August Special Deal: Not Eligible for Driving School for an Austin Ticket? We'll Keep a Conviction Off Your Record*.

Not Eligible for Driving School because you've already taken it for another old ticket? No problem, we'll take care of you.  On Austin tickets, we're offering a special for people who cannot get their speeding tickets dismissed through Driving School or Class because they've already taken it.

Most rates at $250 total (not including Court Costs).  Call Today for a Free Consultation to see if we can help you.

How to Reduce your Texas DPS Surcharges; Surcharge Waivers and Indigency

Years ago DPS offered an amnesty for people with past due Surcharges.  Currently, there is only one application process by which an individual can reduce any DPS Surcharges: the DPS Indigency Program.

The DPS Indigency Program offers reduced surcharges to people living at (or below) the federal poverty level.  This means that if your income is under a certain level, you can have your Texas Surcharges greatly reduced.

So how much can you save? DPS will reduce your Surcharges to 10% of what you owe.  But, it gets better than that; DPS caps the total you'll owe to $250.  That means, if your application is accepted by DPS to reduce your Surcharges, you will owe $250 TOTAL, OR LESS.  Of course, reinstatement fees and other service fees apply.

To apply, you must submit the DPS Surcharge application for Indigency.  The application must be filled out completely and notarized (stamped by an official of the state -- banks will do this for you).  The application is available online from DPS's website HERE pr you can call DPS directly and have them mail it out to you.  The number for DPS Indigency Program is (866) 223-3583.

What if my Texas Driver's License is suspended still?  If your license is still suspended for reasons OTHER than surcharges, you may be eligible for an Occupational License.  Call us for a Free Consultation at 512-216-3211.  

Also, you can read more about Occupational Licenses at:  http://lawofficerobertkeates.blogspot.com/2012/11/suspended-driver-license-help-in-texas_21.html

Why you should Hire a Lawyer for a No Insurance Ticket (Failure to Maintain Auto Insurance)

Most people who receive a No Insurance ticket in Austin find themselves paying the ticket off, to avoid more costly fines later (also known as paying the Early Fine).

But, as you're about to read, there are several reasons why not only will paying the ticket be more costly, it will also continue to cause you to pay for at least three years or longer.

What a No Insurance ticket REALLY costs you.  A No Insurance ticket in Austin, Travis County Texas typically runs about close to $350 after you've factored in fines, court costs, and fees.  Plus you'll have higher rates when you get insurance, and have to spend a half day (or more) at the Courthouse, which means time off from work and quite a hassle.

But what the Court won't tell you (or at least won't highlight) is that by paying the fine, you're pleading Guilty or No Contest, which triggers three things: surcharges, new insurance rules for you, and a Texas Driver's License suspension.

Surcharges.  In Texas, a No Insurance Ticket  conviction will cause you to have THREE YEARS of surcharges linked to your Driving Record and License. For a No Insurance ticket, that means ~$250 EXTRA per YEAR, for three years.  This is considered an Administrative Fee, and is separate from any court fees or costs.  If you don't pay the surcharges, DPS will suspend your Driver's License.  If you don't have a license, they'll suspend you ability to get one.

SR22 Insurance Required.  Once you have certain driving offenses on your record, such as a No Insurance ticket, DPS will require you to carry SR22 insurance.  This type of insurance costs more than typical insurance, and usually must be prepaid in 6 month increments.  This is required for at least a year from the ticket, although lately SR22 has been required for two years, meaning added costs to you.

DPS Driver's License Suspension.  Upon conviction of a No Insurance ticket, your river's License will be suspended.  That means if you're caught driving, you'll get a Driving While License Invalid ticket, which can be a Class B Misdemeanor.  You'll also be required to pay DPS reinstatement fees (typically about $105 plus a little more depending on your driving record) before your actual license can be reinstated.

The TOTAL costs for a No Insurance ticket over three years will be: $1105.00 plus any rises in your insurance and plus the added cost of SR22 insurance.

So How Can You Avoid Added Fees, Suspensions, and Surcharges? Easy; you can hire a lawyer to do everything for you, the right way.  We'll talk you through the process and strategy over the phone, for a Free Phone Consultation at 512-216-3211 -- but generally speaking, we'll go to court, arrange for a (hopeful) Dismissal of the charges, contact DPS, see whether your license is or will be suspended, and then (if needed) get you an Occupational License to hold you over until the license can be reinstated again.  And, we guarantee it'll cost you LESS than the total cost of the ticket listed above.  In fact, mention this blog post (you can merely say you saw our Blog) and we'll give you a quote that's under $400.

