Traffic Matters
A CDL ticket in Memphis is handled on a flat fee, and ours starts at $1,500 in every court we handle. Which court you are in is set by the agency that stopped you, not by us. Here is the whole schedule, so you can see the number for your court before you decide anything. Call or text the criminal line at 901-412-2973 or the office at (901) 324-5000.
CDL ticket attorney fees by court
| Court | Our flat fee |
|---|---|
| Memphis City Court | From $1,500 |
| Shelby County General Sessions · Sheriff, Tennessee Highway Patrol, and interstate stops · Lakeland · Arlington | From $1,500 |
| Bartlett · Germantown · Collierville | From $1,500 |
| Outside Shelby County (taken selectively) | From $1,500 |
| Appeal of a CDL ticket ruling | $2,500 |
These are attorney fees. Court costs and any fine are separate and are paid to the court, not to us — usually somewhere around $75 to $135 depending on the court and the agency that issued the citation.
Which court is my ticket in?
Where the case is depends on who stopped you, and it is printed on the citation in your hand.
- Memphis Police Department citations go to Memphis City Court. If you were stopped coming off the bridge from West Memphis, this is almost certainly you — it is the most common situation for drivers passing through. From $1,500.
- Tennessee Highway Patrol or Shelby County Sheriff citations, including stops out on the interstates, go to Shelby County General Sessions. Lakeland and Arlington citations go there too. From $1,500.
- Bartlett, Germantown, and Collierville police citations go to those cities’ municipal courts. From $1,500.
- Outside Shelby County we take CDL cases selectively, from $1,500; ask when you call.
Why a CDL ticket costs more than a regular ticket
An ordinary speeding ticket has options that never involve a courtroom fight. A commercial driver does not have those options. Federal rules prohibit masking a conviction for a CDL holder — that is the general term for the arrangements that keep a ticket off a driving record, like diversion, deferral, or a dismissal in exchange for court costs. None of that is available to you, and it does not matter which state issued your license or whether you were in your truck or your personal car at the time.
That is worth saying plainly, because it is the trap drivers fall into: a “dismissal with court costs” sounds like a win, but for a CDL it still gets reported and still counts against you. What you are actually choosing between is a conviction or a real defense on the merits. That is the work the fee reflects, and it is why fewer lawyers handle these than you would expect — trying a case is a lot more work than paying a ticket. We have handled thousands of tickets and we do this work every week.
We go to court so you don’t have to — mostly
The court dates before any trial are handled without you; we appear for you. The trial itself is the exception — if your case is contested to a trial, you have to be there for it. That means, at most, one trip back to Memphis on a date you will know far enough ahead to plan a load around. Anyone who promises you will never have to come back for a contested CDL case is telling you what you want to hear.
Talk to a lawyer before your court date — free
Do not pay the citation. For a commercial driver, paying it counts as a conviction on your record — the exact thing you are trying to avoid. Call the office at (901) 324-5000, or call or text the criminal line at 901-412-2973, with the citation in front of you, and we will tell you the fee for your court. It takes a minute and obligates you to nothing. Se habla Español. See our CDL ticket defense page for how these cases are handled. Charged with something other than a traffic ticket? See how much a criminal defense lawyer costs in Memphis.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a CDL ticket lawyer cost in Memphis?
At Brooks Law Firm, a CDL citation starts at $1,500 in every court we handle: Memphis City Court; Shelby County General Sessions, including Sheriff, Tennessee Highway Patrol, and interstate stops, Lakeland, and Arlington; and Bartlett, Germantown, and Collierville. Outside Shelby County we take CDL cases selectively. An appeal of a CDL ticket ruling is $2,500. These are attorney fees only; court costs and any fine are separate.
Which court will my Memphis CDL ticket be in?
It depends on which agency stopped you, and that agency is printed on your citation. Memphis Police Department citations go to Memphis City Court. Tennessee Highway Patrol and Shelby County Sheriff citations, including interstate stops, go to Shelby County General Sessions. Bartlett, Germantown, and Collierville police citations go to those municipal courts.
Why does a CDL ticket cost more than a regular ticket?
Because it cannot be resolved the same way. Federal rules prohibit masking convictions for commercial drivers, which removes diversion, deferral, and dismissal in exchange for court costs. That leaves a choice between a conviction and a defense on the merits, and the fee reflects the work of contesting the case rather than working out a routine resolution.
Do I have to go to court for my CDL ticket?
For the settings before any trial, no — we appear for you. For a trial itself, yes; the driver has to be present. Most drivers make at most one trip back, on a date they know far enough ahead to plan around.
Can I just take a dismissal with court costs?
For a CDL holder that is not the win it sounds like. A dismissal with court costs still gets reported and still counts against your commercial record, because federal law does not allow that conviction to be masked. It is why these cases are defended on the merits instead.
Do you handle CDL tickets in the counties outside Shelby?
Selectively. Our CDL practice is Memphis and Shelby County. We take a case in Fayette, Tipton, Haywood, or Lauderdale County only when it fits a day we are already in that court, from $1,500. Ask when you call.