The Platten Law Office has been successful in keeping moving violations off of driving records, regardless of the facts of the case. Our fees start at $100 for moving violations, and even less for non-moving violations, depending on the violation and the court. 

Tickets are usually issued by a city policeman, a deputy sheriff, a deputy constable, or a DPS officer. Tickets issued by a city policeman are usually handled in that particular city's municipal court. All others are usually set in one of the Justice of the Peace courts in the particular county.

Always treat the officer with respect, even when they are wrong. Besides simple courtesy, be aware that the officer has a great deal of discretion when your case finally ends up in court. The officers usually make notes about certain drivers who have "attitudes." You are always better off if the officer does not make any special notes about you on his copy of the ticket. The best place to present your case is in court, not on the street. The best way to present your case is through us, not by yourself. Perhaps you have heard the old adage that a person who represents himself has a fool for a client. Do not let your personal feelings get in the way of a successful resolution of your case.

In Texas, you can exceed the posted speed limit and not be guilty of speeding if your speed was reasonable and prudent under the circumstances. Also, the ticket issued to you must accurately reflect the posted speed limit and your alleged speed. Sometimes, the posted speed limit is different than what the officer writes down. If in a construction zone with workers present, the prosecutor must also prove beyond a reasonable doubt that there were workers in the area. State law does not allow probation (deferred disposition) or defensive driving for speeding tickets issued in a construction zone with workers present.

If you believe that your speedometer is inaccurate (sometimes due to oversize tires), while not technically a defense, it is a good idea to have the condition corrected and bring proof of this to court. This can be done with expensive, special calibration equipment, or on the cheap using another vehicle driven by a friend and cell phone communication between the two of you to check speed readings at various speeds. Make sure that you do this at safe, legal speeds and at a safe distance.

Usually, ticket errors are not in and of themselves enough to warrant a dismissal. This is because the ticket is merely a summons, or promise to appear. The official court document (the complaint) used to prosecute the case against you, however, is based on the information contained on the ticket. Ticket errors can lead to fatal defects, but not very often. Items such as the wrong color of your car, or transposed numbers on your license plate or drivers license are not enough. A grossly misspelled name or a wrong speed limit on the ticket can lead to a dismissal.

When your case comes to court, we always examine all the documentation to see if there is a fatal defect in the complaint or elsewhere. In some courts and cases, this results in a permanent dismissal. In others, the case gets refiled, forcing you to return to court another day.

It is best to hire us as your attorney as soon as possible after the ticket is issued.  This will allow the maximum time to reset the case and tends to keep costs down. It also will eliminate the possibility inadvertent mistakes on your part.

CALL TODAY 903-593-9100 and speak to someone in my traffic ticket division.