What most people consider to be a traffic ticket is often regarded by the courts as an infraction by a driver. A simple speeding ticket or failure to signal while making a turn are two examples of this. But many tickets can be considered misdemeanors or even felonies. The differences between the two have a lot to do with the laws in the state the violation took place in. The following are three ways an attorney may be able to help you in either situation.

1. They can keep a misdemeanor from becoming a felony

What you think is going to be a misdemeanor can quickly change into a felony once a judge looks at the circumstances. Often a misdemeanor is simply a situation of property damage that was done by your car after a traffic infraction such as speeding or not signaling. However, when you have committed a misdemeanor because someone was hurt in the accident, this can easily become a felony, if it is later discovered that the person's injuries were more severe than originally thought. In this situation, a misdemeanor can become a felony. An attorney can often prevent this from happening.

2. They can help to prevent severe consequences of a felony

A felony conviction can mean a prison sentence. In some jurisdictions there is a three strikes rule, so if you have two previous felony convictions, one more means an automatic prison sentence. The most important service your attorney can provide in this situation is to bargain down a felony to a misdemeanor. You may still need to serve time in a county jail, but it will be months instead of years in prison. Of course, this same plea bargaining can occur even when you face a first-time felony charge.

3. They may be able to reduce the consequences of a DUI

A DUI can be either a misdemeanor or a felony, but it is important to understand the consequences when convicted of a DUI. If you are a first time offender and think it is best to plead guilty and get the incident behind you, then you need to think again. Driving under the influence of alcohol is becoming less tolerated in our society, so many judges are handing out harsh penalties for first-time offenders as a deterrent to future incidents. What this can mean is a loss of driving privileges, large fines, and even time in the county jail. It is possible that an attorney can mitigate the consequences of a DUI, especially for a first-time offender.

Misdemeanors and felonies for traffic accidents need to be taken seriously. The penalties can be harsher than you anticipate. Your best bet is to admit nothing and speak to an attorney about what happened, and then let him or her work to get the best possible outcome. For more information, contact a company like Daniels Long & Pinsel.