Everyone knows that parking in a handicapped spot without proper documentation is a crime, but few people are aware just how serious the charges can be. Whether you borrow a placard from a friend to get a better space at a sporting event or actually create your own fake disability placard so you can park in handicapped spots wherever you travel, you can be charged with handicap placard abuse. Fortunately, no matter what the specifics of the offense you have been charged with, a criminal attorney in Vista, CA can help you fight these serious charges.
In some cases, charges may be brought up against someone for an honest mistake. For example, if you and a relative both have handicap placards and you accidentally used the wrong ones. In these sorts of cases, a defense lawyer in Vista, CA should be able to get the charges dropped right away.
One of the most misunderstood aspects of this crime is that not only will the person who misuses the placard be charged, but if a disabled person willingly provided the driver with a placard knowing the driver would misuse it, the handicapped individual may be charged for disability placard abuse as well. If someone you know was brought up on charges for misusing your handicapped placard, you may want to contact defense attorneys in Vista, CA before the police contact you about the placard.
If you are convicted for this crime, you could face up to $1,000 in fines and up to six months in jail. That is why it is so important for anyone charged with disability placard abuse to immediately contact criminal defense attorneys. Additionally, if you have a disability placard which has been forged or altered, you can also be charged with possession of fraudulent government documents.
Vista, CA lawyer Peter M. Liss can help you fight these charges. Please call (760) 643-4050 if you have been charged with misuse of a handicap placard.
Creative Commons Image by Keoni Cabral
