Do I need to hire a Virginia reckless driving lawyer?
You may not need an attorney for your Virginia reckless driving charge.
But I always recommend talking to the right lawyer to find out what you’re facing, what can be done for your case, and if hiring counsel makes sense.
Note that I said you should talk to the right lawyer.
How do you know who that might be?
You want an attorney who is properly equipped to get a great result in your unique case.
Let’s look at several questions you should ask ANY attorney when you interview them for your reckless driving case.
QUESTIONS WHEN HIRING A VIRGINIA RECKLESS DRIVING LAWYER…
Who will be defending me in the courtroom?
When you buy a car, you look for the precise vehicle that best fits your needs.
When you take delivery, you ensure that it’s exactly the vehicle you paid for.
Hiring an attorney should be the same way.
You spend considerable time reading up on the law, checking into attorneys, talking to them, and then you hire someone.
But when crunch time comes, who will be standing there with you in court?
That’s the precise moment you’re concerned about.
You may be surprised to learn that lots of firms pass files to more junior associates or “of counsel” attorneys.
You might read one attorney’s writing on the website, talk to another attorney on the phone, and be standing next to an attorney you’ve never heard of when you get to court.
When you hire me, you get me. I’m the only attorney in my office, and I’ll be the person defending you in court.
Clients hire me because they want my experience and knowledge put to use in their case. I wouldn’t think of passing a client off to anyone else.
If someone calls for a county that I don’t handle or a case that cannot fit into my calendar, I decline the case.
Instead of taking your money and shuffling you off to someone else, I do my best to connect you with a trusted colleague who you can hire to defend the ticket.
QUESTIONS WHEN HIRING A VIRGINIA RECKLESS DRIVING LAWYER…
Do you EVER pass your clients off to other attorneys?
This question relates to the previous one, but it’s an even more serious concern, in my opinion.
Some attorneys spread themselves thin and take on cases that conflict with already-scheduled court dates. Instead of carefully managing their calendar to ensure they can personally handle every case, some attorneys ask colleagues to “stand-in” for a case in court.
I know. I’ve been asked by several of my competitors to stand in for them. Usually, the “stand-in” attorney gets contacted a few days before trial and asked to add a case to their calendar.
The attorney YOU paid to defend your case might fax a copy of the file to the “stand-in” guy, or he might not.
Then a random attorney who isn’t even associated with your attorney appears in court for your case.
Again, if you hire me, I handle your case in court. I’ve NEVER had someone else appear in court for a client, and I don’t plan to ever do that.
QUESTIONS WHEN HIRING A VA RECKLESS DRIVING LAWYER…
Where are you located?
Reckless driving defense in Virginia varies a LOT based on the local court, judges, prosecutors, officers, etc. I always recommend looking for a local attorney who regularly handles reckless driving cases in the court where your charge is pending.
Be sure to ask the attorney where his PRIMARY office is located. Quite a few lawyers have “satellite offices” located around the Commonwealth. This can make it look like they’re local to the court you need, when in reality, they are from another area altogether.
My office is located in Spotsylvania County, off Exit 126 on Interstate 95. I live in Spotsylvania County as well.
Spotsylvania County is right next door to the City of Fredericksburg and Stafford County. The Fredericksburg / Stafford / Spotsylvania area is essentially a mini-metropolitan area.
Here are the distances from my office to the nearby courts:
- Spotsylvania General District: 5.7 miles
- Fredericksburg General District: 5.6 miles
- Stafford General District: 13.9 miles
I also defend cases in King George, Caroline, and Orange, but I am primarily in the above courts.
QUESTIONS WHEN HIRING A RECKLESS DRIVING LAWYER…
What percentage of your practice is devoted to traffic and misdemeanor defense?
If you’re getting brain surgery done, you want a brain surgeon. If you’re getting advice from an attorney, you want to be talking to somebody who handles a lot of reckless driving charges.
