Thursday, October 16, 2014

What To Expect In Haverstraw Village Court

Fight Your Haverstraw Ticket

Fighting a traffic ticket can save a driver lots of money, time, and aggravation.  For ex ample, a conviction to speeding 61 mph in a 35 mph zone can result in almost $700.00 in fines and surcharges payable to the court, $450.00 payable in assessment fees to the Department of Motor Vehicles, and hundreds more in insurance increases.

We Can Help

Getting to court, sitting in court, and waiting to see a prosecutor and judge can take hours.  Furthermore, don’t waste another second stressing out about the unknown.  The mere thought of fighting with a prosecutor, cop, or judge can be enough to create countless sleepless nights. 


Tips

Dress for success.  When you go to court, it is important dress appropriately.  The old saying is true, “you will never have a second chance to make a first impression.”  It is important to dress in a manner that projects respect. 

The court is a secured facility.  Everyone attending court will be required to walk through a magnetometer.  When you arrive, you should turn off all electronic devices and refrain from brining food, drinks, and illicit items.

Come prepared.  A Village Prosecutor prosecutes most tickets.  The prosecutor will have a busy court calendar and very little time to conference your case.  If you would like to present any mitigating circumstances or exhibits, it is important to have them organized and ready to be presented in a cogent man

Bring the court notice.  Drivers ticketed for speeding and other moving violations will be given a letter from the court instructing them to appear in court.  If you are not familiar with the court, having the court notice can be helpful in the court clerks instructing you where to go.

Getting to court.  The Haverstraw Village Court does not provide parking for visitors.  There is ample parking on the street for all visitors.  Parking may be scarce at times so it is important to arrive early to avoid missing your court appearance.

Defenses That Don’t Work

While every case needs to be evaluated on their own, here are some defenses often used in court that does not provide a significant benefit to drivers.  If you were planning on using one of these defenses, you should probably consider another strategy.

“I was travelling the speed of the cars around me.” Just because other drivers were speeding, this does not absolve your guilt.

“The officer did not show me the radar reading.”  It is an urban legend that an officer is required to show a driver a radar reading at the time the ticket was issued.

“The officer waited 10 minutes before he pulled me over.”  An officer is not required to pull over a driver at the exact moment a violation occurs.  There are legitimate many reasons that a stop may be delayed. 

About Our Law Firm

Joseph P. Villanueva leads our traffic ticket defense practice.  He has successfully defended thousands of drivers in New York State.  We have over 30 years of legal experience and have been recognized as some of the finest attorneys in the state.