Traffic Ticket Representation: The Pitfalls of Guarantees
In Ontario, choosing a professional to fight your traffic ticket involves critical decisions. Some paralegals and even lawyers may offer guarantees of success, a practice that raises eyebrows within the legal community. Let’s explore why relying on such guarantees can be problematic:
1. The Illusion of Certainty
No one can genuinely guarantee the outcome of a courtroom proceeding. Legal proceedings are inherently unpredictable, influenced by various factors, including evidence, legal arguments, and the presiding judicial officer. Offering a guarantee creates an illusion of certainty that simply doesn’t align with the reality of legal practice.
2. Violation of Legal Standards
Guaranteeing specific outcomes in a courtroom is not only misleading but also goes against legal standards set by the Law Society. It is considered unfair and, in some cases, illegal. Clients should be wary of practitioners who make promises that overstep ethical boundaries.
3. Unscrupulous Practices
Practitioners who offer guarantees may fall into one of two categories: those with questionable ethics or inexperienced individuals who might not fully comprehend the legal complexities. It’s crucial for clients to discern whether such guarantees stem from unscrupulous practices or lack of knowledge.
4. Long-Term Consequences
Clients who fall for the allure of guaranteed success may face significant disappointment in the long run. Months after the legal proceedings, they may find themselves no better off, having spent a considerable amount of money without achieving the promised outcome. This situation is both disheartening and unfair to the client.
5. Professionalism and Integrity
At OTD Legal, professionalism, fairness, and honesty are foundational principles. Rather than resorting to misleading guarantees, the team is committed to hard work, leveraging extensive experience to achieve the best possible results for clients. This approach aligns with ethical standards and ensures clients receive accurate expectations.In conclusion, the pitfalls of relying on guarantees in traffic ticket representation are evident. Clients are advised to prioritize professionalism, integrity, and a commitment to achieving the best possible results based on legal expertise and experience.
Video Transcription:
In Ontario, the public is faced with a wide variety of choices on who they would like to use to fight their traffic ticket. The question becomes, how do you choose who you want? There are some paralegals out there, even some lawyers out there that will offer you a guarantee. There aren’t many, fortunately, and that’s a good thing because it’s unfair to be offering a guarantee in a courtroom.No one can guarantee the outcome of what goes on in a courtroom. What you need to consider is why would someone offer me a guarantee? It’s not as simple as simply paying some money to escape conviction on a highway traffic ticket. You don’t buy that type of thing in a courtroom. It’s frowned upon. It’s actually illegal by the law society standards. It shouldn’t be happening, unfortunately. It still does. When it does happen and you see that, do a little bit of research, talk to them. I think you’ll find one of two things. They’re either A unscrupulous, or B, they’re juniors; new people who do not know. If you find a junior that does not know that well, they ought to have known that they were taught that in school. So maybe they’re desperate. I don’t know. Or maybe they’re gonna do it as long as they can get away with it. But the only person that it’s unfair to is the client. The client is misled and they’re happy because they’ve spent the money and in their mind they walk away and they’re not gonna be convicted of anything.The reality is that months down the road, they find that that’s simply not the case. They’ve spent a lot of money and they’re no further ahead, and there’s nothing that they can do about it at that point in time. And that is shameful. It is a simple sales gimmick that needs to be identified as such. I have never practiced that way.No one at my company, at any end of this province has ever operated that way, and we avoid that with every fiber of our being. We consider ourselves to be professionals. We consider ourselves to be fair. We’re honest. We have the integrity to tell you this is the case. This is what we can expect.What you can expect, and what you can guarantee at OTD Legal is that whoever works on your case is working hard and that they have a plethora of experience in order to achieve good or great results for you. I would ask you to consider that when you’re selecting someone to assist you to help you in a traffic court.
Author, Owner of OTD Ticket Defenders Legal Services and Licensed Paralegal
Licensed Paralegal & Founder of OTD Ticket Defenders
Ron Harper holds a BA in Psychology, a Certificate in Public Administration, and an Honours degree in Political Science, along with a Master’s in Judicial Administration. With over 40 years of experience in traffic law, including years of experience as a Prosecutor, Ron Harper leads one of Ontario's top traffic ticket defence firms.
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