Q: How much should I expect to pay a lawyer to defend a ticket for 33 miles over the speed limit.

A: Hello Asker,

Realistically, the absolute floor when it comes to sustainably priced (enough to keep business in the black) representation is about $250. Even so, that is subsistence level case management which would make representation difficult given the opportunity cost involved in handling such a case. That fee is unlikely to cover a cost of trial and very unlikely to cover additional appearances. Anywhere from $250-$450 is not unusual though I wouldn't pay more than $450.

Remember that these are general figures. They don't take into account which courthouse the case is in, the record of the defendant, or other minutia that make one case more expensive than another. For example, if it is Bridgeview or Will County, the attorney has to bill in costs of written mitigation necessary for an amendment for court supervision in order to prevent future appearances. If its DuPage County, the attorney may have to bill in potential costs for reappearances because DuPage prefers to request mitigation on the day of court for a future appearance rather than prior. Whether a client comes from another attorney referral or not can greatly impact the eventual profits gained and affect the price. If you have a CDL, what constitutes defending a ticket is VERY different from a non-CDL driver and a CLD's 33 mph over ticket will require much more litigation than a 33 mph due to the restrictions on their licenses in the Code of Federal Regulations.

My point here is that I can say that any amount over $450 should make you think twice and any amount under $250 should raise your antennae. Beyond that, tickets are often priced on a case by case basis with many factors at play and the best advice for finding value that doesn't detriment quality of representation is to schedule several phone consultations and compare prices and quality.

Hope that helps!

Jason A. Wilkins

Attorney at Law