wrekless driving

I could really use some advice here. About a month ago, i was cited for wrekless driving. The cop who cited me did not see what happened. There were three people who told on me and that was apparently enough for a citation. The citation said that I was sliding my truck around, almost striking people and other cars, and driving at excessive speeds. As soon as i got the citation in the mail, I want and took pictures of the parking lot where the incodent occured. There were absolutely no tire marks. I had two people in the truck at the time who both testified in court today saying that i was not driving wreklessly. The cop brought the three people who turned me in and they each exagerated the story a little more. They also did there best to make me look bad. I had what I thought was enough evidence and witnesses to win the case but lost anyway. I have 30 days to appeal. I was concedering appealing and getting a lawyer. Can anyone give me a rough estimant on how much that would cost and what my chances of wining an appeal are? I am in pennsylvania. they also never told me what the penalties were. I already paid the $300 fine. how long will i loose my lisence for?

[JETX]

"I was concedering appealing and getting a lawyer."
*** Save your money. The court probably discounted your 'friends' statements since they were biased. Did these three witnesses against you know you before the incident?? Did they have any reason to be biased against you??

"Can anyone give me a rough estimant on how much that would cost"
** Legal fees aren't fixed and are set by agreement between the parties. It also depends largely on the issues, facts of law and amount of time needed to defend. Simply, there is no way that a removed person (as on this forum) can give you a price.

"and what my chances of wining an appeal are?"
*** Depends entire on the facts..... and the answers in the first response above.

"how long will i loose my lisence for?"
*** Whether you lose your license or for how long is set either by the court or by the state Drivers License authority.

I guess I should have mentioned that this happened in my High School parking lot. The wittness I brought were a friend and my brother. the judge prety much blew off what they said. the other three people I did not know. They were all adults; my brother is 14, my friend is 16, and I am 17. I know I could get 15 or 20 other people who saw me that morning to come to court and say that I was not driving wreklessly. I also have pictures of the entire parking lot showing that there was no rubber left by my truck. would that be enough evidence to at least get the charges lowered... careless driving mabey? Would I need some kind of expert whitness to proove that my truck did not slide based on the pictures? Would it be bad to bring a lot of people who are all going to say the same thing?

[JETX]

You really shouldn't be surprised of the outcome. Your witnesses, as friends and family, were discounted as they are clearly biased towards your version. However, the prosecution witnesses had no reason to be biased since they didn't know you prior to the incident.

The lack of tire marks means nothing. The 'donuts' you were doing could have been done on snow or ice (seasonal) or due to a wet surface, all of which would leave no marks.

"would that be enough evidence to at least get the charges lowered... careless driving mabey?"
*** If your post is correct, you have already been charged and found guilty of the charge. As such, the time to try to negotiate a lower plea has passed. And you do not appear to have any issue in law that would allow your appeal anyway.

"Would I need some kind of expert whitness to proove that my truck did not slide based on the pictures?"
*** Again, the time to have done that was at trial.
"Would it be bad to bring a lot of people who are all going to say the same thing?"
*** Bottom line.... all these 'couldas' should have been raised at the trial. It is too late to try to introduce 'new' arguments. You cannot get an appeal to argue new or additional evidence not presented at your trial. At this point, suck it up, pay the fine and learn from the 'experience'.