“I sent the form at eleven at night expecting nothing. She wrote back before nine the next morning with the date of my hearing and what to bring.”
Declan R.License suspension
Drunk-driving and traffic defense in Boston
Tell me about the stop. I'll tell you where you stand.
I'm Colette Moynihan. I defend drivers charged after a traffic stop: drunk-driving charges, license suspensions, reckless driving and tickets worth contesting. The form goes to me, not a call center, and I write back myself.
Listen
Your account of the night, before anyone else'sExplain
Each choice and what it costs, in plain wordsPrepare
Every report, video and test record read before court
Tickets and letters
A citation or a suspension notice came in the mail
Not every case begins with an arrest. Some begin with an envelope. Most of these notices carry a short deadline to respond; send me what the paper says and the date printed on it, and I'll write back with what yours means.
The work
Charges that begin behind the wheel
I take driving cases and nothing else. Each one below links to a page that says how it usually unfolds.
A first or second charge, a breath test, a blood draw or a refusal.
A charge that can follow a student into school, work and insurance.
The separate case over your right to drive, with a short window to ask for a hearing.
A ticket on a CDL can cost more than a fine. It can cost the job.
More than a ticket, less than a felony, and worth taking seriously.
Speeding and other moving violations that add points and raise premiums.
Who reads your form
The lawyer who answers is the one at your hearing
I run a small office on Congress Street, by myself, on purpose. You won't be handed to an associate after the first call. I read the police report, watch the cruiser video, check the test records, and stand next to you in the courtroom and at the license hearing.
Before I opened my own practice I was an assistant district attorney, so I've seen these cases from the other table too.
The office, in brief
Founded, admitted, and in these courts
- Founded
- 2016, on Congress Street
- Courts
- Boston Municipal CourtDistrict courts in Suffolk, Middlesex and Norfolk countiesSuperior Court
- Jurisdictions
- Massachusettsadmitted 2010New Hampshireadmitted 2012
- Hearings
- License suspension hearingsCommercial license reviews
- First conversation
- Free, about twenty minutes, by phone or in the office
From former clients
What drivers wrote afterward
“She explained every option, including the ones that would cost me more, and let me decide. Nobody had talked to me like an adult about it until then.”
Priya S.First drunk-driving charge
“I drive a box truck for a living. Colette understood what the ticket meant for my job before I finished explaining it.”
Marcus T.Ticket on a commercial license
Every case turns on its own facts. These notes describe past clients' experiences, not the result you will get.
Before you write
Five questions drivers ask first
How soon should I write to you after a stop?
As soon as you can. The license case and the criminal case run on separate clocks, and the window to ask for a license hearing is short. The date on your paperwork tells me how much time is left.
Will I lose my license?
Not always, and not always for long. It depends on the test, any earlier record and what happens at the hearing. I can't promise an outcome, but I can tell you what's likely once I've seen the paperwork.
Is the first conversation really free?
Yes. It's about twenty minutes, by phone or in the office. If you hire me afterward, the fee is set out in writing before any work starts.
What if I live in another state?
Drivers from out of state are charged here every week. Many cases can be handled with fewer trips to Boston than you'd expect, and I'm also admitted in New Hampshire.
Should I talk to the police or the insurer about it?
Not before we've spoken. Write down what you remember for yourself, keep every piece of paper you were given, and let me handle the conversations.