Traffic ticket lawyers

Most lawyers who defend traffic charges are criminal defence lawyers. A traffic ticket is a "quasi-criminal" offence. The complex rules and procedures that apply in criminal law also apply in traffic court. Lawyers who practice in traffic court understand these rules and procedures and can assess the case against you.

There may not even be a case against you. A traffic ticket lawyer can tell you this.

Don't assume that you can't afford a traffic ticket lawyer. Their fees are usually competitive with those of traffic court agents.

Traffic court agents.

A traffic court agent is a paralegal, not a lawyer. Recently, some law societies (Ontario's, for example) have started regulating and licensing paralegals.

Paralegals have a long tradition of valuable service in Canada and other countries. They can provide critical assistance to persons charged with traffic offences. Many paralegals have achieved extraordinary results due to their specialized experience in a particular court (such as traffic court).

Prosecutors in traffic court are usually paralegals. In fact, most presiding justices of the peace (in Ontario) do not have law degrees either. Therefore, it is quite acceptable to seek assistance from a paralegal/court agent (in provinces where paralegals are licensed) for defending a traffic charge.

However, always educate yourself about who you are hiring. While there are many excellent paralegals, there are also, unfortunately, some who are not.

Get advice from a traffic ticket lawyer/agent.

In the past, significant obstacles were placed in the path of those facing traffic ticket charges. Going alone into court, people found the protocol and procedures of the judicial system intimidating. But now these obstacles are eliminated, with the introduction of paralegals and the willingness of criminal defence lawyers to take on traffic ticket cases.