One trend among law firms these days relies on having separate websites for each area of law they handle. You might come across a website that talks solely about reckless driving defense and think that the attorney handles nothing else. That’s their goal. But if you Google the attorney’s name, you might find that they have, for example, a family law website or a personal injury website as well.
It’s difficult to dabble in any area of the law, since there can be many traps for the unwary. Finding an attorney who focuses on exactly your need helps to ensure he has the experience and tools to get the best result possible. Remember the old saying, “Jack of all trades, master of none.”
My ENTIRE practice is devoted to Virginia traffic and misdemeanor defense. I do nothing else. Period.
You won’t find me handling family law cases or doing bankruptcies. I don’t do civil appeals or personal injury claims. I’m routinely asked to handle lots of different matters, and I decline that business.
I have focused my practice like a laser beam so I can hone my craft and serve my traffic and misdemeanor defense clients to the best of my abilities.
QUESTIONS WHEN HIRING A RECKLESS DRIVING LAWYER IN VA…
How often do you handle reckless driving cases in this court?
Just being located near the court you need isn’t sufficient. Neither is focusing on traffic defense. I recommend talking to an attorney who regularly handles reckless driving cases in the court where your case is pending.
It’s all about specific experience in the right courtroom. I’ve mentioned several times that these cases differ greatly based on the court. Even if someone handles ten reckless driving cases every week in Richmond or Fairfax, they may not have the first clue about what the judge will do in your case in Spotsylvania. The judges, officers, prosecutors, and local procedures all vary between courts. You should seek out someone who knows the court where your case will be heard.
I regularly defend reckless driving charges in Spotsylvania, Stafford, and Fredericksburg. I defend drivers in the local courts four or five days a week.
I get calls from potential clients for cases all over Virginia, but I don’t take on those clients. You deserve an attorney who knows the local court, and I focus on the areas that I know.
QUESTIONS WHEN HIRING A VA RECKLESS DRIVING LAWYER…
How much do you charge for reckless driving defense?
How much does a reckless driving Virginia lawyer cost?I offer free initial phone meetings (for cases in my practice area). We will review the facts of your case, and I will tell you what I think we can achieve together in court.
I handle all my cases on a flat rate. This makes billing and fees incredibly easy. You know exactly what my services will cost after our initial consultation.
The specific rate for your case will depend upon a variety of factors such as the charge you’re facing and the court it’s in. Due to the varied nature of charges, I cannot list rates online. However, I guarantee that I will set a rate for your case during our first consultation.
QUESTIONS WHEN HIRING A VIRGINIA RECKLESS DRIVING LAWYER…
Will the Commonwealth’s Attorney be involved in my case?
There may or may not be a prosecutor in your case. That can affect the preparation of the case before court and the strategy in the courtroom. You want a Virginia reckless driving lawyer who knows what players will be involved in your case and can properly prepare for trial.
When we talk about the facts of your case, we can discuss if the prosecutor will be involved or not. For the most part on reckless by speed cases, they do not get involved in Fredericksburg area cases where the speed is less than 100 mph and the speed is less than 30 mph over the limit. However, that does vary on a case-by-case basis.
QUESTIONS WHEN HIRING A RECKLESS DRIVING LAWYER…
Do you know the ticketing officer?
Having a working relationship with the ticketing officer can be critical in reckless driving defense. The officer’s discretion can hurt or help your case. When at all possible, it makes sense to hire an attorney who is familiar with the officers in the court where your case is pending.
I have worked hard to develop professional, working relationships with the traffic officers, deputies, and troopers in my local area. I can’t say that I know everyone, but I hope that everyone knows my reputation as a man of integrity, an attorney who gets results, and a nice guy.
QUESTIONS WHEN HIRING A VIRGINIA RECKLESS DRIVING LAWYER…
Which judge will be hearing my case?
This is one of those details like the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s involvement: it can be important for preparing the case, and it shows if the attorney is familiar with the court. Of course, knowing the name of the judge isn’t enough to know what might happen with your case. However, NOT knowing the possible judges can show a lack of familiarity.
