My Approach to Hampton Reckless Driving Cases

As a reckless driving attorney in Hampton, when I meet my potential client for the first time, I ask them to tell me the timeline of events in as much detail as possible. I make sure they tell me everything that was said between themselves and the officers and what the tone of the interaction was.

Questions I Ask Potential Clients in Hampton Reckless Driving Cases

I tell potential clients that details can make a difference so they should not leave anything out even if they are not sure if the details are actually relevant or if the details are bad for them.

I also ask potential clients what kind of impact a conviction would have on the rest of their lives. Some people have security clearances they are afraid to lose or they are applying for jobs they are afraid would reject them if they have a conviction. Other people don’t care about the conviction itself but cannot afford to go to jail for any period of time because they have a family to take care of full time or a job that will be compromised by their absence. The potential client’s specific goals are important to determine what course of action is best for each individual person.

First Things I Look For In Reckless Driving Cases

I look for the driver’s reason for the behavior that led to the charge. Some people have great excuses that would excuse the charge in the end. I also look to the potential client’s background such as:

• Their job
• Their familial obligation
• Their driving record
• Their criminal record

All of these things can have an impact on what the direction a case goes in court.

In a reckless driving case, I look for how the driver behaves with the officer. Someone who was polite and cooperative will be looked at much more favorably by the officer in court than someone who was passing   in and out or who was generally difficult. The officer is one of the most important parties in the trial so it is important to know where the potential client stands with him before walking into the court room.

Common Mistakes in Hampton Reckless Driving Cases

One of the very common mistakes I see with reckless driving cases is that drivers do not think it’s worth obtaining legal representation to help them in court. They see hiring a lawyer as an expense that they can just save themselves if they represent themselves. Sometimes, people will believe that since they are actually guilty and they don’t have a good story that shows otherwise, that the result in representing themselves or having a lawyer are going to the same end regardless. This is not true. There is more a lawyer can do than just fight the charge. They can also convince a judge to reduce the charge even if the defendant was guilty by presenting evidence to explain why it is in the interest of justice to do so.

Lawyers can also have a strong impact on sentencing. Jail can cause people to lose their jobs sometimes. Different people can avoid different sentences. And a lawyer can make it so that the sentence is more doable for the particular person’s circumstances. The best thing that someone can do to avoid making these mistakes is to hire a lawyer.