Mundelein Speeding Defense Attorney

Speeding Ticket Lawyer Serving Lake County, Illinois

If you are the recipient of an Illinois speeding ticket of 25 mph or less over the posted speeding limit, hiring an attorney for your traffic violation may be the farthest thing from your mind. After, all, how serious can a speeding ticket really be? You may be like most Illinois residents who believe the best way to handle a speeding ticket is to write a check, take it to the post office, then forget the entire incident every occurred. Of course you can handle your speeding ticket in this manner, but you may not realize the many repercussions you could face after doing so. When you pay your speeding ticket you have, in essence, entered a guilty plea for your crime—and received a conviction. That conviction could lead to points being added to your record, and if you accrue sufficient points you could end up with a license suspension.

The Law Office of Matthew R. Gebhardt, P.C. has a positive track record of obtaining favorable results for clients charged with the offense of speeding. Attorney Gebhardt has a goal of having your charges dropped completely; if this is not an option, he will negotiate for a lower offense that will add fewer points to your driving record. While you can represent yourself before a judge, having a seasoned Lake County speeding defense lawyer by your side presents a professional appearance to the judge, showing him or her that you are serious about defending the charges against you. Attorney Gebhardt knows exactly what questions to ask the officer who ticketed you and will aggressively defend your speeding charge.

Speeding Ticket Options in Illinois (25 mph or less)

You essentially have these choices after receiving your Illinois speeding ticket:

• You can attend traffic school in certain situations; you must still plead guilty and pay a fine, but the conviction will not appear on your driving record, so no points will be assessed. Not everyone in every county is eligible to attend traffic school.
• You can pay the ticket, have points placed on your license and deal with the possibility of a license suspension and an increase in your car insurance rates.
• You can appear before the judge on your own, attempting to convince him you are not guilty of the crime of speeding however few prevail when defending themselves.
• You can hire an experienced speeding ticket attorney and significantly increase the likelihood that your ticket will be dismissed.

Potential Defenses to Your Charges of Speeding

There are a number of ways your attorney may be able to challenge your speeding ticket, depending on the method used in the issuance of the ticket. Most speeding tickets are based on some type of speed-monitoring device such as radar or laser or by visual estimation (pacing). Visual estimations rely heavily on the officer’s training, and radar and laser devices must be regularly maintained and calibrated. Additionally, the officer must have sufficient training in the use of the radar or laser device. Your attorney may also be able to request court supervision for your speeding charges, although you may only take advantage of this option twice a year and must meet all eligibility requirements.

**In Illinois, a 2014 revision in law defines speeding 26 mph over the posted speed limit as a misdemeanor rather than a petty traffic crime. An aggravated speeding charge is much more serious than a speeding ticket of 25 mph or less since it can show as a misdemeanor conviction on a public record. Misdemeanor crimes can be punishable by fines and jail time.**

Getting Help from a Skilled Traffic Violations Attorney

If you feel strongly your speeding ticket was issued in error, you should definitely speak to a skilled Cook and Lake County speeding defense lawyer regarding your right to challenge the speeding violation. Attorney Gebhardt will choose the best defense strategy possible, based on the specific circumstances of your ticket. Attorney Gebhardt understands how important it is to keep your driving record clean and will work zealously to that end. Contact Matthew R. Gebhardt at 773-383-8745 or 847-239-4703 for a free, no-obligation consultation.