One of the things we help people with is traffic tickets. It might not seem terribly serious, but sometimes a traffic ticket can be a big deal. This is especially true for CDL holders, younger drivers on their parents' insurance, or Uber/Lyft drivers. It's also difficult to deal with a traffic ticket in, say, Mt. Morris when you actually live in the Bronx and were just passing through.

Traffic violations are civil violations of the law - they are not a part of your criminal record. That being said, you could potentially be sentenced to up to 15 days (10 after good time) in the county jail if you run into a crazy judge or your case isn't well-managed. It has never happened to one of our clients, but we hear the stories, just like you do.

It never ceases to amaze me how different courts can be from county to county and town to town. Traffic tickets are handled completely differently in Batavia than they are in Geneseo, and both places are different from the way tickets are handled in Rochester. Out in Cattaraugus County, for example, town attorneys prosecute traffic tickets.

So what happens when you call up the Town of New Albion and learn that there is no Town Attorney? Well, they send you to the police officer who wrote the ticket. But wait - the police officer is part-time, and there is no phone at the police department... now it gets really tricky. Who do you call? Truth be told, everybody we called and talked to out in Cattaraugus County was kind and helpful. It took 13 letters and just as many phone calls, but we finally straightened things out for our client.

Out in Geneseo things are completely different. The Livingston County District Attorney handles traffic tickets, but they also have a traffic diversion program. Depending on the circumstances surrounding a ticket, some people can get a guaranteed dismissal if they pay a pretty hefty fee and take a driver improvement course. We often arrange for our clients to get the dismissal... one way or another.

Last but not least, I mentioned Rochester. In the city proper, there is a specific traffic violations bureau, and we can often help you get tickets reduced or dismissed without you even having to appear in court.

If you find yourself with a traffic ticket from any small town in New York State, feel free to call us at (585) 485-0025. We can often get it reduced or dismissed, and we typically do it without you having to appear in court.