Reckless Driving in Virginia – Dismissal!

clock

Did you know that a charge of reckless driving in Virginia could be dismissed if the officer doesn’t appear in court?

Last week I was in Stafford County General District Court (the traffic court), and the judge called several defendants’ names. She then said that the ticketing officer did not come to court. The only defendant who was actually there had his charge dismissed!

The law behind this is simple: the Commonwealth of Virginia has to prove that you committed the crime that you are charged with. For traffic offenses (like reckless driving), the Commonwealth relies upon the ticketing officer to testify about the charge in question. If the officer doesn’t appear in court on time, the Commonwealth has essentially dropped the charge against you.

But here’s the rub – this outcome is extremely rare. In most instances, the officer will be present in court on time. The schedule is arranged where he typically only has to appear in each court once per month. And if he’s not there on time, he will usually notify the court, and the judge would typically continue the case to his next available court date. That’s definitely not a dismissal.

For reckless driving in Virginia, you don’t have a choice whether or not you appear in court. If you don’t appear (or hire a traffic attorney to appear for you), you could face charges of “failure to appear.”

If you have a Stafford reckless driving ticket, your best option is to hire me to defend it.

Photo by Atelier Teee

Andrew Flusche

My name is Andrew Flusche. I am a traffic and misdemeanor defense lawyer in Virginia. I limit my practice to traffic tickets and misdemeanor defense, so I know the ins and outs of these offenses. I literally wrote the book on reckless driving in Virginia which you can get on Amazon here or download for free here. I opened my practice in 2008 after earning my Juris Doctor degree from the University of Virginia School of Law. Since then, I have earned over 600 5-star reviews from happy clients on Google, Yelp, and Facebook. If you’ve been charged with a misdemeanor offense in Virginia, please don’t hesitate to contact me. Your initial consultation is always free, and you'll talk directly with me about the details of your case.

What's Next?

Get Free Answers

Andrew wrote the book on reckless driving. It’s the most-reviewed Virginia reckless driving resource on Amazon.com.

Get Your Free Copy

Andrew wrote the book on DWI. It’s jam-packed full of answers for your case.

Get Your Free Copy

Our special report about driving on suspended explains six critical issues to possibly fight in your case.

Get Your Free Copy

CONTACT US TODAY

We provide free consultations for cases in our area. If we can't help, we'll do our best to connect you with someone who can.

540.318.5824

help@andrewflusche.com

Contact Andrew & Fitz