Misdemeanors / Traffic Violations

Misdemeanor Charges

Misdemeanor charges usually begin in disposition court which is a dedicated courtroom in District Court. Here the defendant can only plead guilty to the charge or a reduction or ask for a continuance to the charging officer’s court date if they want to contest the charges.

The most common traffic related misdemeanors are: driving without an operator’s license, driving while your license is revoked, driving with no insurance, reckless driving, fleeing and eluding an officer, driving without your automobile registration, and having an open container of alcohol in passenger area of a vehicle.

While minor traffic violations typically only involve a fine and/or court costs, some can land you in prison! If you feel you are being charged with a violation that you did not commit or are concerned about jail time, it will be worth your while to contact an attorney before deciding to plead guilty. Many people hire an attorney because many traffic convictions can affect your automobile insurance rates and/or revoke your driver’s license. An experienced attorney will be able to advise you if it is worth your time and the expense to contest the violation.

The most common non-traffic related misdemeanor charges are assault on a female, drug offenses like simple possession of marijuana or possession or drug paraphernalia, possession of an open container of alcohol, prostitution, trespass, and larceny.

Misdemeanors (except for DWI) are punishable from 1 to 150 days depending on your record level. There are four classes of misdemeanors: a1 (maximum of 150 days in jail), class 1 (120 days), class 2 (60 days), and class 3 (20 days). In many cases, the Court imposes court costs and fines. Often, the Court imposes a suspended jail sentence and places the individual on supervised or unsupervised probation. The Court can and does impose active jail sentences typically on repeat offenders.