The law office represents people charged with traffic infractions and the criminal offense of Reckless Driving in Warren County, Virginia. The county seat for Warren County is Front Royal, Virginia. It is a small town adjacent to Shenandoah National Park and other local attractions. A beautiful location, it is one of Attorney Yeargan's favorite counties to visit. Judge Christopher Collins sits as presiding judge in the General District Court. He also sits in Shenandoah County.
The charge of Reckless Driving is commonly charged in this county because it sits next to the intersection of Interstate 81 and Interstate 66. A large number of vehicles go through these highways heading back and forth from Washington, D.C. The cities of Winchester and Harrisonburg are nearby.
Reckless Driving is a Class 1 misdemeanor in Virginia, and carries a punishment range of zero to twelve months in jail, a fine of up to $2,500.00, and/or loss of license in Virginia for up to six months. It is a six point demerit conviction and stays on a driving record for 11 years. It also goes on a criminal record permanently. Out of state drivers convicted of this charge in Virginia are assessed points and administrative punishment under the rules of their individual state Division of Motor Vehicles.
Drivers who get a ticket for Reckless Driving are usually speeding over the posted speed limit. Reckless Driving by Speed may be charged when the driver is going twenty miles or more over the limit or over 85 miles per hour. Reckless Driving may also be charged when the driver has an obstructed windshield, is racing another vehicle, or passes a school bus when it is discharging passengers. There are many Reckless Driving statutes in Virginia. An experienced lawyer handling these cases tries to get the charge either dismissed or reduced to a traffic infraction such as Improper Driving. The traffic infraction is punishable with only a fine ranging from $0 to $500.00.
In order to accomplish this objective, the lawyer recommends that the client complete several tasks. First, the client may consider completing a driver improvement course. This may be done online or in person. The law office recommends idrivesafely.com; however, there are dozens of courses approved for Virginia. The course will add five positive driving points to a driving record in Virginia. The client will be given a certificate of completion which can be used in court by the lawyer to obtain the reduction.
Second, the client should obtain a copy of their driving record for the court date. This can be strong mitigation for a good result, particularly if the record is clean or has few convictions. Any driver improvement course completed in anticipation for court may be reported to the DMV and reflected on the transcript.
Thirdly, the client may want to obtain a speedometer calibration of their vehicle as mitigation in high speed cases. The mechanic shop will provide a notarized statement showing any problem with the speedometer display. If the speedometer displays a speed lower than the relative speed of the vehicle, this may be useful in court to obtain a significant reduction of the charge.
Finally, in very high speed cases in Warren County (approaching 100 miles per hour or more), the client is strongly encouraged to complete 50 hours or more of community service. The client may obtain a letter from the non-profit entity stating the number of hours completed and the contributions made by the client. Make sure that this letter is signed on the non-profit letterhead. It may not be issued from a for-profit company that pays you for your time. Habitat for Humanity, churches and animal shelters are good locations for non-profit work.
If you have a pending case for Reckless Driving in the town of Front Royal, Virginia or any other location in Warren County, call attorney Yeargan at 703-352-9044. He can help you obtain an excellent result in court, by providing guidance and quality representation in court. The law office has 25 years of experience and has handled thousands of Reckless Driving charges. The Reckless Driving case may often be handled by the lawyer without a court appearance by the client.