That cheap traffic ticket lawyer cost me $150 and got me nothing

I hired this guy off Kijiji to fight a photo radar ticket in Edmonton, and he charged me $150 upfront. All he did was file a form and then missed the court date, so I got stuck with the fine anyway. I tried to get my money back but he ghosted me, no surprise there. Has anyone else had luck with those budget legal services around town?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_william12d ago

Yeah I used to be the same way, I'd just grab whoever was cheapest on Kijiji or Facebook and hope for the best. But after getting burned twice like you did, I finally bit the bullet and paid $400 for a traffic paralegal who actually showed up and talked to the prosecutor. Got my ticket dropped to a no point violation and the insurance savings covered the fee in like 8 months. The cheap guys just file paperwork and pray, they don't actually fight anything.

cole_robinson12d ago

Waited too long myself before learning this lesson with a speeding ticket in St. Albert. Spent $200 on a guy who promised the world but just filed a one page form and never showed up to court. What finally worked for me was hiring a paralegal who actually specializes in traffic law, not a general cheap lawyer. The one I used charged around $400 but got the ticket reduced to a non-moving violation with no demerits. Paid for itself in insurance savings within a year. Look for someone with actual courtroom experience and good reviews from real clients, not just cheap ads. The extra money upfront is worth it when you factor in the long term costs of a conviction.