FAQ
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (TRAFFIC LEGAL CENTER)Submit Ticket
A: Anytime you get a traffic ticket in the state of Missouri, you are faced with three options:
1) Pay the ticket (which is the same as pleading guilty) and take the points on your license. Depending on the ticket you received, this can be anywhere from two to twelve points. No matter how few points it is, it will have a negative impact on your insurance rates, and it can also result in your driver license being suspended or revoked if you have accumulated enough points on your record. If you're not sure how many points you currently have on your record, you can call the Driver's License Bureau at (573) 751-4475. They can tell you how many points you have now, and how many more you will get if you plead guilty on any ticket you have recently received.
2) Fight the ticket by taking it to trial. If this is something you chose to do, you can proceed pro se (which means without an attorney to represent you) or you can hire an attorney to handle the trial for you. Typically, attorney fees for taking a ticket to trial are going to start at about $500. A trial is a much more complicated matter and require intense preparation. If you decide to proceed pro se, you will have to appear on your first court date and plead not guilty, then the judge will set the matter on a different date for trial.
3) Hire a traffic ticket attorney to have the charge "amended." This is normally the best option for most people. When you do this, you will have an initial attorney fee (ours start at $45, depending on the court, the charges you're facing, and other factors). Once you pay this fee, we will enter with the court on your behalf and ask the prosecuting attorney for a recommendation amending the charge to something that will not result in points on your driving record. Anytime the prosecuting attorney agrees to do this, you will face fines higher than you would if you just pled guilty to the charge, BUT, it will keep the points off of your record and will keep your insurance rates from being affected. Usually, if you choose to go this route, you will never have to step foot in the courtroom.
Affordability--We strive to keep our prices competitive with other traffic law offices in the region. We know that traffic tickets are an unexpected expense that few people can afford, so we try to keep our prices as low as we can for the excellent services that we offer.
Caring Environment--Our mantra here is to treat our client's the way we would treat our own brother or mother, and we all take that promise very seriously.
Professional Staff--Our staff is extremely knowledgeable and organized. We have several checks and balances in place to make sure that no client falls through the cracks and that everyone's matter, no matter how small, is treated like the important legal matter that it is. Check out our staff profiles here.
Our Relationship With the Courts--We've been doing this for a long time, and even though there are 91 municipalities in St. Louis County alone (nearly all of which have their own court) we are well familiar with their processes and limitations, as well as those of numerous other courts throughout the state on the Municipal and Circuit levels. Your family law or general practice attorney is not going to be as well acquainted ins and outs of all of these as we are. Using a law office with our level of expertise can save you time and money.
If you're not sure which court the ticket was through and you missed the court date, resulting in a suspension of your driving record, the Driver's License Bureau will be able to tell you which court the ticket was issued through, the charge information, and your ticket number. You can call them at (573) 751-4475.
If you think the ticket was issued by a state trooper or county sheriff, you may be able to find your ticket information by searching your name on case.net.
Finally, if none of these options work for you, we can arrange to investigate the matter for you for a small fee. Please contact our office for more information.
Traffic Legal Matters
One of our primary focuses here at TRAFFIC TICKET CENTER®® is to help you keep points off of your driving record. We spend so much time doing this for people that we have developed a good and thorough working knowledge of courts all over the St. Louis area and throughout the entire state.
Whether your ticket is fairly routine (like a stop sign), or little more rare (minor in possession), and whether the Missouri court is near or far, we've probably handled one like it before, and can help you know what to expect.
Visit our FAQs page for more information on how the process works and what your options are when faced with a traffic ticket!
DWI / DUI
We have a team of attorneys and support staff who have vast knowledge and experience in the area of DWI/DUI law. We have a healthy respect for the importance of these cases and put great emphasis on treating our DWI clients as if they were dear friends or family members. We work your case from top to bottom and involve you in the process. After all, one of our partners (former judge) fought his own DWI all the way through a jury trial and was found innocent in 9 minutes. We know how worrisome a DWI can be. Visit our DWI website for more information on the many different aspects of DWI cases.
Driving Record
Do you have a lengthy driving record, or did you just plead guilty on a traffic charge, not realizing how negatively it would affect you? If so, there's a good chance we can help. Sometimes, old convictions can be taken off your record. Similarly, a new guilty plea can frequently be withdrawn and the points taken off your record. Additionally, some DWI laws in Missouri allow people with lengthy alcohol-related suspensions to apply to the court for Limited Driving Privileges. We handle these all the time. Call our office to see if one of these services could benefit you. 314-895-4040
Driving While Revoked/Suspended
Driving While Suspended or Revoked is a much more serious charge than many people realize. Simply pleading guilty to such a charge will result in a one year revocation of your license, 12 points on your driving record, and can even require mandatory jail time. In many cases, we can help you have your DWS/DWR charges amended so that you can avoid the points, the one-year revocation, and spending any time in jail. Visit our Driving While Suspended page for more information.MIP / Drugs
We know that Music concerts, float trips, house parties and other like-kind adventures often end with charges like "minor in possession of alcohol," "possession of marijuana/paraphernalia" and other seemingly lower level crimes. TRAFFIC TICKET CENTER® deals with these on a routine basis. You never want to simply pay one of these tickets. In fact, we cringe when we hear some attorneys act as though a municipal charge like those mentioned won't really affect your record. This is simply not the case. You don't want to risk your financial aide for school, getting a job as an EMT/nurse, or simply applying for a babysitting position. Call TRAFFIC TICKET CENTER®® 314-895-4040
Warrants Quashed
We get Warrants Recalled all the time. Warrants can be a real issue if you possibly forgot to pay a traffic ticket or simply have an alleged new charge against you that starts with a bond/warrant requirement. TRAFFIC TICKET CENTER® has relationships with the 100 + courts in the St. Louis/Charles/Lincoln/Jefferson metro area that allow us to expedite the process of having your WARRANT RECALLED. This can be a very nice and convenient attorney service considering that most often you will not have to go through the arrest and booking processes. Often times clients get a hold of us just before the weekend because they don't want get picked up when courts are closed and judges aren't available. If you can help it, don't wait because it can be harder on Fridays for us to get your WARRANT QUASHED. Call us if you need a Warrant recalled 314-895-4040- TRAFFIC TICKET CENTER®®
DWI & DUI LAW | Traffic Law
One of our primary focuses here at TRAFFIC TICKET CENTER®® is to help you keep points off of your driving record.