Criminal defense help in Northwest Indiana

Traffic Offenses

Traffic offense defense law firm in Merrillville, Indiana

Traffic Offense Defense Law Firm in Lake, Porter and Jasper County, Indiana

A traffic ticket or charge can mean fines, points on your license, higher insurance, or losing your license altogether. Vollmer Law Group helps drivers across Northwest Indiana with traffic infractions and criminal traffic charges, for a flat fee so you know the cost up front.

Charges we handle

Speeding and other moving violations
Driving while suspended
Driving without a valid license
Reckless driving
Leaving the scene of an accident
Habitual traffic violator charges
License suspensions and specialized driving privileges

Charged with drunk or impaired driving? See our OWI Defense page.

Infractions and criminal traffic charges

Most tickets, such as speeding, are infractions. An infraction is not a crime, but it can bring fines, points on your driving record and higher insurance.
Some traffic charges are crimes. Reckless driving, leaving the scene and some driving while suspended charges are misdemeanors, and some can be felonies.
Whether driving while suspended is an infraction or a crime depends on why the license was suspended and your driving record.
Too many points or convictions in a short time can lead to a license suspension, and three or more serious convictions within ten years can lead to a habitual traffic violator suspension.

What happens after a traffic charge

We review the ticket or charge and your driving record.
We get the police report, any video, and the evidence about the stop.
We look for problems with the stop, the evidence, and the record the state is relying on.
Options: depending on the case, that can mean a dismissal, a reduced charge, a deferral program for some infractions, or a plea agreement.
If you need to drive while your license is suspended, we can tell you whether you may qualify to ask the court for specialized driving privileges, for example to get to work.

What it costs

Traffic cases are handled for a flat fee for the pre-trial phase:

Infractions: up to $1,000.
Driving while suspended may qualify for Class C misdemeanor pricing: $1,500.
Other misdemeanors: $1,500 (Class C), $2,500 (Class B), $3,500 (Class A).
Felonies, such as some habitual traffic violator charges: $6,500 (Level 6) and up.

If you have more than one charge in the same county and courtroom, the full fee applies to the most serious charge and each additional charge is 50% off. See our Fee Schedule for details.

Common questions

Should I just pay my ticket?

Paying a ticket usually counts as admitting the violation, which can add points to your record and raise your insurance. Talk to us before you pay if your license or job depends on your driving record.

Is driving while suspended a crime in Indiana?

It can be. Depending on why your license was suspended and your record, it can be an infraction, a misdemeanor, or in some cases a felony.

Can I drive to work if my license is suspended?

Some drivers can ask the court for specialized driving privileges, which allow driving for things like work. Whether you qualify depends on why your license was suspended.

What is a habitual traffic violator?

It is a status the BMV gives drivers with several serious traffic convictions within ten years. It brings a long license suspension, and driving during that suspension is a felony.

Where do you handle traffic cases?

We handle cases in Lake, Porter and Jasper County and across Northwest Indiana, from our office in Merrillville.

Talk to us about your case

Call (219) 587-5641 or send a message below. Tell us briefly what the ticket or charge is and which county it is in, and a staff member will call you back as soon as possible during office hours.