After becoming aware of your traffic ticket in Georgia, you face an important decision: Do you pay your ticket or fight it in court? Internet research alone may fail to provide much guidance, as the right choice probably depends on your unique circumstances. While you can certainly review the various pros and cons of paying a traffic ticket, a consultation with a traffic defense lawyer may be more productive. During this discussion, you can assess your unique circumstances in more detail.
Pros of Paying a Traffic Ticket
The obvious benefit of paying a traffic ticket is that you no longer need to worry about it. Once you make the payment, you can get on with the rest of your life without this unresolved debt hanging over your head. Paying your traffic ticket might make more sense if you owe a relatively low sum.
Many people also decide to pay off their traffic tickets if they face zero danger of losing their licenses. Remember, most tickets are associated with a certain number of “points.” If you amass a certain number of points within a certain period of time, you could lose your license.
Cons of Paying a Traffic Ticket
The main downside of paying a traffic ticket is that it’s an automatic admission of guilt. If you pay your ticket, you accept that what you did was wrong. Even if this course of action seems convenient, there is no sense of admitting fault if you are not sure what you did wrong. An experienced traffic defense lawyer in Georgia can help you review your situation in more detail. You may have been issued a traffic ticket by mistake, and your alleged “traffic violation” may be invalid.
Another obvious downside is the financial penalty itself. Some traffic tickets in Georgia can be extremely expensive, and you might not have the spare cash to pay hundreds of dollars in fines. Some drivers have no real option but to fight their tickets – and they often discover that this legal process is easier than they realized.
Finally, a traffic ticket usually puts a certain number of points on your license. If you already accumulated a certain number of points before your ticket, this could result in the loss of your license. Many drivers depend on their vehicles for work, childcare, and various essential errands. Fighting your traffic ticket could be vital not only for your life but also for the well-being of your entire family.
Find an Experienced Traffic Ticket Lawyer in Georgia
Aside from paying or fighting your traffic ticket, there is a third option — procrastinating. Pretend the ticket does not exist and ignore it in the hopes that it will simply go away. Of course, this is the worst possible choice – and it can make the consequences of a traffic ticket much more severe. Regardless of which option you choose, you should make your decision quickly. Reach out to a Georgia traffic defense lawyer at Lankford & Moore Law to discuss the most appropriate path forward.
