket without first consulting a traffic attorney. While it might be tempting to just pay off your own ticket, doing so is the same as admitting guilt. This could result in negative outcomes like an increase to your monthly insurance premium as previously mentioned, the addition of detrimental points to your license, or even the suspension of your license! We want to give you the peace of mind of knowing that a seasoned professional is handling your case. Our number one goal is to seek to save you time and money in the long run.*
Have more questions? Give us a call at 919-200-0822 if you'd like to learn what possible outcomes may be available in your case.