Best Reckless Driving Lawyers Caroline County VA • 1500+ Client Reviews
The reckless driving laws in Caroline County VA is strictly enforced. Caroline County is a small, rural county located along Interstate 95. Tucked between Richmond and Washington D.C. This corridor generates a significant amount of traffic. State Troopers and Caroline Deputy Sheriffs are always on patrol. They dedicate a significant amount of resources to highway patrol. It is wise to consult an attorney if you have been accused of reckless driving in Caroline County VA. Reckless driving in Virginia is a criminal misdemeanor violation. DO NOT plead guilty without first consulting an experienced Caroline County Reckless Driving Lawyer. CAUTION: A Caroline County VA reckless driving conviction will on average increase the automobile insurance premium by 73% according to Insurance.com
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Experienced Reckless Driving Defense Attorneys Caroline County
Riley & Wells Attorneys-At-Law is a local Caroline VA law firm. We are recognized as a “Best Law Firm” according to U.S. News & World Report. Our lawyers have accumulated over 60 years of combined reckless driving law experience. We are recognized for superior legal ability and high ethical standards. Our attorneys will examine your case, deploy successful strategies during our representation, and use every resource the law allows to secure the best possible outcome. We are skilled Caroline VA Reckless Driving Lawyers with a successful record of professional representation. Our firm has been positively reviewed more than any other law firm that defends Caroline County VA reckless driving cases.
Reckless Driving Attorney Client Reviews – Caroline County Virginia
Reckless Driving is a Criminal Misdemeanor Violation
Virginia reckless driving laws are some of the strictest in the country. There are more than 10 different reckless driving laws in the Commonwealth. Reckless driving is a class 1 misdemeanor criminal offense just like a DUI / DWI. A class 1 misdemeanor is the most serious type of misdemeanor. The penalties include incarceration. A reckless driving conviction can also jeopardize your driving privileges, career, driving record, and automobile insurance. Have you received a reckless driving ticket in Caroline County VA? If so, you need help from an experienced professional who specializes in successfully defending Caroline County reckless driving cases. In Virginia, reckless driving convictions are permanent, cannot be expunged, and remain on the DMV driving record for 11 years.
Virginia Reckless Driving Penalties
- Maximum fines of $2,500 fine
- Loss of driving privileges
- Automobile insurance policy increases
Caroline County VA Reckless Driving Speeding Attorneys
CAROLINE VA Reckless Driving Speeding Ticket
The excessive speed provision of the reckless driving law is strictly enforced in Caroline VA. Driving faster than 85 mph or driving 20 mph or more above the speed limit is considered reckless driving in Virginia. Caroline County Deputy Sheriffs commonly patrol Routes 301 & 207. State Troopers are often found enforcing this law on Interstate 95. The speed limit on Interstate 95 in Caroline County is 70. It is hard to believe but driving 16 mph over the speed limit on I95 in Caroline VA can be criminal misdemeanor reckless driving. Our lawyers defend these cases every week. We have the knowledge and expertise to protect you and secure the best result.
Riley & Wells Attorneys-At-Law Defend Caroline VA Reckless Driving Cases
- 46.2-852 General recklessness
- 46.2-853 Fail to Maintain Proper Control
- 46.2-854 Passing on a grade or on a curve
- 46.2-855 View obstructed/control impaired
- 46.2-856 Passing two vehicles abreast
- 46.2-857 Driving two abreast in same lane
- 46.2-858 Passing at a railroad crossing
- 46.2-859 Passing a School Bus
- 46.2-860 Failing to give proper signals
- 46.2-861 Driving too fast for conditions
- 46.2-861.1 Failure to “Move Over” or Yield to Stationary Emergency Vehicle
- 46.2-862 Excessive speed
- 46.2-863 Failure to yield
- 46.2-864 Recklessness in parking lots, etc
- 46.2-865 Racing
- 46.2-865.1 Injury or death while racing
- 46.2-866 Racing; aiders or abettors
- 46.2-867 Racing; seizure of motor vehicle
- 46.2-868.1 Aggressive Driving
Caroline County VA Speeding Ticket Reckless Driving Attorneys
The Reckless Driving Speeding law pursuant to Va. Code 46.2-862 is the most enforced reckless driving law. This is no regular speeding ticket. This is a criminal misdemeanor offense. This law criminalizes driving 20 mph or more over the posted speed limit or driving faster than 85 mph regardless of speed zone. The speed limit on Interstate 95 in Caroline County VA is 70 mph. State Troopers patrol Interstate 95 in Caroline County. This means that a motorist can be charged and convicted of criminal misdemeanor reckless driving for driving 86 mph in a 70 mph speed zone. A very harsh punishment for exceeding the speed limit by 16 mph. Retain a top rated professional to present the best defense.
