Reckless Driving cases in Shenandoah County, Virginia are very common and routinely handled by the law office. Interstate 81 passes through the County and the highway is patrolled by State Troopers and local police. Shenandoah County is a beautiful area with mountains, caverns and other attractions. Shenandoah National Park and the Appalachian Trail are nearby. The county seat is the town of Woodstock.
Reckless Driving cases for adults are heard in the General District Court. The presiding judge that sits in the General District Court in Woodstock is Judge Amy Tisinger. The other judges in the General District Court are Mr. Stanley Hart, Mr. Kenneth Alger II, Mr. Christopher Collins, and Ms. Mary Louise Costello Daniel. Judge Amy Tisinger also sits in Clarke County, Virginia.
Reckless Driving in Virginia is a Class 1 misdemeanor. It is punishable by zero to twelve months in jail, a fine of up to $2,500.00, and/or loss of driving privileges in Virginia for up to six months. It is a 6 point demerit conviction with the Virginia DMV and stays on a Virginia driving record for 11 years. The most common form of Reckless Driving charged in this county is Reckless Driving by Speed. This is charged when a driver drives over 85 miles per hour or 20 or more miles over the speed limit. Other forms of Reckless Driving include Faulty Brakes, Passing a School Bus, and Reckless Driving by Conduct (Endangering Life, Limb, or Property).
The law office handles these cases very often and works hard to obtain a reduction of the charges to a traffic infraction, such as Improper Driving. This reduced charge is not a criminal offense and may be punished by only a fine of up to $500.00. It carries three points with the Virginia Division of Motor vehicles and falls off a Virginia Driving record after three years. The license is not suspended by the court on an Improper Driving conviction.
Reckless Driving charges in Virginia generally require that the defendant appear in court to respond to the charges. Each county is different and has its own rules about when defendants must appear or may be represented in their absence by a licensed Virginia lawyer. In this county, the lawyer may appear on the client's behalf in high speed cases. The law office will as a precaution contact the prosecutor's office to determine if the defendant's appearance may be waived. The law office has done this in cases over 90 miles per hour (90, 92, 93, etc.). The lawyer will then advise the client ahead of the court date if it is possible to avoid an appearance.
The law office recommends that the client complete a driver improvement course, get a copy of their driving record, and obtain a speedometer calibration of their vehicle before the court date. In this county, the judges prefer that the client complete an in-person driver improvement course approved for Virginia rather than an online class. You will be given a certificate of completion for the class which may be printed and presented by the lawyer to the Judge and prosecutor.
If you are a CDL (Commercial Driver's License) holder and receive a Reckless Driving ticket in this county, do not complete a driver improvement course before court. It will not be considered by the prosecutor when making a decision about reduction of the charge to a traffic infraction. This applies whether or not the CDL driver was driving his work vehicle or private vehicle. This policy was recently adopted by the prosecutor's office because of federal laws related to anti-masking of original CDL traffic charges.
The speedometer calibration is a notarized document that serves as mitigation of the speed if your car has a defective speedometer or the speed on the display is significantly less than the actual speed of the vehicle. It can be used in court to help obtain a reduction of the charge to a traffic infraction and/or reduced penalties.
If the speed cited on the Reckless Driving Summons is very high, the law office may suggest completing community service with a non-profit entity and getting a letter stating the number of hours performed.
Contact the law office for a free initial consultation at 703-352-9044 if you have a pending Reckless Driving case in the county of Shenandoah. The lawyer will advise you of what needs to be done before court to prepare for your case and get the best outcome. Attorney Yeargan has 24 years of experience handling criminal and traffic matters in the State of Virginia. The law office offers in-person office consultations to personally review your case, as well as reasonable flat fee rates.