Traffic Ticket Lawyer in High Point, NC
Paying the ticket is a conviction. With a traffic lawyer, many tickets can be resolved in a way that keeps the points and the record off your license. Call traffic attorney Chad Garrett at (336) 379-0539 before your court date.
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A High Point traffic ticket can put points on your license, raise your insurance and, at higher speeds, become a criminal misdemeanor. Speeding more than 15 mph over the limit, or over 80 mph, is a Class 3 misdemeanor under G.S. 20-141(j1), and a conviction at those speeds brings a 30 day license suspension under G.S. 20-16.1(a).
- Tickets We Handle in High Point
- The High Point Courthouse
- What a Traffic Ticket Can Cost You
- What a Prayer for Judgment Can and Cannot Do
- How We Handle High Point Traffic Tickets
- Missed Your High Point Court Date?
- Out-of-State Drivers Ticketed in High Point
- What a High Point Traffic Lawyer Costs
- How To Choose a Traffic Lawyer in High Point
- Related Pages
- Your attorney
- What clients say
- Where we practice
- Questions people ask
Tickets We Handle in High Point
- Speeding, including 15 over and 80 plus, and work zone speeding
- Reckless driving
- Running a red light or stop sign
- Failure to yield
- Following too close and unsafe movement
- No insurance, registration and inspection tickets
- Driving while license revoked
- Missed court dates and failure to appear
- DWI, on our High Point DWI lawyer page
The High Point Courthouse
| Courthouse | Guilford County Courthouse, High Point |
| Address | 505 East Green Drive, High Point, NC 27262 |
| Clerk (main) | (336) 822-6700 |
| Hours | Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 12:45pm and 1:45pm to 5:00pm |
Guilford County has two courthouses. The main courthouse is at 201 South Eugene St, Greensboro NC 27401. The courthouse printed on your citation is the one your case is in. If it is unclear, call us and we will look it up on eCourts.
What a Traffic Ticket Can Cost You
Speeding, by the statute
| Ticket | What the Law Says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Default limits | 35 mph inside city limits, 55 mph outside, unless posted otherwise | G.S. 20-141(b) |
| More than 15 over, or over 80 mph | Class 3 misdemeanor | G.S. 20-141(j1) |
| Conviction above 15 over while going above 55, or above 80 | 30 day license suspension | G.S. 20-16.1(a) |
| Speeding in a highway work zone | $250 penalty on top of the other penalties | G.S. 20-141(j2) |
A Class 3 misdemeanor carries up to 10 days. With three or fewer prior convictions, G.S. 15A-1340.23(d) says the judgment is a fine only, capped at $200. The conviction on your record and the license suspension are the parts that last, and that is what a lawyer is for.
Driver’s license points
DMV assigns points for moving violation convictions under G.S. 20-16(c). Common examples:
| Conviction | Points |
|---|---|
| Passing a stopped school bus | 5 |
| Reckless driving | 4 |
| Following too close | 4 |
| Speeding in excess of 55 mph | 3 |
| Running a red light or stop sign | 3 |
| Speeding in a school zone over the posted limit | 3 |
| No liability insurance | 3 |
| All other moving violations | 2 |
Twelve or more points in three years can suspend your license under G.S. 20-16(a)(5). After a reinstatement, eight points in three years can do it again.
Insurance
Insurance rates are set by a separate Safe Driver Incentive Plan under G.S. 58-36-65(b), which sets premium differences for drivers with convictions of major and minor moving violations. A ticket that adds two DMV points can cost more in insurance over time than the ticket itself.
What a Prayer for Judgment Can and Cannot Do
A prayer for judgment continued (PJC) is a court disposition where the judge does not enter a final judgment. It can keep points off in the right case. It has limits written into G.S. 20-4.01(4a):
- A third or subsequent PJC within five years counts as a conviction. G.S. 20-4.01(4a)a.4.
- Any PJC counts as a conviction if you hold a commercial driver’s license, and in the other situations listed in G.S. 20-4.01(4a)a.5.
- New drivers: for the inexperienced driver insurance discount, convictions include ones where a PJC was granted. G.S. 58-36-65(k1).
Whether a PJC is the right tool, or whether a reduction or dismissal is better, depends on your record. That is a judgment your lawyer makes before court, not at the counter.
How We Handle High Point Traffic Tickets
- Read the citation. The charge, the speed, the court and the date decide everything that follows.
- Check your driving record. Prior tickets and prior PJCs change what is possible.
- Talk to the prosecutor. Reductions to a non-moving or lower-point offense are negotiated, not offered.
- Appear for you where the law allows. Many traffic cases can be handled without you taking a day off work.
- Protect the license. If a suspension is triggered, we look at a limited driving privilege under G.S. 20-16.1(b) on a first conviction.
