How to Work with Your Attorney on Your Traffic Court Case
You’re driving along an unfamiliar road, maybe even in a town you’ve never even visited before. With one eye on your GPS, another on the street signs passing by, you forget about checking the speed limit until red and blue lights are bouncing off your back window.
Getting a traffic citation is never a fun addition to your vacation or travel experience, especially when you don’t live anywhere nearby and know that you’ll have to come back for your court date. But that’s where a trusted attorney can come into the situation to help smooth things over; when you hire legal representation for your out-of-state traffic case, it’s easier than ever to get the matter settled in a way that leaves all parties satisfied.
But how do you work with counsel that resides in another town, or even another state, while you get your case in order and wait for the court date? There are a few tips you can put to good use while you and your lawyer correspond to make the entire process easier on everyone involved, which can also lead to better results for you!
Host Q&A sessions as needed
There’s a reason that attorneys endure grueling years as law students, and continue to study even as their careers progress. When you’re in the middle of a case, your lawyer is a great resource if any questions arise, so be sure to ask him or her! And when you’ve made sure that you fully understand the answers and know what’s going on, take down some notes. Conversely, your attorney will need your quick responses in order to keep things moving, so watch out for any incoming calls and emails in order to lend him or her a hand where you can. Distance can make communication more difficult, so it’s important that both you and your lawyer establish a method that works.
Plan ahead
If you don’t have one already, invest in a calendar you can easily keep track of, at least for the duration of your case. The more you know about when each court session takes place, when documentation or payments are due, and in general what’s happening and where your lawyer is in the process, the better it will be for you. This is especially true in the case of out-of-state traffic tickets, since you can’t just drive over to your lawyer’s office and speak face-to-face whenever it’s convenient.
Keep a detailed record of the case
No paperwork is unimportant – until the last court session is over and every payment is processed, you’ll want to store any and all documentation from the case in a secure location. Here at Wentz Law, we recommend retaining both physical and digital copies of everything you accumulate while your case is still being settled. That way, even if you lose a sheet of paper, you have a back-up on hand and can still keep up with updates to the proceedings. It makes it easier, too, to find any answers your lawyer might have for you along the way, which can help speed things up in certain circumstances.
When you put your case in a lawyer’s hands, particularly one that lives in another area, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed with the many steps and procedures that accompany the process. But with these simple tips, you’re one step closer to getting a resolution to the traffic-related issue, and putting it behind you. If you have a traffic ticket or other case from your time here in North Carolina, contact us for a consultation.