Surcharges and Texas DPS Driver's License Suspensions

I receive calls frequently about Texas Surcharges -- "what are they, how did I get them, and why is my license now suspended?"  Aside my those preliminary questions, the next set of inquiries is typically more important:

How can I legally Drive or Reinstate my License?

Can I reduce my Surcharge payments?


Read on for the answers and more information on Texas Surcharges and Driver's License Suspensions.

Texas Surcharges, otherwise known as the Texas Driver Responsibility Surcharge 'Program,' is a non-criminal (meaning not considered a 'punishment') fee that arises from any number of tickets or driving offenses in Texas.  In fact, the Surcharge fees have expanded to non-driving offenses, including drug charges and convictions.

DPS has a fairly decent Surcharge website, available at https://www.txsurchargeonline.com, on which you can view surcharges and FAQs.  But in a nutshell, Texas Surcharges mean that if you're convicted of a traffic offense, you will incur three years of surcharges.  For instance, for a Driving while License Invalid or Driving while License Suspended ticket (DWLI or DWLS), if convicted, you'll pay about $300 a year for three years -- on top of any court costs and fines.  Check with DPS for the current Surcharge Fees, since they can change.

Here's the kicker; if you don't pay the surcharge, DPS will suspend your Driver's License.

So how can you avoid license suspensions and drive legally if you owe Surcharges?  There are two main ways to drive legally if you owe high amounts of surcharges that you cannot pay off:

1) Contact DPS (who will put you in touch with MSB) to get on a payment plan for your surcharges. Within a couple days after establishing your payment plan, you're license will be reinstated (once Reinstatement Fees are also paid).  **HOWEVER, this method only works if you have NO OTHER suspensions on your Texas Driver's License.  If you have any other current suspensions, then your Driver's License will still be suspended.

2) Contact the Law Office of Robert Keates about an Occupational License.  An Occupational License allows you to drive legally during a suspension period, and (the best part) you do not need to have your Surcharges paid off to have one.

Check out http://keateslawfirm.com/practiceareas/driverslicense/hardshiplicense.php for more information, or contact us directly at 512-216-3211.

Do Drug Test Cleansing Kits Really Work for Marijuana?

Clients ask all the time -- How can I Beat a Drug Test?  I've listed my disclaimer at the bottom of this post, but I wanted to focus mainly on two methods that DO NOT work, since I obviously don't want to see my clients or former clients trying these methods and testing positive for Marijuana (or whatever).

And, just because there is far more information on the Internet than I can provide, I've listed the following links so you can read more about Drug Tests:

1. THC Quick Test for Marijuana 
2.  Real Powdered Urine 
3.  XXTRA CLEAN 
4.  Clear Choice Purifying Shampoo  

*3rd party sites/links. Not affiliated with Us and we have no info on them aside from the links.


Drinking Water to Pass a Drug Test
While this method absolutely worked in the past with urine tests, there has been a huge advance in technology both in the private sectors as well as government crime and testing labs; it's really amazing how sophisticated drug testing methods have become since the 1980s.  Today, drug labs and other testing facilities measure for specific gravity, pH, creatine levels, and temperature.

As an added issue, most courts and probation offices now indicate that a diluted test will be treated as a positive test.  All that means is that they report the diluted test to the Court, who might, if you're on probation, violate you and send you off to jail.  Potential employers may frown upon multiple diluted tests as well.

So obviously water does not work.  Try the following Internet Advertisers for more options:
THC Quick Test for Marijuana
 Real Powdered Urine
 XXTRA CLEAN
 Clear Choice Purifying Shampoo  
*3rd party sites/links. Not affiliated with Us and we have no info on them aside from the links.

Drinking Baking Soda and Water to Pass a Drug Test
Some people feel that drinking a mixture of baking soda and water will give a clean drug test.  Baking Soda is a natural chemical found lakes, mineral deposits, and water.  Most likely, the myth that Baking Soda offers a clean drug test probably came from the superb cleansing properties found in baking soda.  I have never heard of this method working, despite being great for cleaning up spills on the carpet.

So (and this part is my disclaimer), the only tried and true way to test clean is to not use drugs for the time period you're being tested.