Q: Can I ignore an out-of-state traffic ticket? I live in Nevada and have a Nevada driver’s license, and I got a speeding ticket in the state of New York. What would happen if I did not respond to the ticket?
A: Criminal defense lawyer Charles Sifers responds that most of the time, when a person gets a ticket, they are released with the understanding that they will either pay the ticket or show up in court to dispute the ticket. If the person fails to pay the ticket or show up in court, the court may issue a warrant for their arrest, raise the ticket amount or, perhaps, issue a new charge for failure to appear in court.
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When someone fails to show up in court, the court usually notifies the state department of public safety (DPS) or department of motor vehicles (DMV) about the unpaid ticket. If it’s an out-of-state driver, the DPS or DMV will likely revoke or suspend the person’s driving privilege inside that state until the ticket is resolved or paid.
Further, if the ticketing state is part of the National Drivers License Compact, which New York and Nevada both are, then the state agencies will communicate this suspension/revocation to the individual’s home state. The home state will usually honor the ticketing state’s action against the licensee until the unpaid ticket is taken care of.
If you find yourself in this situation, you should contact a traffic ticket lawyer in the city or state where you got the ticket and ask for guidance on how to proceed.
3 options for traffic ticket advice
You have three ways to get the advice you need:
- Ask a question anonymously, and for free, in Avvo’s Legal Q&A Forum. Lawyers usually respond to questions within 12 hours.
- Talk to a traffic ticket lawyer on the phone, right away, using the $39 fixed-fee Avvo Advisor service. Enter your location, select “criminal defense” as your practice area, pay $39 and a lawyer will call you within minutes to start your 15-minute advice session.
- Find a top-reviewed traffic ticket lawyer using Avvo’s Lawyer Directory. Browse profiles that include years of experience, customer and peer reviews, and the Avvo Rating. Once you find the lawyer who’s right for you, reach out to them directly or through Avvo — and don’t forget to ask if they offer free consultations.
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This question and answer originally appeared in Avvo’s free legal Q&A forum.
