Can I Get an Extension on My Due Date?
The economic downturn of the last year or so has taken a toll on families throughout North Carolina. If you are like most people, you have little room in your budget for extra expenses. However, a traffic ticket is something you must deal with head-on. Traffic tickets are taken very seriously by North Carolina authorities so you cannot simply ignore the citation and hope it will go away. Doing so may lead to even harsher penalties.
If you have received a traffic ticket that you cannot pay, you should consult with a local North Carolina Traffic Lawyer to advise you. There are ways of getting relief or forbearance, and a traffic lawyer can give you insight on how to pursue these paths. If your case happened in Asheboro, please consult an Asheboro, NC Traffic Lawyer or a Randolph County Traffic Attorney for legal advice.
Your Options If You Cannot Afford to Pay Your Traffic Ticket
You need not resign to fear, anxiety, and frustration if you cannot afford to pay for your traffic ticket. Here are some of your options:
- You can request a reduction
The size of the fine is the most important thing about it. If you received a traffic ticket for a major violation, it may require you to pay hundreds of dollars. You can request that the fine be reduced when you go to court. To get this relief, you must provide documentation that proves your income is too low for you to afford such a fine. Your Randolph County Traffic Lawyer will advise you of the kind of paperwork the judge will want to see.
- You can request an extension
Your problem may not be the size of the find but the date that it is due. You may need more time to pay the fine. If you need to wait until your next paycheck or time to receive money that is being sent to you, then you should request an extension. You will need to provide documentation that verifies the reasons you have given for the extension request. You should speak to your North Carolina Traffic Lawyer when putting these documents together.
- You can request alternatives
You can request permission to take a traffic school course instead of paying the traffic ticket. Judges have the power to give you this form of relief. To be sure, this will still cost you some money, but it is likely to be a great deal less than the traffic ticket.
You can also request that the judge order you to perform community service in lieu of paying the traffic ticket. This is a serious option, and you should work with your Asheboro NC traffic lawyer to build a case for it.
You Can Always Fight the Ticket
The option of fighting the ticket is always available to you. If you believe you were unfairly ticketed, you can submit evidence in support of this position. You can also argue that the size of the fine is unjust given the nature of the infraction. In this instance, you can ask the judge to reduce the amount of money you have to pay.
You can also admit that you are guilty of the traffic offense, but cite circumstances that should mitigate a high fine. You can point out that it is a first-offense, that you have no criminal record, or that you committed the infraction because of an emergency situation. These are all reasonable arguments for getting your traffic ticket reduced or dismissed.
The bottom line is that you should not attempt to duck a traffic fine. Nor should you despair at the prospect of having to pay it. You do have options. You can begin exploring them by seeking the help of Attorney Tony Huynh.