Traffic Tickets Lawyers

Got a speeding ticket or another traffic ticket in Quebec and wondering whether to pay it or fight it? Paying is a guilty plea, and a conviction can add demerit points to your SAAQ record and raise your insurance. A speeding ticket lawyer can read the ticket, check the evidence and tell you whether contesting it makes sense. On this page you can compare lawyers who handle traffic tickets, see their rates and availability, and book a consultation online.

What a traffic ticket lawyer does

Most traffic tickets are not criminal charges. They are penal offences, mostly under Quebec's Highway Safety Code (Code de la sécurité routière), and they follow their own procedure. A lawyer who handles these files can:

• Review the ticket: check that the statement of offence is complete and correctly filled out, and that the right offence was charged.
• Assess the evidence: how the speed was measured, where the officer was, and what the notes and disclosure show.
• Advise on your plea: explain the real consequences of pleading guilty or not guilty for your licence, your record and your insurance.
• Represent you at the hearing: appear at the trial, question the officer and argue your case, often without you having to attend.

Common traffic tickets in Quebec

• Speeding: from a police radar or laser, including very high speeds that bring extra penalties.
• Photo radar tickets: issued from a fixed or mobile camera and sent to the vehicle's owner.
• Red lights and stop signs: failing to stop, or running a red light caught by a camera.
• Cell phone use: using a handheld device while driving.
• Careless or reckless driving: driving in a way that puts others at risk, which carries heavier consequences.
• Licence and vehicle offences: driving while your licence is suspended, without insurance or with an unregistered vehicle.

Some driving offences are not tickets at all but criminal charges under the Criminal Code, such as dangerous driving or impaired driving. Those call for a criminal defence lawyer: see DUI lawyers for impaired driving, or criminal lawyers for other criminal charges.

Pleading guilty or not guilty

A statement of offence (constat d'infraction) gives you a choice, and you must respond by the deadline on the ticket. Your options are:

• Plead guilty: paying the fine counts as a guilty plea. The case ends, and the conviction goes on your record, with any demerit points that apply.
• Plead not guilty: you send your plea as the ticket explains, and the case is set down for trial. The prosecution must then prove the offence.
• Do nothing: if you miss the deadline, a judgment can be rendered against you without a hearing, with extra costs.

Once you pay, it is generally too late to contest. The Quebec government explains how to submit a plea, pay a fine and deal with photo radar tickets on its offences and fines page.

Demerit points and your licence

Many Highway Safety Code convictions add demerit points to your driving record at the SAAQ (Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec). Points stay on your record for a period of time, and if they build up past your limit, the SAAQ suspends your licence. New and probationary drivers have a lower limit. The SAAQ explains how the system works on its demerit points page.

Some offences, such as very high speed, can also bring an immediate licence suspension at the roadside. And a conviction can affect your car insurance premiums, even when no points apply.

Photo radar tickets

Photo radar tickets are mailed to the registered owner of the vehicle, not handed to the driver. In Quebec, they do not add demerit points, because the camera does not identify who was driving. You can still plead not guilty, for example if the vehicle was not yours at the time or the ticket contains errors. A lawyer can tell you whether the evidence, such as the device's location and records, gives you a real defence.

Municipal court or Court of Québec

Where your case is heard depends on where the offence happened and who issued the ticket. Tickets issued on the territory of a city that has its own municipal court are usually heard there. Others, including many tickets from the Sûreté du Québec, go to the Court of Québec. The statement of offence tells you where to send your plea and which court has the file. The procedure is similar in both: the prosecutor presents the evidence, often the officer's testimony, and you or your lawyer can respond.

When a speeding ticket lawyer is worth it

For a small ticket with no points, many people handle it themselves. A lawyer is usually worth it when:

• Your licence is at risk: you are close to your demerit point limit, or you have a probationary licence.
• You drive for a living: trucker, courier, taxi or rideshare driver, or anyone who needs a clean record for work.
• The speed was high: very high speeds carry heavier fines, more points and possible suspension.
• The charge is serious: careless or reckless driving, or driving while suspended.
• You believe the ticket is wrong: and want to know if the evidence holds up before your trial date.

Preparing for your consultation

• The statement of offence, front and back, and any notice you received since.
• Your SAAQ driving record, if you have it, and your licence class.
• Your notes on the stop: time, place, weather, traffic, what the officer said.
• Your questions: your chances, the impact on your points and how the lawyer charges.

Compare traffic ticket lawyers and book on JustiConnect

Browse the lawyers listed below, filter by location, rates and availability, and book a consultation directly. You can also search all traffic ticket lawyers or see the traffic ticket lawyers in Laval.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best defence for a speeding ticket?

There is no single best defence. It depends on how the speed was measured, whether the device was used properly, what the officer saw and whether the ticket is filled out correctly. A lawyer reviews the disclosure before recommending an approach.

Is it worth fighting a speeding ticket?

It often is when demerit points, your licence or your job are at stake, or when you believe the ticket is wrong. For a minor ticket with no points, the cost of a lawyer may outweigh the benefit. A consultation helps you decide.

What is the best way to dispute a speeding ticket?

Plead not guilty by the deadline on the ticket, following the instructions on the statement of offence, then ask for the evidence and prepare for trial. Do not pay the fine if you want to contest it, since paying is a guilty plea.

Do I have to go to court for a traffic ticket?

If you plead not guilty, a trial date is set. A lawyer can often appear for you, so you may not need to attend, but ask your lawyer what applies to your case.

How much does a traffic ticket lawyer cost?

Each lawyer sets their own rates, and some offer a flat fee for ticket files. On JustiConnect you can compare rates before you book, then ask at the consultation what the fee includes.