What I’ve learned online was shocking and really scared me.  This whole thing with the reckless driving being a class one misdemeanor, really bothered me for two straight weeks.  Apparently, a reckless driving ticket in VA means, a class one misdemeanor which is a permanent criminal record and six points on my driving record.  It also means that I have to disclose it every time I apply for a job, or deal with the immigration office or even the insurance company, so that made me take it very very seriously.  After reading online for days, I decided to get a lawyer from a place close to the court where I was suppose to go for a trial.  I found one online, with one positive review and that was good enough for me.  I called him and explained the situation, then he asked me a few questions about my driving record and whether I had any other speeding or reckless driving tickets.  After talking to the lawyer for ten minutes or so, I decided to hire him.

Today was my trial day, and the lawyer was able to reduce the charge to improper driving (46.2-869), which was an excellent outcome, since it translates into 3 points instead of 6 and no criminal record.  The lawyer charged me $350, which I paid upfront when I hired him over the phone, and the court fee was $71 plus $200 for the reduced ticket itself.  Now to me, paying $621 to make a criminal record go away, is a pretty sweet deal.

So here’s my advise to you, if you got a reckless driving ticket, don’t ignore it, and don’t act like its not a big deal because it is.  Don’t cheap out and get a lawyer, a good lawyer will save your ass like he saved mine, plus you won’t have to show up in court, which was a major inconvenience in my case since my court was four hours away from where I live.

I hope you found this information helpful, and please don’t hesitate to leave a comment if you have any questions..