Show Notes
A traffic ticket in Pennsylvania could cost you more than the fine. Some traffic violations can lead to driver's license suspensions, PennDOT points, higher insurance rates, and even jail time. So should you pay your traffic ticket or fight it?In this episode of Now We Defend, former prosecutors turned criminal defense attorneys T.L. Kearney IV, Timothy Long, and Justin J. Baran of Kearney Law explain what Pennsylvania drivers need to understand before pleading guilty to a traffic violation.Many drivers assume that paying a speeding ticket or traffic citation makes the problem go away. But paying the fine generally means accepting a guilty plea, and certain violations carry additional consequences that drivers may not realize until they receive a letter from PennDOT.The attorneys break down Pennsylvania traffic laws, including:✓ Driver's license suspensions: Which traffic violations can cause you to lose your driving privileges?✓ Driving under suspension: Why additional citations can result in years of accumulated suspensions.✓ Pennsylvania's new Section 1543.1: How this provision may help eligible drivers avoid an additional suspension.✓ Speeding tickets and PennDOT points: How speeding violations affect your driving record and insurance.✓ Excessive speeding: What happens when you're caught driving 31 MPH or more over the speed limit?✓ Traffic ticket appeals: Why challenging a citation before pleading guilty can make a significant difference.✓ DUI-related license suspensions: Why completing your suspension period doesn't automatically mean your license has been restored.✓ Traffic court negotiations: How defense attorneys work with police officers and judges to seek better outcomes.✓ Insurance coverage gaps: How switching insurance companies incorrectly can create registration problems.The attorneys also share real courtroom experiences, explain common mistakes drivers make, and discuss why having a plan before appearing in traffic court can be critical.Should you pay a traffic ticket in Pennsylvania?Before paying a citation, understand the exact violation, whether it carries PennDOT points, whether it could suspend your license, and what other consequences may follow. When you're uncertain, speaking with an experienced Pennsylvania traffic defense attorney can help you understand your options.Chapters00:00 Pennsylvania Traffic Violations: Why Paying Can Cost You02:28 Traffic Tickets That Can Suspend Your License05:22 Driving Under Suspension: How Penalties Stack Up07:40 No Insurance, Reckless Driving & Racing Violations12:59 New Pennsylvania Law: Section 1543.1 Explained18:10 Ignoring a Traffic Ticket: Warrants & Suspensions20:47 How to Get Your Suspended License Back29:45 DUI-Related Suspensions & Avoiding Jail Time34:17 Why Your License Isn't Automatically Restored41:18 Traffic Court Secrets: Negotiating with Police52:15 Pennsylvania Speeding Tickets & PennDOT Points55:16 Excessive Speeding: Suspensions & Criminal Charges1:08:39 Insurance Gaps That Can Suspend Your RegistrationNEED HELP WITH A PENNSYLVANIA TRAFFIC VIOLATION?Kearney Law represents clients throughout Central Pennsylvania, including York, Adams, Lancaster, Cumberland, and Dauphin counties.Former Prosecutors... NOW WE DEFEND.📞 Call: 717-668-8159🌐 Website: https://tlkearneylaw.com/📧 Email: [email protected] initial consultations available.ABOUT NOW WE DEFENDHosted by attorneys T.L. Kearney IV, Timothy Long, and Justin J. Baran, Now We Defend takes you inside the courtroom with real legal insight from former prosecutors who now defend individuals facing criminal charges, DUI offenses, and traffic violations throughout Pennsylvania.This podcast provides general legal information and is not a substitute for legal advice regarding your individual circumstances. Laws and outcomes depend on the facts of each case.
More from Now We Defend
Yes. A police-issued school bus ticket under Section 3345 in Pennsylvania carries a 60-day license suspension, 5 points, and a $250 fine, and none of that is printed on the ticket.This week on Now We Defend, former prosecutors T.L., Tim, and Justin break down the two very different school bus tickets you can get in PA. One is a camera violation with a $300 fine and no points. The other can take your license for two months. Knowing which one you have changes everything.They also cover the intersection trap that catches everyday drivers (yes, you have to stop even when you're turning away from the bus), how automated stop-arm and work zone speed cameras work, why only state troopers can run radar in Pennsylvania, and what CDL drivers need to know before paying any ticket, even one written in their personal car.Before you plead guilty and pay a fine, talk to someone who knows how these cases are built.What's covered:✅ Section 3345 vs. 3345.1 school bus tickets✅ Why you must stop when turning away from a bus✅ Defending automated camera tickets✅ Work zone speed camera warnings and fines✅ Why local PA police can't use radar✅ CDL serious vs. major offensesCall Kearney Law for a free consultation: 717-668-8159Chapters:0:00 School bus season is here1:00 Section 3345: suspension, points, and fines5:02 Camera tickets under Section 3345.17:56 Stop-arm cameras in York County9:09 Defending automated enforcement11:38 Pennsylvania's new license plates21:15 School bus trivia26:02 The intersection trap and divided highways28:42 Work zone speed cameras33:19 Speed enforcement by aircraft38:19 Why only state police can use radar39:21 Who patrols I-83?44:42 CDL drivers: serious vs. major offenses52:26 Why police and judges are stricter on CDLs1:01:15 Takeaways for CDL driversChapter note: Timestamps come from the raw transcript. Spot-check against the final edit, and adjust 21:15 and 58:23 onward if you cut the mail truck or non-citizen driver segments.Follow Us: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6br0rM1j6KiQ3T6EsGAopp?si=c3ec460eb74a45dcAmazon Podcast: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/ad6a66e1-131f-4752-9c7f-6e0bbfb350d7/now-we-defendApple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/now-we-defend/id1896671175iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-now-we-defend-334011621?filter=UNPLAYED&sort=descLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kearney-law-paInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/kearneylawpa/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kearneylawpaFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/kearneylaw
