Nassau County Traffic Violations Lawyer
Defending Nassau County Drivers Since 1995. We Go to Court So You Don’t Have To.
A summons for a moving violation isn’t just an inconvenience. It can trigger DMV points, a license suspension, and insurance rate increases that compound quickly if left uncontested. Recent DMV regulatory changes mean certain convictions can now result in a lifetime review of your driving record and permanent license revocation. The stakes are real, and fighting back early can give you the best chance of a favorable outcome.
We answer your summons, appear in court on your behalf, and defend your driving privileges. Our legal fees are often less than the fines we help clients avoid. We appear at the Nassau and Suffolk County Traffic and Parking Violations Bureaus on a regular basis and defend cases in traffic courts throughout Long Island. George A. Terezakis brings 35 years of legal experience to every client matter, and each case is assigned both an attorney and a paralegal.
Call us today at (516) 550-5323 or contact us online to set up a consultation. Payment plans are available.
Moving Violations Defense: Reducing Points, Securing Dismissals
Our office has successfully defended thousands of traffic violations across Nassau County and Long Island. In most instances, we can substantially reduce the violations charged and the points assessed. We often obtain dismissal of some or all charges, or negotiate a plea to a non-moving violation. A non-moving violation plea, such as a parking infraction, results in no DMV points and typically no impact on your insurance rates.
CDL holders face stricter federal and state standards than regular drivers, and a conviction that might be routine for a private motorist can result in CDL disqualification and job loss. People who rely on their commercial driver’s license (CDL) to earn a living rely on us to defend charges including driving with a suspended or revoked license, driving intoxicated, vehicular manslaughter or assault, leaving the scene of an accident, speeding, red light violations, overweight vehicle operation, failing to signal, tailgating, cell phone use, and uninsured or unregistered operation. Our attorneys are familiar with the intricacies of criminal and traffic law and can often resolve traffic violations, even multiple speeding violations, in a way that helps avoid suspension or revocation. If a favorable plea can’t be negotiated, we’re ready to take your case to trial. We appear regularly at the Nassau County Traffic and Parking Violations Agency (NCTPVA), located at 801 Axinn Avenue in Garden City.
Serious Vehicular Criminal Charges
Our firm has successfully defended clients charged with the most serious vehicular criminal offenses, including manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, vehicular assault, driving while intoxicated, aggravated unlicensed operation, leaving the scene of an accident involving personal injury, and street racing. These charges are often prosecuted as misdemeanors or felonies under New York’s Penal Law and Vehicle and Traffic Law, requiring criminal defense experience that goes well beyond standard traffic court practice. In appropriate cases, we have worked with leading accident reconstruction firms in the country to build a complete defense.
Understanding New York’s DMV Point System
The New York State DMV assigns points to your license for certain traffic violation convictions. The system is designed to identify drivers who accumulate multiple violations in a short period. A few minor offenses alone won’t typically trigger action, but several moving violations or a single serious offense can result in an automatic license suspension or revocation, civil penalties up to $750, driver responsibility assessment fees, and application fees. Points are assessed from the date of the offense, not the date of conviction, so a ticket you received months ago still counts from its original violation date.
How a Traffic Conviction Affects Your Insurance
The DMV isn’t the only concern. Insurance companies maintain independent point systems and can raise your premiums based solely on your conviction record. Insurers check your driving history at renewal, and sometimes a single moving violation conviction is enough to increase your rates. In some cases, an insurer may cancel your policy entirely if it decides your record makes you too high a risk. Replacing that coverage at standard rates becomes difficult and expensive, and driving without insurance in New York carries a mandatory minimum one-year license suspension. DMV points remain on your record for 18 months from the date of violation; insurance companies can impose a surcharge for up to 36 months from the date of conviction.
License Suspension & Revocation: Key Thresholds to Know
Accumulating 11 or more points for moving violations within an 18-month period can result in license suspension or revocation. Three speeding convictions within 18 months can trigger a suspension order independent of your total point count. A single serious traffic offense conviction carries the same risk.
The distinction between suspension and revocation matters. A suspension is a temporary withdrawal of driving privileges for a defined period. A revocation is a complete cancellation of your license that requires you to reapply to the DMV, and reinstatement may not be granted. Retaining a traffic ticket attorney in Nassau County before the return date on your summons can create an opportunity for dismissal or a favorable resolution. Nassau County traffic tickets issued on state highways are generally returnable to the NCTPVA in Garden City; tickets issued within village or city limits go to the local justice or city court.
Traffic Convictions & Immigration Status
For immigrants and non-citizens in Nassau County, a traffic matter carries stakes that go well beyond points and premiums. Certain convictions that rise to the misdemeanor or felony level, such as DWI, reckless driving, or aggravated unlicensed operation, can be classified as crimes involving moral turpitude or aggravated felonies under federal immigration law. That classification can trigger removal proceedings or create a permanent bar to naturalization. Even a guilty plea to a reduced traffic charge can create an immigration record that affects future visa applications, green card eligibility, or citizenship petitions. Non-citizens shouldn’t plead guilty to any traffic charge without first understanding its potential immigration consequences.
Terezakis Law Firm has practiced immigration law alongside criminal and traffic defense since 1995. We assess how charges may affect a client’s immigration status as part of our defense strategy, and our bilingual Spanish and English team communicates directly with Spanish-speaking clients without relying on a third-party interpreter. Other attorneys regularly refer complex matters involving the intersection of immigration and traffic defense to our firm.
Serving Nassau County Drivers Since 1995
We’ve served immigrants, their families, and drivers across Nassau County for nearly 30 years, including clients from Glen Cove, Westbury, Long Beach, Hempstead, Manorhaven, and Freeport. Clients come to us from all over Long Island. Payment plans are available.
Call us today at (516) 550-5323 or contact us online to set up a consultation and protect your driving privileges.
I thank them whole heartedly for their professionalism and their service.
- Joseph S.
Providing legal services to immigrants and their families throughout Nassau County.
HABLAMOS ESPAÑOL