Shopping online is common, and now, a new website and mobile app is allowing drivers facing traffic charges in North Carolina to shop for attorneys in North Carolina.

Wake County attorney Terrence McEnally developed the service, called BernieSez, in which users upload a photo of their traffic citation, provide basic information and then receive bids from traffic attorneys wanting to represent them.

McEnally says the service is a more efficient way to hire an attorney in that drivers don’t have to sort through sometimes dozens of solicitations and then have to explain their case multiple times to multiple attorneys.

With BernieSez, users can compare competing bids and pick the attorney they want to represent them.

The service is free for drivers, and lawyers will pay a fee once beta testing of the service ends in March.

Ray Beard started using the service when he got a speeding ticket last month.

“What I’m hoping to do, because I haven’t had my trial date yet, is to get (the ticket) off my record, and so that’s why I’m looking for an attorney,” he said.

Reporter: Amanda Lamb
Photographer: Chad Flowers
Web Editor: Kelly Gardner