Tampa, St. Petersburg/Clearwater

Traffic Ticket and DUI Defense Attorney

After you have received a traffic ticket, either a civil or criminal infraction, it can be a fearful time of the unknown, and you may have questions like the following:

  • Will my auto insurance rates go up?
  • Will my license be suspended if I get more points on my driving record?
  • How can I keep the points off my driving record?
  • I already took the driving class within the past 12 months, how am I going to keep the points off my driving record?
  • I was driving on a suspended license and will I be charged as a habitual traffic offender?
  • Will I go to jail for my criminal infraction, like racing on the highway?
  • Can my traffic ticket be dismissed?
  • Do I have to go to court for a civil infraction?

These are just some of the types of questions you may have if you have received a traffic ticket. Attorney Amy Bellhorn is available to provide a free consultation if you have received a civil and/or criminal infraction violation in Pinellas, Hillsborough, Pasco, Sarasota and Polk Counties. If you’d like a FREE consultation, you may fill out our online form or contact us at (727) 822-7121.

We provide traffic defense that includes the following types of civil and/or criminal traffic:

  • Speeding Tickets & Moving Violations, inc. those 20+ mph over limit
  • Habitual Traffic Offender
  • DUI Defense
  • Auto Accident Defense
  • Reckless Driving Charge
  • Drug Possession Charge
  • CDL Defense
  • Suspended or Revoked License
 (DWLS- without knowledge or with knowledge)
  • Racing on the Highway
  • Failure to Register Vehicle in FL
  • Running Stop Sign

Traffic Ticket Frequently Asked Questions:

I received a traffic ticket (civil), should I just pay it, why plead not guilty if I did the alleged offense?

It’s important to know your rights and options before paying your ticket. If you pay your traffic ticket, a civil infraction, you essentially are pleading guilty and will acquire points on your driving record and auto insurance rates will increase.

What Can An Attorney Do For Me On a Civil-Traffic Infraction?

It depends upon the attorney, depending upon how many points you have on your driving record during a certain period of time and the charge, we may be able to do the following if retained: review the charging document to see if the case can be dismissed, have no points assessed to your driving record and not reported to Tallahassee so auto insurance rates will not increase, and other options, including attending court. No matter what you decide to do, make sure that you do so within the time deadlines stated on your traffic infraction.

Can I just take the driving school instead of hiring an attorney on my civil traffic violation?

It depends on your driving record and if you have taken the driving school class within the past twelve (12) months. It may be in your best interest to hire an attorney, if you have taken the driving school class within the past 12 months. You are only allowed to take a driving school course once a year, but the court can instruct you to take it (if part of the outcome of the hearing or change of plea with the court). Also, if you have one or more civil traffic infractions within the past two (2) years, it would be in your best interest to hire an attorney to attend the hearing to hopefully keep the points off your driving record. Moreover, you can only take the driving school class five (5) times within your lifetime and is better for those younger individuals to use them sparingly, and you need to use them sparingly if you have three or four used. Thus, under these circumstances it can be advantageous to hire an attorney.