No one can guarantee what judge will be on the bench for your reckless driving charge. However, I know all of the regular local General District Court judges. When we talk about your case, I’ll tell you which judge would normally be hearing your trial.
When I get to court to handle cases, I confirm which judge is actually on the bench. If it’s an unexpected judge or a substitute, I re-examine my case strategy to see what might need to change to get the best result possible.
QUESTIONS WHEN HIRING A RECKLESS DRIVING LAWYER IN VIRGINIA…
Are you familiar with the judge’s habits with driving school and alternative outcomes?
Once you know which judge is likely to hear your case, you should question what that judge does with cases like yours. Every case is unique and depends upon the specific facts, but attorneys can have a general feel for the judge based on past experience.
Most judges have informal policies about how they handle reckless driving charges. For example, they may accept driving school at certain speeds to dismiss the case completely. They might accept it in other types of cases to earn a reduction to a regular speeding ticket. As an example, one local judge doesn’t send anyone over 25-years-old to driving school.
These differences can dramatically impact the approach to your case. Thus, it’s critical for your attorney to know the judge’s normal policies. One of the main issues we’ll talk about during a free consultation is what the judge might do with the facts of your case. That doesn’t guarantee what will happen in court, but we will definitely talk about the judge’s leanings so you can get an idea of what to expect.
QUESTIONS WHEN HIRING A VIRGINIA RECKLESS DRIVING LAWYER…
Do you know the clerks?
Some attorneys practically ignore the clerks at the courthouse. I think that’s wrong. They’re people too. And they also have the power to make your case a little smoother.
For example, if your license gets suspended, you may need to apply for a restricted license. Preparing the license can take the clerks a few business days, which means you wouldn’t be able to drive at all for a while. But sometimes the clerks can speed that process up to get you back on the road more quickly.
I’ve tried to get to know all the local traffic / criminal General District Court clerks. Simply learning people’s names and greeting them when I appear in court goes a long way. Developing a professional relationship with people like the clerks helps to ensure a smooth court experience.
Return to top ↑QUESTIONS WHEN HIRING A RECKLESS DRIVING LAWYER…
Do you have testimonials from previous clients that I can read?
If you’re looking to hire any professional, you should ask for references or examples of past work. It’s a little bit tricky for attorneys to provide information like that due to client confidentiality. However, Virginia attorneys are definitely allowed to provide testimonials and reviews from prior clients (subject to certain rules by the state regulators).
Testimonials certainly shouldn’t be used as the sole way to evaluate an attorney. But if an attorney doesn’t have any testimonials from satisfied clients, that may be a red flag. I’d also be concerned if an attorney was simply reluctant to answer this question or tried to side-step it.
I’m blessed to have dozens of testimonials and reviews from past clients. I’ve included a handful here. You can view and listen to others on my website and on websites such as Google Maps and Yelp. These testimonials are not edited for grammar or spelling.
Working with Andrew Flusche has been great. I live far from where I needed to attend court, and he did a great job keeping in touch with me. My final charges were very less severe then i had thought, he helped greatly. — Michelle
I was amazed at how smoothly my problem was handled. We were able to conduct our business by phone and computer. I did not even have to go to court. Andrew handled everything for me. What a relief! –Carol
Andrew provided excellent service, answering all my questions and handling the situation in a professional manner. His contact with me was superb, including a telephone call immediately after court decision was rendered. –Ken
Andrew Flusche handled my case in a thoroughly professional and cost efficient manner. He resolved the matter favorably and the outcome was as he predicted. –Thad
There are certainly other factors to consider when talking with attorneys for your case, but these give you a good overview of what to look for. More subtle areas such as personality and how well you connect with each other can also be incredibly important in selecting the right attorney for your case.
Next up: How Much Does a Virginia Reckless Driving Lawyer Cost? & Lawyers in Stafford VA