Speedometer Calibration For Caroline Reckless Speeding Cases
Sometimes a motorist is driving too fast in Caroline County but the vehicle has a defective speedometer. A speedometer calibration may assist our top rated Caroline reckless driving lawyers. A speedometer calibration is a specialized test performed by certain mechanics that measures the accuracy of a vehicle’s speedometer. Not just any auto mechanic can perform this type of diagnostic test. The test comes with a detailed report showing whether the speedometer was off and if so, by how many miles per hour. An experienced Caroline VA reckless driving attorney will introduce evidence of the calibration results pursuant to Va. Code 46.2-942. Such evidence shall be considered by the court in both determining guilt or innocence and in fixing punishment.
Virginia Uniform Summons Reckless Driving Ticket Issued by Caroline Police
A Virginia Uniform Summons is the legal document issued by Caroline Deputy Sheriff’s or State Troopers during a reckless driving traffic stop. Motorists often refer to this document as a ticket. The summons serves as legal notice for the alleged reckless driving violation. Signing the summons is not an admission of guilt. The summons advises you that a hearing will be at the Caroline County General District Court on a particular date and time. The hearing will either be an arraignment or a trial depending on the case. Allow our top rated Caroline VA reckless driving lawyers to review your summons. We can develop a defense strategy even if you think you are guilty.
Free Caroline County VA Reckless Driving Lawyer Consultation
Some drivers think they do not need a lawyer for their Caroline County VA reckless driving case. The biggest issue with representing yourself is lack of experience. Keep in mind that there can be a lot riding on the case because reckless driving is a criminal misdemeanor that carries harsh penalties. Our top rated Caroline VA reckless driving lawyers know the best tactics for obtaining good results. Our attorneys spend a significant amount of time in the Caroline General District Court every day and are familiar with the habits of the of the different judges and the law enforcement officers who issue reckless driving tickets. This local knowledge is invaluable when determining how to best defend a reckless driving case.
Caroline Reckless Driving Trials are Adversarial By Design
If you have been accused of reckless driving in Caroline County, then your case will eventually be set for trial before the Caroline County General District Court. Reckless driving trials are adversarial in nature. This involves a structured and formalized dispute between the Caroline Commonwealth Attorney’s Office and the defense. The adversarial system is designed to ensure a fair trial process subject to the rules of law and evidence by allowing each side to present their case and to be able to challenge the other’s arguments and evidence. The Caroline District Court Judge ultimately evaluates the evidence and arguments to reach a verdict. This system ensures that the prosecution meets its high standard of proof.
Elite Caroline VA Reckless Driving Attorneys by Virginia Super Lawyers
Super Lawyers is a lawyer rating service of outstanding attorneys from 70 plus practice areas including reckless driving law who have attained the highest degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. This legal organization recognizes the top lawyers nationwide across a variety of practice areas and firm sizes using a patented process of independent research and peer input. Our Caroline County VA reckless driving lawyers have been recognized by this publication since 2009. No more than five percent of the lawyers are named to this list and no more than 2.5 percent are named to the Rising Stars list. This recognition is merit based. Retain a top rated Caroline County reckless driving attorney who has been recognized with this award.
Reckless Driving Caroline County Emergency Vehicle Move Over Law
The “Move Over” law is serious. Va. Code 46.2-861.1 requires drivers to “move over” to an adjacent lane when passing an emergency stationary vehicle stopped on the shoulder of the highway with emergency lights activated under certain traffic conditions. A violation can be considered reckless driving if a stationary emergency vehicle is in involved, which is a criminal misdemeanor. If you have been accused of violating this reckless driving law in Caroline County then it would be in your best interests to consult an accomplished top rated local Caroline VA reckless driving attorney before appearing in the Caroline General District Court. We successfully defend these types of cases. You may have a valid defense and not realize it.
Caroline Legal Elite Reckless Driving Lawyer by Virginia Business
Virginia Business is dedicated to covering the legal community in Caroline County VA. Since 2000, in cooperation with the Bar Association, the Top Attorneys are recognized with the Legal Elite award. There are over 23,000 legal practitioners in the Commonwealth. Legal Elite recognitions are awarded to approximately 1400 attorneys each year. This is an exclusive list of top rated lawyers who have been recognized by their peers for excellence. Only outstanding and experienced professionals are recognized for being Legal Elite. A practitioner cannot purchase their way in to being recognized as a member of the Legal Elite community. Let a Caroline County VA Legal Elite reckless driving attorney review your case.
