Much is made about the criminal charges that are associated with DUI. However, an oft-overlooked aspect of any DUI is the associated traffic citations. Beyond just the criminal charges, you may be cited for speeding, rolling through a stop sign, driving over the center-line, not wearing your seatbelt and any other traffic violation in concert with the DUI charge. Each violation is considered separately, and each violation comes coupled with fines, fees and a ding on your driving record. These violations are dealt with separately from your criminal charges, in traffic court.
Most people are too overwhelmed with dealing with the criminal charges to give much thought to any traffic citations. But those things do add up, and even if you manage to get off on your DUI charges you may find yourself with a pile of traffic tickets to pay. Getting absolved of a crime does not automatically absolve you of a traffic violation.
What you can do to avoid the added headache of traffic court is to file a motion to consolidate your tickets into your DUI case. By merging your traffic citations with your criminal charges, both will be heard and dealt with by a single judge. That judge has the power to dismiss all of your tickets, absolving you of responsibility to pay them. The judge also has the power to pend administrative penalties such as license revocation until the resolution of your trial, allowing you to continue driving legally while your matter is resolved.
A motion to consolidate various matters is a complex legal action, and should be constructed by a credentialed DUI attorney. The attorneys at Finebloom & Haenel have years of experience filing such motions and representing the rights of those accused of DUI in Tampa, Sarasota and the surrounding areas. If you have been charged with a DUI, call our offices today at 1-800-FIGHT-IT.
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