Clarke County is located next to Loudoun County in Northern Virginia. Route 7 runs through the county and is a major artery of traffic. Reckless Driving, a Class 1 misdemeanor, is a common ticket received by people who travel through the county.
Berryville is the county seat in Clarke County. The main traffic court for adults is located here and is called the General District Court. The Honorable Amy Tisinger is the presiding judge. She also sits as a judge in Shenandoah County. The court hears trials for traffic infractions and misdemeanors. It also holds Preliminary Hearings for felony charges stemming from traffic stops. The court information is located below:
General District Court
104 N Church St, Berryville, VA 22611
540-955-5128
Reckless Driving in Virginia is punishable by zero to 12 months in jail, a fine of up to $2,500.00, and suspension of driver's license for up to six months. If convicted, the driver will unfortunately have a permanent criminal conviction on their records. It is a six point demerit charge in Virginia. There are numerous laws that make a traffic violation Reckless Driving, including Faulty Brakes, Obstructed Windshield, Passing a School Bus, etc. By far the most common form of Reckless Driving is Speeding.
Reckless Driving by Speed may be charged anytime a driver exceeds twenty miles or more over the speed limit. It may also be charged when a driver exceeds 85 miles per hour. The speed of the driver is measured by LIDAR (laser), RADAR, or PACE. Pace is measured by an officer following the driver's car and getting a speedometer readout of the speed of the vehicle.
The law office seeks to get Reckless Driving by Speed charges dismissed or reduced to a lesser offense called traffic infractions. Traffic Infractions are non-criminal and are punishable only by fines. Examples of traffic infractions are Speeding, Improper Driving, and Failure to Obey a Highway Sign.
Depending on the exact speed in your case, the law office may recommend a variety of action items before court. These action items improve your chances of getting a good outcome with the prosecutor (called a Commonwealth Attorney) and judge. These almost always include completing a driver improvement course, getting a speedometer calibration of your own vehicle, and ordering your driving record to use in court.
The judge in Clarke County prefers that people complete an in-person driver improvement course approved for Virginia. It is an eight hour course.
Sometimes in high speed Reckless Driving cases the law office may recommend that the client complete community service hours before court. This may be done with any non-profit entity, such as a church, animal shelter, Habitat for Humanity or thrift shop operation. The client should get a letter from the entity stating the number of hours performed. The law office will provide guidance on how many hours to complete.
In extremely high speed cases, the law office may also advise completing an additional four hour driving clinic specifically for Reckless Driving/Aggressive Driving charges. This program is called RADEP and is an in-person course.
The law office's recommendations will depend on the quality of your driving record, the speed written on the ticket, and the facts related to the traffic stop.
The law office has helped many people with traffic offenses in Clarke County, and has a great depth of experience in Reckless Driving cases. Attorney Wilfred Yeargan has defended thousands of Reckless Driving cases over 25 years of practice. The law office offers a free, initial telephone consultation. It can help you develop a strategy to prepare your case before court to obtain the best result. Contact US Today at 703-352-9044 to get started on resolving this matter to protect your future!