Out of State Reckless Driver Retains Top Rated Caroline Defense Lawyer
Out-of-state drivers must defend their Caroline County reckless driving ticket because a conviction will be reported back to the home state. The home state and automobile insurance company will likely then take action against the driver. Caroline County sits along the Interstate 95 corridor. State Troopers aggressively patrol this area. Many of our clients are not from the area or are drivers from other states such Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut & Massachusetts because thousands of motorists drive through Caroline County on the interstate. In many instances, we can make a motion to waive our client’s appearance so that our client does not have to return to Caroline VA for the trial.
RACING in Caroline VA is Serious Reckless Driving & Can be a Felony
The racing law is the most serious type of reckless driving law. Any person who engages in a race in Caroline County VA between two or more vehicles on a highway is guilty of reckless driving. Racing can even be a felony if it causes serious bodily injury to another person who is not involved. The Caroline County Judge can suspend driving privileges for as many as three years if convicted. In fact, you do not even have to be engaged in a race to violate this law. Any person who aids or abets a race can also be convicted of criminal misdemeanor reckless driving racing. Contact our top rated Caroline County VA reckless driving attorneys to review your case.
Passing a Stopped School Caroline VA Reckless Driving Violation
A driver is guilty of reckless driving if they do not stop for a Caroline County school bus with its warning device activated. The school bus must be taking on or discharging children, elderly individuals, or individuals with mental or physical disabilities. Drivers shall remain stopped until all such individuals are clear of the highway, private road, or school driveway and the bus is put in motion. In some instances, there may be defenses that only a top rated Caroline County VA reckless driving attorney will know how to best present at trial. Allow us to review your case. NOTE: There is a civil penalty version of this violation that is less serious.
The Jail Penalty is Real in Aggravated Caroline VA Reckless Driving Cases
Reckless driving is a criminal offense. With the exception of some racing cases, the offense is a class 1 misdemeanor. The maximum penalty is 12 months in jail. Most drivers charged with reckless driving will not see the inside of a jail cell even if convicted. That all changes if the Caroline Commonwealth Attorney considers your case to be an aggravated reckless driving case and has set the matter for arraignment. At the arraignment, the Judge will advise the reckless driving motorist defendant of their constitutional right to hiring their own lawyer. Do not take any chances at this point. Retain a top rated Caroline VA reckless driving lawyer with the experience to present your best defense.
Reckless Driving Convictions Carry Six DMV Demerit Points
There are numerous types of Virginia DMV demerit point violations. Demerit points are not issued when the Caroline County reckless driving summons or ticket is issued. The reckless driving demerit points are assigned only by the DMV shortly after the Caroline Court finds the defendant motorist guilty of reckless driving. The demerit points associated with a conviction remain valid for two years from the date the offense is committed. Caroline County VA reckless driving convictions carry 6 demerit points. One safe driving point is assigned for each full calendar year that you hold a valid Virginia driver’s license and drive without any violations or suspensions. A driver may accumulate a maximum of five safe driving points.
Caroline County VA Reckless Driving Reduced to Improper Driving
Improper Driving is a lesser offense of reckless driving. Improper driving is not a criminal misdemeanor. It is a minor traffic infraction. Va. Code § 46.2-869 gives the Caroline Judge the authority and discretion to find the defendant motorist not guilty of reckless driving and guilty of improper driving where the degree of culpability is slight. A conviction for improper driving is typically considered a win. The only thing that appears on the driving record is a conviction for improper driving. Improper Driving is a 3-point demerit point offense and stays on the Virginia driving record for 3 years. The maximum fine allowed by law is $500. Retain top rated Caroline County VA reckless driving lawyers to argue your case.
Caroline VA Reckless Driving Speeding 89/70 mph DISMISSED
CAROLINE VA Reckless Driving DISMISSED
In this case, our Caroline VA lawyers defended an excessive speeding offense on Interstate 95. Our client knew she was speeding, but she was in a hurry. She had no idea that she would be charged with a misdemeanor criminal offense for simply speeding. She was not aware – like many motorists – that speeding in this context was a criminal offense. Our attorneys were able to put together favorable evidence and arguments. We were able to protect our client when we presented the case to the Court on the trial date. We convinced the Judge to dismiss the case. Naturally, our client was relieved to not be convicted of a criminal offense.
Caroline County Reckless Driving Lawyers Client Review
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11/10/2015 | Updated 1/21/2024