No. Under Pennsylvania's Paul Miller's Law, you can't hold your phone while driving, and that includes sitting at a red light or stopped in traffic. Since June 5, 2026, a violation carries a $50 fine plus court costs.On this episode of the Now We Defend podcast, former prosecutors T.L., Tim, and Justin explain how the hands-free law actually works, the narrow exceptions, and why a $50 phone ticket can turn into a DUI investigation in minutes.They also circle back to driving under suspension in Pennsylvania, break down the three types of DUS, and explain why never paying a restoration fee can leave you DUI-suspended for over a decade. Then Justin walks through habitual offender status, the five-year revocation that catches drivers by surprise, and why ARD counts against you.Serving York, Lancaster, Cumberland, Dauphin, Adams, Franklin, and all of Central Pennsylvania.In this episode:✅ The three types of driving under suspension in PA✅ Why you can be acquitted of DUI and still convicted of DUS✅ How you can get a DUI under .08✅ Pennsylvania habitual offender status explained✅ Paul Miller's Law rules, exceptions, and enforcement✅ Earbuds, window tint, and other reasons police pull you overChapters0:00 Intro1:01 The three types of driving under suspension2:47 DUI-related suspension and why you must restore your license4:26 DUS while DUI and the blood draw refusal trap6:11 Real case: avoiding a two-year state prison mandatory8:03 The .02 threshold and DUI under .0810:56 What is a habitual offender in PA?14:04 Offenses that count toward habitual offender17:33 When fleeing and eluding becomes a felony21:06 ARD counts toward habitual offender22:43 Update your address with PennDOT23:56 Paul Miller's Law explained26:54 Can you touch your phone at a red light?28:22 Phone stops and reasonable suspicion31:05 Earbuds while driving32:52 Window tint, windshield tint, and plate covers39:08 Paul Miller's Law exceptions40:33 York's worst on-ramps: Route 30 and I-8349:41 Defending a Paul Miller's Law citation52:26 694 citations in three days54:41 Distracted driving and bigger vehicles1:00:35 How many PA drivers are unlicensed?1:05:06 Teen drivers and risk1:09:14 Wrap up and a call for parents of teen driversFacing a traffic charge or license suspension? Call Kearney Law for a free consultation: 717-668-8159Follow Us: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6br0rM1j6KiQ3T6EsGAopp?si=c3ec460eb74a45dcAmazon Podcast: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/ad6a66e1-131f-4752-9c7f-6e0bbfb350d7/now-we-defendApple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/now-we-defend/id1896671175iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-now-we-defend-334011621?filter=UNPLAYED&sort=descLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kearney-law-paInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/kearneylawpa/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kearneylawpaFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/kearneylaw
No, police are not following you around, and every database search an officer runs leaves a record that gets audited. That's straight from West York Borough Police Chief Matt Millsaps.In this special episode of Now We Defend, T.L., Tim, and Justin sit down with Chief Millsaps for a rare conversation between former prosecutors turned defense attorneys and a sitting police chief in York County, PA.They cover the Flock camera debate, why misinformation from social media and AI is turning simple traffic stops into felony charges, and why police and defense attorneys work together far more than people think.The episode closes with a tribute to Officer Andrew Duarte of West York Borough and Detective Sgt. Cody Becker, Detective Mark Baker, and Detective Isaiah Emenheiser of Northern York County Regional Police.What we cover:✅ What Flock cameras and license plate readers actually do✅ Whether police can look you up without a reason✅ How body cameras changed complaints, court, and officer discretion✅ What a police chief looks for when hiring new officers✅ How gangs in York County have changed in the social media eraChapters:00:00 Chief Matt Millsaps joins Now We Defend01:10 From paramedic to police chief03:51 Social media, AI, and passive defiance at traffic stops06:39 Policing York County's most densely populated borough09:40 What defense attorneys hear in consultations13:47 Are police following you?14:39 Flock cameras and license plate readers explained24:53 Politics and the public trust gap31:06 Do your homework before you believe the clip37:31 Your phone is the bigger privacy issue41:12 Why some drivers keep getting pulled over43:14 Can police look you up whenever they want?50:16 Body cams and citizen complaints54:33 Do body cams kill officer discretion?57:35 Why proactive defense gets better results1:04:24 Police and defense attorneys are not enemies1:14:21 How a police chief hires officers1:25:55 How gangs have changed in York County1:33:00 Why deterrence fails with young offenders1:37:37 Honoring Officer Duarte and the NYCRP detectives1:51:42 Closing thoughtsFacing criminal charges in York, Adams, Lancaster, Cumberland, Dauphin, or Franklin County? Talk to former prosecutors who know how the other side builds a case. Call Kearney Law at 717-668-8159.Follow Us: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6br0rM1j6KiQ3T6EsGAopp?si=c3ec460eb74a45dcAmazon Podcast: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/ad6a66e1-131f-4752-9c7f-6e0bbfb350d7/now-we-defendApple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/now-we-defend/id1896671175iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-now-we-defend-334011621?filter=UNPLAYED&sort=descLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kearney-law-paInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/kearneylawpa/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kearneylawpaFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/kearneylaw
Hearsay is an out-of-court statement offered to prove that what it says is true, and even when something is hearsay, Pennsylvania's rules of evidence let a lot of it into court anyway.
Criminal defense attorneys defend guilty people because the job is not to judge the client. It is to protect their constitutional rights, hold the prosecution to its burden of proof, and help them reach a fair outcome.