Professional Traffic Ticket Representation: Defending Minor Charges Including Speeding, Failing to Stop or Yield, and More

Question: Should I fight a minor traffic ticket in Ontario if I already have demerit points or prior convictions?

Answer: If another conviction could trigger a licence suspension, threaten your job’s “clean record” requirement, or cause major insurance increases due to existing demerit points or prior convictions, it’s often worth defending even a minor charge, and Lippa Legal Services provides Ontario paralegal services to review disclosure, assess viable defences, and represent you through the traffic ticket process.  Even when the fine seems small, a single added conviction can compound penalties and costs, so getting an early, practical case assessment can help you decide whether to fight, negotiate, or resolve the ticket.

Defending Minor Driving Offences

Minor charges, individually, appear merely as a relatively minor fine and pose little risk to the potential for significantly increased insurance rates or possible licence suspension for accumulation of too many demerit points.  In many circumstances, going to the trouble and effort to fight a minor charge appears as an unworthy endeavour; however, there are circumstances where an aggressive stance to a minor charge is prudent and warranted.

Providing Strategic Advocacy

The circumstances, among others, that may warrant aggressively defending minor charges include:

• When a driver was convicted within the past three years for other minor, major, or serious, charges and where another conviction, even for just a minor infraction, will result in significantly adverse affects;
• When a driver was charged within the past two years for other charges and the accumulation of demerit points now puts the driver at risk of a licence suspension, among other significant penalties; and
• When a driver is required to maintain a fully clear record as a condition of employment.

Although relatively minimal affects, generally, result upon conviction for a minor traffic ticket charge, a multitude of minor charges, or a single minor charge that will be combined with prior convictions, may result in significant adversity making a strongly mounted defence worthy in the effort to fight a minor charge.

Minor Charges Include:

Conclusion

Traffic tickets of the minor charges type may still pose significant risk to a driver with potentially serious consequences whereas a minor charge in combination with prior convictions becomes 'the straw that breaks the camels back' resulting in substantially increased insurance rates including possible loss of standard insurance market and placement into the 'Facility Association', potential license suspension for accumulating too many demerit points, among other things.  Accordingly, even for a minor charge, hiring a professional who knows how to question witnesses, including which questions to ask and which questions to avoid, and who knows the law and is ready to make persuasive arguments on the applicable legal principles, is highly important.  For representation that puts your best interests first, contact Lippa Legal Services today.