Lawyers in traffic court and the BC government’s interference
Having a lawyer to represent you in traffic court is just as important as having a lawyer for any legal situation you might find yourself in. Having someone who is an expert in traffic law is vital to someone successfully defending their case. It looks like the BC government is attempting to make changes in traffic court trying to keep lawyers out of traffic court hearings.
Introduction of Bill 17
This new legislation the BC government recently introduce aims to change some of the processes currently used in traffic courts. The Government’s description of the changes is that they will move some traffic court matters into an online process, to facilitate easier access to justice.
This online process they are referring to is what they call a “conference, which will be a meeting between a representative of the Crown, a representative for the defence, and a neutral party, with the goal of resolving the ticket without a hearing in court.
The problem with this is that this new legislation will enable the government to determine how the conference takes place, including being able to regulate; who may appear for the prosecution, who may preside over the conference, including that it does not have to be a Judicial Justice, and who may, including who may not, appear for the defence.
It makes little sense for the government to want to be able to regulate who gets to participate in such a conference, unless they are trying to prevent someone from appearing, and in this case, the only logical person would be lawyers.
The importance of lawyers
A lot of people do not know how significant and long-lasting the consequences of getting a traffic ticket are, and therefore may not understand why this is such a shocking thing for the government to do.
Because of this, they also don’t understand the importance of a lawyer for a traffic ticket.
Having someone who understands traffic court and its rules fully is important to ensure you understand the full implications of any traffic ticket or prohibition you may get.
It’s even more important to get a lawyer who specializes in traffic tickets and has years of experience, as not all lawyers fully know the ins and outs of traffic court and the ways ICBC and the Superintendent of Motor Vehicles overlap and share information.
Lawyers in traffic court are more important than many people may think. They know how to analyze and interpret evidence and they will protect you with solicitor-client privilege.
The consequences of a traffic ticket are often more severe than they appear at face value, that’s why getting the right lawyer you can trust and rely on is so important. While this new legislation is not outwardly saying its goal is to ban lawyers, the mere implication is troubling to us. And it should be to you too, as your rights are at risk.