• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Mass. RMV Lawyer

Massachusetts License Suspension Appeals

  • DUI Suspensions
    • Massachusetts Drunk Driving Law
    • Mass. Breathalyzer & Chemical Test Refusal Suspensions
    • Breathalyzer Refusal Suspension Appeals
    • Massachusetts Breathalyzer Refusal Rights & Penalties
    • Breathalyzer Refusal / Chemical Test Refusal
      • Suspension Appeals for Constructive Breathalyzer Refusals
      • Chemical Test Refusal License Reinstatement Hearings
      • Appealing a 5 year Chemical Test Refusal Suspension
    • 2nd Offense DUI Suspensions
    • Melanie’s Law
      • Ignition Interlock Device Reinstatement Procedures
      • Rolling Re-test Violations in Massachusetts
      • Problems with Ignition Interlock Devices
      • Ignition Interlock Circumvention
      • Ignition Interlock Device Removal
      • Ignition Interlock Device Lockouts
      • Check your Eligibility for a Mass. Hardship License
    • OUI Child Endangerment License Suspensions
    • OUI Defense
    • Tougher Mass. OUI & other Motor Vehicle Laws Proposed
    • Check your Eligibility for a Mass. Hardship License
    • Traffic Tickets
      • Request for Detailed Driving History Record
      • Speeding Citation Suspensions
      • Check your Eligibility for a Mass. Hardship License
  • Out of State & NDR Suspensions
    • A21 – DUI of Alcohol Suspensions
    • National Driver Register (NDR) Revocations
    • The National Driver Register (NDR)
    • Out of State DUI Suspensions for Mass. Residents
    • Out of State DUI Convictions
    • Mass. DUI Consequences for Non-Residents
    • Out of State License Revocations
    • A New York DWAI or DUI and your Massachusetts License
    • New York DWAI Suspensions
    • The National Driver Register & Out of State License Suspensions
    • National Driver Register License Suspensions
    • Out of State Suspensions & DUI Convictions
    • The Consequences of Getting a DUI in NH or Other States
    • Out of State DUI Suspensions & the Mass. RMV
  • Immediate Threat Suspensions
    • What is an Immediate Threat Suspension?
    • I wrote the Book on Immediate Threat Suspension Appeals
    • Appeal your Immediate Threat Suspension
    • Immediate Threat Indefinite Revocations
    • Immediate Threat Revocations Are Constitutional
    • Massachusetts Immediate Threat Indefinite Revocations
    • Immediate Threat Indefinite Suspensions
    • Complaint Immediate Threat Indefinite Suspensions: MV Violation Required
    • Elderly Drivers & “Complaint Medical” or “Immediate Threat” Suspensions
    • Fatal Accident Preliminary Suspensions
    • Updated Immediate Threat Information
    • Check your Eligibility for a Mass. Hardship License
  • Board of Appeal
    • Massachusetts RMV Board of Appeal
      • Surcharges, Citations, & Insurance
    • The Division of Insurance Board of Appeal
    • Board of Appeal Hearing
    • Get Your Suspended MA License Back
    • Get a Hardship License from the Mass. RMV or the Board of Appeal
    • Board of Appeal & RMV Hearings: Your Last Chance to Present Evidence
    • Not Hiring a Lawyer for your Board of Appeal Hearing is not Smart
    • Hardship License Appeal Process
    • Check your Eligibility for a Mass. Hardship License
    • More Board of Appeal Information
    • More Board of Appeal Information
  • CDL Revocations
    • CDL License Suspension Penalties
    • Commercial Drivers License Suspensions
    • Mass. CDL Suspensions & Disqualifications
    • CDL Disqualifications & Revocations
    • Mass. DUI Commercial Drivers License (CDL) Penalties
    • Tough Penalties for CDL Holders in Massachusetts
    • Latest CDL News & Information

Traffic Tickets

Massachusetts Traffic Tickets, including a Massachusetts speeding ticket can have serious and long-lasting consequences. In addition to the fine, a motor vehicle violation will likely increase your automobile insurance rates and count towards a license suspension. It has been estimated that a single speeding citation can cost you as much as $1,500.00 in increased insurance rates. Even violations such as operating an unregistered motor vehicle or driving with an expired inspection sticker will result in a surcharge on your driving record and count towards a license suspension. Given these consequences, it might make sense to hire a Traffic Violation Attorney to appeal your Massachusetts speeding ticket.  

