I'm very surprised that this thread hasn't already been created. As a "spirited driver" myself, I have been accused of committing traffic infractions by various law enforcement officers throughout the area, and most of them have issued citations against me (the only warnings I have ever gotten were whenever I was driving to/from work in a prior life as a security officer).

As a young, male driver, the insurance industry is already working against me, and I don't need infractions on my record raising my premiums. I'm not naive enough to believe I can defend myself against a traffic ticket from reading a DIY book, and I've always hired a traffic lawyer to defend me. Here are my experiences, and I invite you to add your own.

Mitch Greene (last used 2003)
http://www.speedinginseattle.com 206-760-9822
$300 speeding ticket, $450 for negligent driving second degree

Hired Mitch twice. He didn't personally show for the hearings but had other attorneys in attendance. Mostly successful - the only ticket not dismissed was a 90+ in a 60 due to a RELENTLESS prosecuting attorney. It was reduced to 61 in a 60 with a small fine.


Theodore (Doug) Silva (last used 2004)
no website, 206-772-2225
$xx ?

Hired Doug once for myself and once for my mother. Charges dismissed. The cases weren't quite as memorable, but I suppose that's a good thing!


Christopher Small (CMS Law Firm) (last used 2010)
http://www.fightyourseattletrafficticket.com 206-651-4245
$250 speeding ticket, $350 negligent driving second degree, +$50 each additional infraction

Chris seems to be new on the scene, as I was not able to find any reviews or mentions about him in other car forums' traffic lawyer threads. Wasn't too excited about hiring someone with no reputation on the scene and a generic-looking website, but I took a leap of faith to give a new guy a chance (and because he was the cheapest). Very professional younger guy, called me personally after I submitted a consultation form on the website. This was the first hearing that I did not attend as I slept through it (not required - any of these lawyers are actually surprised if you show up). Charges dismissed! And coincidentally on the same day, I received a handwritten holiday card from him in the mail. Excellent client service - hope this review helps him show up in those Google searches!

In all of the traffic court hearings I've sat through, I've only ever witnessed ONE person successfully defend him/herself - the other DIYers went down in flames. I highly recommend you always hire an attorney - failing that, go for a deferment. At the start of every contested hearing, the judge will ask if anyone wants to take a deferment and save themselves from the hearing - DO IT. You only have this one chance to take the deferment, if you don't accept it at that time then it is too late.

 

I'm personally in the process of hiring a lawyer and having a court date at the end of december for three equipment violations on my tc by the fine Federal Way police dept...totalling almost $500

Harry seems to be a very nice and caring guy, you speak and work directly with him and his paralegals, and he gives you his personal cell phone for emergency calls 24 hrs a day...i'm assuming probably just for the jail type calls. I'll keep everyone posted on how it goes...

Harry Steinmetz
http://www.goodpeople-baddays.com
724 S. Yakima Avenue, Suite 200
Tacoma, Washington 98405
Telephone: 253-579-1113
Fax: 253-383-2099

 

Jeannie Mucklestone

https://www.mucklestone.com/index.php


Around 30 tickets for my family in the last 9 years... 100% success rate. zero on our records

 

this thread scares me

 

I'm with you on that..... I mean coming from CA where we drive 70 as an average, because our speed limits are 65 on most freeways and on I5 it's 70 and people drive 80... where I find it interesting that I5 here is 60 and are most of your freeways.

So for those of you who've hired traffic attorneys, you've declined to state how much you've paid for them, and what the actual infractions were (other than a speeding ticket as that is self explanatory).

Were they modded car related things or actual driving infractions like driving in the HOV lane when not allowed or simple things like not using a turn signal? I'm not trying to call anyone out for bad driving as everyone has bad days... but maybe it would just be easier (and less costly) to try and tone it down some?

*waits with baited breath* I have no front license plate on my car that my husband drives daily right now, and I've read that's a big deal up here... so I'm just kind of worried. LOL

 

Nice post. I like it. Thanks for sharing these information. Keep it up.

 

Having CMS Law Firm Handle my Speeding ticket, will write a review once everything is done.

 

Okay, so I'm old school, like the computers in the computing class were Apple IIs. We drove muscle cars (because the last of the big blocks were only 10 years old) and had to keep our eyes peeled and your dad taught you where they were hiding. Avoiding a ticket is easy around here. Sure the commercials say that for accidents they can get you double what you would have got from the insurance company, but they also take about half on the back end, so a waste of time. Lawyer fees, time off work, gas there and back, may get off on the ticket or have it reduced, but that doesn't mean your plate hasn't just appeared on the bad driver list, that is why you always get one behind you even when you aren't doing anything.

Here are the cheaper ways of getting out of tickets:
1. Get a radar detector with laser detection and stealth mode. The cops either have radar running all the time or they are hiding and you can get a bounce off the cars in front of you as you come up on them. Best part is that on I-5 from I-405 to I-90 if the radar is buzzing full on and doesn't waver, it means Boeing is testing their military aircraft radar that renders radar useless.
2. Get to know where they normally hide before punching it.
3. Watch for brake lights. Everyone ahead sees the cops hand hits the brakes to avoid a ticket themselves.
4. Avoid rapid or multiple lane changes in heavy traffic. If they are behind or in front of you in traffic you will catch their eye. This also rings true for driving fast in light traffic. Nothing says "pull me over" better than a quick jerk of the wheel. Nice, smooth lane changes well before the car in front of you and tuck back in traffic well after the vehicle. This gives the appearance that it's taking longer for you to pass.
5. Have the fancy bulbs (Blue, yellow(illegal in WA), HID, fancy fog lights), don't use them in the day and put the stock bulbs in and turn off the fogs if you are going to exceed the limit.
6. Drive in the slow lane whenever possible. One reason is you have vehicles ahead and behind to conceal your speed. Reason two is that barely anyone drives in the slow lane in WA, so even if the traffic is going slower than you are, they can't cite you with a ticket because there is nobody to pass on the right because there isn't a right lane and in order to pass someone you need to change lanes. Finally, in heavy traffic the slow lane is fastest between the exit ramp and the on ramp.
7. Keep your eyes peeled and when I say peeled I mean like you are being watched. This is because the cop you see is not necessarily the one with the radar. They are on overpasses, side roads, parking lots, or on the off ramp. Every time their buddies are just over the rise, around the corner, or on the on ramp. NEVER, EVER, TRUST A CARPOOL ON/OFF RAMP!!! 90% of the time they are waiting for you there.
8. If you see flashing lights ahead, it doesn't necessarily mean they've pulled someone over, nor does it mean they're alone. Before stepping on the gas again, you better be sure there is no trace of another cop, anywhere. They love doing the multi-car sting in WA. Which brings me to my last rule.
9. Red (and blue) light bait. Look for a car that looks like it can go faster than yours, even if it can't. Make them believe they can go faster than you. Once you've suckered them into speeding, hang back on their rear corner in another lane but not far enough to make them think you aren't trying. For traffic, just find a way to catch their eye by trying to weave through traffic faster than them. Once they've taken the bait, let them catch up, then pretend like they out maneuvered you by intentionally trapping yourself in a lane. Once they have shot by you, brake enough to find a hole and duck in behind them, they will go even faster because they want to show you how much better they can get through traffic. Let them show off their skills for you, but don't hug the back bumper, that will just wreck 2 cars or get you nabbed for tailgating.

I have many more tips, but I can't tell you those because I need a bait car myself! HAH!!!