TRAFFIC AND CRIMINAL LAW
Areas of Traffic and Criminal Law We Pratice: Traffic Citations | DWI | Misdemeanor | Felonies | Expunctions
Speeding Tickets
When you get a speeding ticket, it is often unexpected and shocking. Your immediate thought is how much your insurance premiums are going to increase and the day of work you will miss for your court appearance. Your second thought may be simply to send in the money for the ticket and be done with the issue. However, not all speeding tickets need to result in higher insurance premiums and court appearances. In fact, under certain circumstances, your speeding ticket can be reduced to a lower violation (resulting in no or fewer insurance points) or amended to a non-moving violation (such as an improper equipment plea). In some cases, you may be eligible for deferred prosecution, commonly referred to as “prayer for judgment continued.” As a result, I strongly recommend consulting with my office before you simply mail in your check and tender a guilty plea.
Waiver of Appearance
At the Law Office of Chris Karrenstein, P.C., we will work diligently to keep points off your driver’s license and insurance premium. We will also attempt to handle this matter for you without you having to come to court in person. In return, we will charge a reasonable, upfront, flat fee.
Speed violation cost including court costs, fines and attorney fee
75 mph or less in a 55 mph zone: $290
76-79 mph in a 55 mph zone: $295
65 mph or less in a 45 mph zone: $290
66-69 mph in a 45 mph zone: $295
55 mph or less in a 35 mph zone: $290
56-59 mph in a 35 mph zone: $295
(For all others, call for a quote)
Upon receipt of the above funds, we will deposit them into our Trust Account until the completion of the case. After a licensed NC attorney reviews your case by examining your certification of prior tickets and / or your North Carolina Driving Record, we will determine the appropriate course of action to take in District Court in order to protect your driver’s license (first priority) and minimize insurance points attributed to you or your household. If you reside out of state and have an out-of-state driver’s license, we will obtain the best plea available without regard to the rules of your particular state regarding motor vehicle or insurance points. Please note that many out-of-state tickets are now reported and transferred across state lines (thanks to improved technology and accompanying changes of legal rules and conventions) so that an unattended ticket in North Carolina may cause an increase in your insurance premium no matter what State you reside in.
On the day of court, an attorney from our office will appear in your behalf (so that you do not have to) and use his/her best professional efforts to obtain the most favorable result possible under the specific circumstances of your case. Once your ticket is resolved, we will pay all fines and court costs from our trust Account and retain the balance of the funds received from you as our fee for services rendered. District Court costs are $130.00 and fines for speeding typically range from $10.00 to $35.00. We will mail you a copy of the result obtained on your behalf, a copy of the paid receipt for costs and fines, and a summary of Trust Account transactions showing all fees paid for your file.
If you wish to represent us with your traffic matter and agree to the our representation as outlined above, please go to the drop box above and complete the Waiver of Appearance & Certification form, sign it and have it notarized and return it, along with your ticket (or a legible photocopy), and your check made payable to Law Office of Chris Karrenstein, P.C., 10590 Independence Pointe Parkway, Suite 200, Matthews, NC 28105, at least 2 weeks prior to your court date. If you miss the 2-week deadline, you can call us to arrange delivery of the required documents along with cash, certified check / money order or VISA payment to our office. If you don’t have access to a notary to witness your signing of the Waiver of Appearance & Certification form, then you can stop by our office in person and we will notarize it for you.
PLEASE NOTE that our representation of you does not begin until all required documents and funds are received in our office. Please call 3 days before your court date to confirm receipt of all necessary paperwork.
If you are charged with a DWI, schedule an appointment with an attorney as soon as possible. There is no charge for a DWI consultation. You may be eligible to get your driver’s license while your case is pending or at least get driving privileges. We will work with you determine the likelihood that you would be found not guilty at a trial or the likelihood that you would have your charges dismissed. At other times, there is no question that a person is guilty and it makes no sense to insist on a trial. However, we can help you undergo a number of steps that minimize the impact of an isolated DWI or DUI charge and assist you on your road to recovery. We typically charge up to $1250.00 to represent someone accused of Driving While Impaired or Driving Under the Influence of alcohol or drugs. The actual fee will vary depending upon the circumstances of each case and what county the charges are pending.
We represent clients charged with a number of misdemeanors. DWLR (Driving While License Revoked), Assault, Misdemeanor Theft, Trespass, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Misdemeanor Possession of Drugs are frequent cases in this office. If you are charged with DWLR, you may be able to get your license reinstated and have your charges dropped or reduced. In all cases, you may be accused of a crime but be innocent because you either did not do what was alleged or because what you actually did is not really criminal behavior. Please schedule a consultation to go over the facts of your case.
Many crimes, which are misdemeanors can also be felonies. Often, the value of the property involved, the weight of illegal drugs involved, the categories of drugs involved elevate certain crimes to felonies. This firm handles multiple types of felonies and we are willing to meet with you concerning representation. However, we do not handle cases involving murder, rape or felony drug charges, which are eligible to be removed to Federal Court.
Even if you are found not guilty of a crime or the charges against you are dismissed. A record of the arrest will usually appear upon a background check. Under the appropriate circumstance, we can get arrest records expunged from your criminal record. In limited circumstances, you may be eligible for an expunction even if you were found guilty of committing a crime. Eligibility under these circumstances depends upon the type of crime committed and the age you were at the time the crime was committed. It is prudent to explore all options available because even record of an arrest may be enough to prevent you from obtaining certain employment or even from leasing in certain rental communities.
There is no charge for a criminal consultation or a consultation concerning traffic charges or expunctions. Don’t make a decision that can have long-term effects without seeking the advice of legal counsel.