THE APPEAL PROCESS FOR CIVIL MOTOR VEHICLE INFRACTIONS

The speeding ticket appeal process begins with the issuance of a citation, otherwise known as a "ticket." In Massachusetts, tickets fall into 2 categories, they are either "civil" or "criminal." If a police officer observes or has brought to his attention the occurrence of a civil motor vehicle infraction, the officer may issue a written warning or a civil motor vehicle citation. This is an example of a civil citation:

You will see that the "All Civil Infractions" box is checked. If you receive a civil citation, within 20 days of the date of the citation you must, for each civil motor vehicle infraction alleged, either pay the scheduled assessment or contest responsibility for the infraction by requesting a hearing before a magistrate of the district court. You must decide whether to pay or appeal the citation. If you pay the citation, you are admitting responsibility and the violations will count against you for insurance and license suspension purposes. 

You may contest responsibility for the citation by signing the back of the citation, checking off the "hearing" box on the back of the citation, and mailing it to the RMV at the address indicated on the citation within 20 days of the date of the citation. The Court will then schedule a speeding ticket appeal.

At the hearing before a magistrate or justice, the citation is admissible and is prima facie evidence of the facts stated therein. This means that at the Clerk-Magistrate level, the police officer who wrote the ticket does not have to appear for you to be found responsible. The citation itself is considered evidence against you.

At the conclusion of the hearing, the magistrate or justice will announce a finding of responsible or not responsible. The magistrate or justice will enter a finding of responsible only if it was shown by a preponderance of the credible evidence that you committed the infraction alleged; otherwise the magistrate or justice must enter a finding of not responsible. No other disposition is permitted. Winning a traffic ticket or speeding ticket appeal means that not only do you not have to pay the citation, but also your insurance will not increase because of it and the violations will not be counted against you for license suspension purposes. Because of this, it might make sense to  hire an attorney to represent you.

Attorney Paul B. Watkins, a former police officer, has an excellent record of achieving not responsible findings at Massachusetts speeding and traffic ticket appeal hearings. He uses his years of police knowledge and experience in defending motorists cited for speeding, marked lanes, defective equipment, red light violations, and other civil motor vehicle infractions as well as criminal offenses such as operating after suspension, uninsured motor vehicle, and more serious offense such as operating under the influence.

Massachusetts traffic tickets and speeding citations can cost you thousands by increasing your insurance rates and they can result in license suspensions. You can avoid these serious consequences by getting a not responsible finding or a dismissal of the charges. Call or e-mail today for a no cost review of your case.

Traffic tickets can count towards towards a 30 day suspensions for 3 speeding tickets, 60 day license suspensions for 7 Surchargable Events and 4 year license revocations for being a Habitual Traffic Offender. Also, if you have a Junior Operator’s License (JOL) and you are found responsible for speeding, your license will be suspended for up to one (1) year. Motor Vehicle Citations may also cause you to have to complete the National Safety Council Driver Re-Training Course. Certain traffic violations might also result in the loss of a Commercial Drivers License. Contact a traffic violation attorney to discuss your options.

Primary Sidebar

Attorney Brian E. Simoneau
550 Cochituate Road, Suite 25
Framingham, MA 01701-4683 (map)
Call or Text: 508-656-0057
Fax: 508-302-0212

Contact a Lawyer

Your Message Has been Successfully Sent. Looking forward to speaking with you soon.
Your Message Has Not been sent. Try again later.

Recent Posts

  • The Pennsylvania ARD Program Q&A
  • Another Customer Service Failure at the RMV
  • Inaccurate IID Readings
  • D36 – Failure to Maintain Liability Insurance
  • Your Breathalyzer Refusal Suspension may be Invalid!
  • Out of State Speeding & Reckless Driving
  • But I don’t have a Massachusetts License!
  • Heineken Causes Ignition Interlock Violation
  • No End of Covid Restrictions in Sight

Let’s work together to get you back on the road, legally.

Contact us today regarding your Massachusetts License Suspension or Revocation.

Get Your License Back

Footer

Disclaimer

Mass. RMV Lawyers is not a government agency or affiliated with the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles or any DMV. You can reach the suspension section of the Mass. RMV at 857-368-8200 and you can reach the Mass. Board of Appeal at 617-521-7794.

Contact

Brian E. Simoneau, Esq.
550 Cochituate Road, Suite 25
Framingham, MA 01701-4683
(508) 656-0057
attorney@rmvappeal.com

Recent Posts

  • The Pennsylvania ARD Program Q&A
  • Another Customer Service Failure at the RMV
  • Inaccurate IID Readings
  • D36 – Failure to Maintain Liability Insurance

Copyright © 2021 · WordPress website customization by Anything Graphic. Nav Map