It’s only a ticket, right? Well, maybe.

It’s understandable that most people deal with their traffic tickets, whether they feel they were just or not, by paying the fine and getting on with their lives. What not everyone understands is that paying the fine associated with the ticket is the legal equivalent of a guilty plea.

A speeding charge or comparable offense is not necessarily a minor matter. It’s likely to increase your auto insurance premiums. More serious infractions can result in the loss of driving privileges, particularly if you previously pleaded guilty to other moving violations. For people in certain professions, such as childcare and various transportation-related positions, a traffic violation can mean the difference between earning a paycheck and being unemployable.

Red light cameras, timing mechanisms, and other tools that authorities use to assess whether a motorist has committed an infraction are not merely subject to malfunctions and miscalibration. Like almost any machine, the processes they support are prone to human error that can be introduced during the interpretation and analysis of their measurements and readings.

Our traffic attorneys can help you defend yourself from traffic-related charges that were made in error. If you believe you’ve been unjustly cited in connection with a traffic incident, contact the Delaware County offices of Raffaele Puppio.

From The Blog

• Delaware County’s Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (ARD) Program

  February 7, 2019

  Delaware County’s District Attorney’s Office understands that not all offenders require harsh punishment to deter future criminal activity. With this understanding, the district attorney’s office offers a program for first-time offenders who are unlikely to commit another crime. That program is called the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (ARD) Program. What types of cases are eligible for... Read More...

• What You Should Know About the Pennsylvania Clean Slate Law

  January 24, 2019

  In mid-2018, Governor Tom Wolf signed into effect Bill 1419, some portions of which became effective law on December 26, 2018.  Known as the Pennsylvania Clean Slate law, this new law effectively allows for those who have been convicted of certain non-violent crimes to seal those convictions from public records and disallow for any employers,... Read More...

• Probation Violations in Pennsylvania

  November 1, 2018

  Probation allows a person convicted of a crime to avoid incarceration and remain in the community under a probation officer’s supervision as long as the person agrees to follow certain terms and conditions imposed by the court. These conditions are imposed not only to protect the public, but also to assist with the individual’s rehabilitation... Read More...

• Refusing to Submit to Chemical Testing in a DUI Case

  June 29, 2017

  Being involved in the criminal justice system in any way is never an ideal situation. However, Driving Under the Influence (DUI) is one of the most common criminal charges that people face. Therefore, if you do find yourself involved in the criminal justice system as a result of being charged with DUI, it is important... Read More...

• New Types of Protection Orders Available in Pennsylvania

  November 23, 2016

  Most attorneys are aware of the protections available to clients through Pennsylvania’s Protection from Abuse Act, but new alternative protective orders expand the protections offered to victims of sexual violence and intimidation in Pennsylvania. The protections afforded under the PFA Act are conditioned upon the victim being a spouse/former spouse, a parent of a child... Read More...