Bethesda Traffic Offenses
Bethesda traffic offenses have different levels of violations. There are two different traffic offenses in Bethesda. The first one is a payable offense and the second one is a “must appear” offense. Payable offenses are minor traffic offenses and “must appear” offenses are more serious. Payable traffic violations include a speeding ticket, running a stop sign, and improper turning. These are tickets that a person can plead guilty to and pay a fine. The person does not have to appear in court. An experienced and local traffic attorney can speak more towards the subject.
Payable Traffic Tickets
Payable traffic tickets are not punishable by jail time. With the payable traffic ticket, there are three options. The person can pay the fine, plead guilty with an affirmation and request for a waiver of hearing, or plead not guilty and request a trial. If the person does not pay the fine, they have to request a waiver, hearing, or a trial and must appear in person in one of Maryland’s District Courts. With any of the three options, the person must respond within 30 days or the Maryland Vehicle Administration is notified and the person’s license may be suspended.
What are “Must Appear” Traffic Offenses?
“Must appear” traffic offenses are more serious and there is a potential for the person to be incarcerated. Examples of “must appear” traffic offenses are DUI, fleeing the police, leaving the scene of an accident, and driving while suspended. If a person is charged with a “must appear” traffic offense, they cannot just pay the fine. They must appear in one of Maryland’s District Courts. Traffic ticket cases are held in the traffic courts in Maryland’s District Courts. A person has the right to appeal on a traffic ticket in Bethesda.
Traffic Infractions
A traffic infraction is any violation in the Maryland Transportation Article. The Maryland Transportation Article is a list of laws that must be followed. Some of the traffic offenses carry a fine and others could lead to incarceration. An example of a traffic infraction is speeding, a violation found in the Transportation Article.
Are There Penalties for Traffic Misdemeanor Charges?
A traffic misdemeanor is any violation in the Maryland Transportation Article unless there is a civil penalty or the misdemeanor is increased to a felony. Misdemeanors can carry a potential penalty of jail time. Most traffic violations are misdemeanors and carry a penalty of 60 days in jail and/or a $500 fine. For traffic infractions, penalties never include jail time.
Felonies
A traffic felony is another traffic offense in Bethesda. There are specific violations in the Transportation Article that are designated as felonies. What makes them different from a misdemeanor is that the possible jail sentence is higher than a misdemeanor. Some examples of a traffic felony include DUI where someone is killed or automobile manslaughter.
Importance of Bethesda Traffic Attorney
It is important to hire a local Bethesda traffic attorney because such an attorney will have handled several Bethesda traffic offenses. Having been in traffic courts numerous times per week, the attorney will know how to minimize the penalties associated with your Bethedsa traffic offense, which may include keeping the points off of your driver’s record.