Most traffic citations are easily resolved when the driver opts to pay the fine associated with the offense. When a driver is cited for reckless driving in Virginia, paying a fine before the date of the hearing to resolve the issue is not an option.
Reckless driving is a criminal charge that can have serious penalties, especially for those that are being charged beyond the first offense.
If you were cited for reckless driving, for the best results, contact an experienced Greensville County attorney to get the representation that is necessary to protect you and your interests as you navigate, what may be, your first experience in Virginia criminal courts. Consult with a criminal attorney in Greensville County to understand how to make the best of your legal situation.
In Greensville County and throughout Virginia, reckless driving is a criminal offense that is adjudicated under VA Code § 46.2-853 through VA Code § 46.2-865. As a criminal offense, people that are charged with reckless driving are obligated to appear in court for scheduled hearings, just as they would do so if they were charged with another criminal offense.
In Virginia, reckless driving does not require that the driving cause an accident and it does not require that a person or property be harmed before a police officer is able to cite a driver for reckless driving. It is driving at a speed or in a manner that would endanger lives, limbs, or property, so any act, while driving, that a police officer believes could endanger lives, limbs, or property meets the standard. These criteria can be best explained by a reckless driving attorney in Greensville County.
Under Virginia law, there are numerous acts that give rise to a reckless driving charge. While the most common act that results in a reckless driving citation is speeding, driving under the speed limit, but too fast for the conditions, having an obstructed view while driving, or failing to signal a lane change may also result in a reckless driving citation. Reckless driving is a Class 1 misdemeanor and the penalty, if convicted of the charge is, up to 12 months in jail, a fine up to $2,500, or both.
Although reckless driving can result in incarceration, it is not common for the penalty to include incarceration, especially if it is a first offense. Additionally, the court can suspend a person’s privilege to drive for up to six months. To defend against such penalties, an individual should not hesitate before contacting a Greensville County reckless driving lawyer.
There are only three options that are available to people that are charged with criminal offenses. The case can be dismissed, the accused can go to trial, or the accused can negotiate a plea and plead guilty to an agreed charge. Every option when charged with a criminal offense requires that the accused go to court, at least, once.
When a driver is charged with reckless driving in Greenville County, they will make an initial appearance in Greenville County District Court, which is located at 315 South Main Street, Emporia, Virginia 23847.
Criminal matters are typically heard on Mondays. Hearings that are held in Greenville County District Court are presided over by judges, who can make determinations of guilt or innocence. If an individual is convicted of reckless driving in criminal court, the issue can be appealed to Greenville County Circuit Court. The appeal can be crafted by an experienced Greensville County reckless driving lawyer.
If you have been charged with reckless driving in Virginia, it is important to give the charge the seriousness that the court will. Contact an experienced Greenville County reckless driving lawyer to protect your best interests.
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