Missed Your High Point Court Date?
Do not wait. If you do not appear or dispose of a motor vehicle charge within 20 days, the court reports it to DMV under G.S. 20-24.2, a $200 fee is added under G.S. 7A-304(a)(6), and DMV revokes your license on the 60th day after it mails the order under G.S. 20-24.1(a).
See missed court date lawyer and, if the license is already suspended, suspended license lawyer.
Out-of-State Drivers Ticketed in High Point
If you live outside North Carolina, coming back to the High Point courthouse for one ticket is expensive. In many traffic cases a lawyer can appear for you.
An NC conviction can still follow you home, so how the ticket is resolved matters. Call before your court date and we will tell you what can be done without a trip back.
What a High Point Traffic Lawyer Costs
Most traffic tickets are handled for a flat fee. The fee depends on the charge, the speed and whether there is a license issue.
Call and we will quote the fee for your ticket before you decide.
How To Choose a Traffic Lawyer in High Point
North Carolina’s rules do not allow a lawyer to claim to be the best, so ask any firm:
- Do you handle cases at the High Point courthouse?
- Will I need to appear in person?
- Will you check my driving record before advising on a PJC?
- What happens to my points and insurance under each option?
- Is the fee flat, and what does it include?
Related Pages
- All High Point practice areas
- High Point criminal defense
- Speeding ticket lawyer and speeding over 15 mph in NC
- Reckless driving lawyer
- All traffic ticket services
Your attorney
Chad D. Garrett
Criminal Defense, DWI and Traffic Law
Chad started the firm and defends criminal cases in state and federal court. He wrote ABC's of Traffic Law, ABC's of DWI and DWI Essentials.
- Continuing Legal Education Instructor of the Year, North Carolina Bar Association
- Board Member, Criminal Justice Section, North Carolina Bar Association
Chad D. GarrettFounder
Jason AycothPartner
Sean OlsonPartner
Brandon GoldsboroughCriminal Defense
Stephanie GoldsboroughCriminal Defense
Rebecca ElliottCriminal Defense
Patrick BidwellCriminal Defense
Samantha HeplerCriminal DefenseWhat clients say
4.9 out of 5 from 587 Google reviews. A few recent ones:
Where we practice
Our office is at 317 South Greene St in Greensboro, the Guilford County seat.
Guilford County: Greensboro · High Point · Jamestown · Gibsonville · Summerfield · Oak Ridge · Pleasant Garden · Stokesdale · Whitsett · McLeansville · Sedalia
Also serving: Randolph, Forsyth, Alamance, Rockingham and Davidson Counties
Questions people ask
Where is traffic court in High Point?
The Guilford County Courthouse in High Point is at 505 East Green Drive, High Point, NC 27262. The clerk’s main number is (336) 822-6700. Check your citation for the courthouse your case is in.
Is speeding 15 over a misdemeanor in North Carolina?
More than 15 mph over the limit, or over 80 mph, is a Class 3 misdemeanor under G.S. 20-141(j1).
Will I lose my license for speeding in High Point?
A conviction for more than 15 over while going above 55 mph, or above 80 mph, brings a 30 day suspension under G.S. 20-16.1(a). On a first conviction the judge may allow a limited driving privilege.
How many points is a speeding ticket in NC?
Speeding in excess of 55 mph is 3 points under G.S. 20-16(c). Most other moving violations are 2 points.
Should I just pay my High Point ticket?
Paying a ticket is a conviction, with the points and insurance consequences that follow. Talk to a lawyer before you pay so you know what you are giving up.
Can I get a prayer for judgment in High Point?
A PJC is up to the judge. A third PJC within five years counts as a conviction, and any PJC counts for a commercial driver’s license holder, under G.S. 20-4.01(4a).
Does a PJC affect my insurance?
For new drivers it can. Convictions with a PJC still count against the inexperienced driver discount under G.S. 58-36-65(k1).
Do I have to go to court for a traffic ticket in High Point?
It depends on the charge. In many traffic cases a lawyer can appear for you.
What if I missed my traffic court date?
After 20 days the court reports it to DMV and a $200 fee applies. DMV revokes the license on the 60th day after it mails the order. Call right away.
I live out of state. Can you handle my High Point ticket?
In many cases, yes, without you coming back. Call before your court date.
Ticket in High Point?
Call Chad Garrett at (336) 379-0539 before your court date.
Garrett, Walker, Aycoth & Olson, Attorneys at Law
317 South Greene St, Greensboro, NC 27401
(336) 379-0539 · answered live, 24 hours
Free consultation · Se habla español
This page provides general information about North Carolina law, including G.S. 20-141, 20-16, 20-16.1, 20-4.01, 20-24.1, 20-24.2, 7A-304, 58-36-65 and 15A-1340.23. It is not legal advice.
