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Leaving the Scene (Hit and Run)

Massachusetts Hit and Run Defense Lawyer

Leaving the scene of Property Damage might appear like any other traffic offense to some, but in Massachusetts these cases are taken very seriously. In fact, a conviction for this offense carries an automatic license loss of 60 days up to 1 year with the Massachusetts RMV, as well as the potential for up to 2 years in jail and a $200 fine. For a charge of Leaving the Scene of Personal Injury, the penalties are even more severe.

Under Massachusetts law, if you knowingly were involved in an accident, you must stop and exchange registration information with the operator of that car or the owner of the damaged property. In a case of very minimal property or car damage, this may be a charge worth fighting, since the prosecution must prove that you knew of the collision. After all, you can’t be expected to stop and exchange information unless you knew that you were involved in an accident. In cases where the damage is more serious, or the prosecution has strong evidence showing that you knew of the accident, I have still been successful in having the charges amended down to a less serious offense or outright dismissed upon the payment of restitution costs.

If you were not arrested, but received a citation for leaving the scene of property damage charge, you must act quickly. You have 4 days to respond to this notice, signing the back of the citation requesting a hearing. This gives you an opportunity to consult with and hire an attorney to represent you at this hearing, known as a “show cause” or “clerk magistrate’s” hearing. At this hearing, the clerk will determine whether or not to issue a formal criminal complaint against you- in other words, whether to officially charge you with a crime. If you have never been in trouble with the law, this hearing is critical- if a criminal complaint issues, then you will forever have a CORI (criminal offender record information), regardless of how the case is resolved in the criminal court. Even if the case is eventually dismissed, or you take the case to trial and are found “Not Guilty”- it still shows up on a CORI check. Each case has its own tactical, procedural, and legal considerations that should be examined and applied by an experienced criminal defense attorney. If you receive a citation for leaving the scene of property damage, contact our office immediately for your free initial consultation.

Urbelis Law, LLC

50 Milk St 16th Floor
Boston, MA 02109
Phone: (617) 830-2188

Client Reviews

"Ben Urbelis recently represented me in an OUI case in which I had crashed my car. I honestly did not believe I had any chance of beating it, but fortunately for me Ben was outstanding and all charges were dropped. In my first hearing he was calm, assertive and straight to the point. I was extremely...

MC

"When I found myself charged with my 3rd DUI I was certain without a doubt that I was facing 6 months to 2 1/2 years in state prison. I can’t believe you were able to guide me calmly through the whole nerve wracking process, never sugar coating anything, staying honest and always keeping me informed...

JL

"I want to personally thank Ben and his wonderful a staff at Urbelis Law for what an outstanding job they did for my son and his friends! Ben went above and beyond for them, with a successful outcome. I would highly recommend Ben to anyone that would need his services, he was wonderful!"

Gina

"Huge thank you to not only my friend, but my lawyer,Ben Urbelis..I presented him with a case that at first was a bit tricky on paper... but we worked hard together and got all information we needed to prove i was innocent! He knew from the get go a year ago that he was gonna smash this case, and he...

PB

"Thank you for your excellent representation in this matter. Coming from out of town, it wasreassuringto have an attorney who was so well organized and on top of the process. It was very clear that the judge was not only familiar with you, but had a great deal of respect for you in the courtroom. I...

RC

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