It's Never Just a Ticket

Reviewed by Gary Koos, Criminal Defense Attorney — See About Gary Koos for full credentials.

A speeding ticket feels minor until it's the third one. A CDL violation feels manageable until your employer finds out. Driving while barred feels like a traffic matter until you realize it's an aggravated misdemeanor. I'm Gary Koos, and I've been defending traffic cases across eastern Iowa for 50 years — from Scott County to Johnson County to Dubuque. I know how the points add up, how the courts work, and how to keep a manageable problem from becoming a serious one.

When a Traffic Charge Can Change More Than Your Insurance Rate

Most people contest a ticket because they think they were right. That's one reason — but it's rarely the most important one. The Iowa driver's license point system is the reason that matters most.


Iowa assigns demerit points to moving violations. Enough points within a two-year window and your license is suspended. A second suspension within a defined period can trigger habitual offender status, which brings a mandatory revocation of up to six years. What starts as a $200 speeding ticket can, if left uncontested, become the step that pushes you into that territory.


A lawyer can often get a ticket reduced to a non-moving violation or a lesser charge — one that carries fewer or no points. In most cases, the cost of legal representation is less than the insurance premium increase you'd absorb over three years by simply paying the ticket.

Driver being handed a citation through a car window by a police officer writing on a clipboard

What I Handle

  • Speeding and excessive speed charges


  • Reckless driving in Davenport and across the Quad Cities


  • Driving while barred (aggravated misdemeanor)


  • CDL violations — commercial and personal vehicle


  • Driving under suspension or revocation


  • Failure to maintain control and other moving violations


  • Traffic charges in Scott, Johnson, Muscatine, Dubuque, Clinton, Cedar, and Jackson counties

CDL Violations Are Job-Protection Cases

If you hold a commercial driver's license, the federal rules that govern it are more severe than Iowa's traffic code — and most traffic attorneys don't know the difference. I do.


A single OWI conviction, even if it happened in your personal vehicle on a weekend, disqualifies your CDL for one year under federal law. A second conviction means lifetime disqualification. Certain serious traffic violations — excessive speeding, reckless driving, improper lane changes resulting in a fatality — can trigger a CDL disqualification even without an OWI.


I treat CDL cases as what they actually are: threats to your livelihood. The goal isn't just to minimize the charge. It's to keep you working.

Driving While Barred Is a Criminal Charge, Not a Traffic Ticket

Driving while barred in Iowa is an aggravated misdemeanor, which means it carries potential jail time and a criminal record — not just a fine and points. If you're currently driving on a barred license, or you've been charged for doing so, the stakes are different than a standard traffic offense.


My first step in any barred-license case is to examine how the bar was issued. Revocations are sometimes based on administrative errors, improper notice, or underlying convictions that were themselves defective. If the revocation wasn't valid, the barred charge may not hold. When the underlying revocation is solid, I work to negotiate the charge down to a lesser offense wherever the facts support it.

How I Approach a Traffic Case

Step 1:

Evaluate the Charge and Your Record

I look at the specific violation, your current point total, your license status, and whether CDL rules apply. That picture tells me what's at risk and what outcomes are realistic.

Step 2:

Examine the Stop and the Evidence

Was the stop lawful? Was the speed measurement accurate? Was the citation issued correctly? Traffic cases often have procedural vulnerabilities that don't appear in the ticket itself.

Step 3:

Negotiate or Contest

In most traffic cases, negotiation with the prosecutor gets the charge reduced before trial. When the facts support a fight — or when a plea doesn't protect your license — I take it to court. I've tried four major cases in the past year alone, and I don't back down when the evidence is on our side.

Step 4:

Protect Your License Going Forward

After resolution, I advise on what the outcome means for your point total, your insurance, and your CDL status if applicable — so the next ticket doesn't catch you off guard.

Questions About Iowa Traffic Charges

  • Is it worth hiring a lawyer for a speeding ticket in Iowa?

    Usually, yes — especially if you have prior violations on your record. Iowa's point system means that a ticket you pay today can combine with older violations to trigger a suspension. A lawyer can often negotiate a reduction to a non-moving charge, which protects your record and typically costs less than the insurance increase you'd absorb by pleading guilty.

  • What happens if I get too many points on my Iowa driver's license?

    Iowa suspends your license when you accumulate enough points within a two-year period. If you're suspended more than once within a set timeframe, you can be classified as a habitual offender — which carries a mandatory revocation of up to six years. The exact thresholds depend on your license type and history.

  • Can a traffic violation disqualify my CDL in Iowa?

    Yes. Under federal regulations, certain violations — including OWI in any vehicle, excessive speeding, and reckless driving — can trigger CDL disqualification independent of Iowa's standard point system. A first OWI disqualifies your CDL for one year. A second means lifetime disqualification. These rules apply even when the incident happens in your personal car.

  • What is driving while barred in Iowa, and how serious is it?

    Driving while barred is an aggravated misdemeanor under Iowa law — a criminal charge, not a simple traffic violation. It carries potential jail time and a permanent criminal record. The charge arises when someone drives after their license has been revoked under Iowa's habitual offender statute. Defenses exist, including challenging the validity of the underlying revocation.

  • Can a reckless driving charge in Davenport affect my CDL?

    It can. Reckless driving is classified as a serious traffic violation under federal CDL rules. Two serious violations within three years trigger a CDL disqualification. If you hold a CDL and you're facing a reckless driving charge in Davenport or anywhere in eastern Iowa, you need to treat it as a license-protection matter from the start.

  • How do I know if my traffic ticket is worth contesting?

    The right question isn't whether you think you were right — it's what the charge will cost you in points, insurance, and license status over the next two to three years. I offer a straightforward case evaluation. Tell me the charge, your driving record, and whether you hold a CDL, and I'll tell you what's realistically at stake and what I can do about it.

Black phone handset with a chat bubble containing a justice scales icon.

Fifty Years in Iowa Courtrooms — Available Tonight

I've handled criminal and traffic defense across eastern Iowa for half a century. Before that, I spent 12 years in Manhattan, trying cases alongside attorneys who took on the most high-profile work in the country. I brought that trial experience back to Iowa, and I've never stopped using it.


When you call 563-275-8820, I answer — not a service, not a receptionist. If you're dealing with a CDL violation, a barred-license charge, or a ticket that could compound into something worse, call me before you decide to just pay it.


I serve clients in Davenport, Bettendorf, Iowa City, Muscatine, Dubuque, Clinton, and throughout the Iowa 7th Judicial District. If you're not sure whether I cover your county, call and ask.