Lawyers will charge different amounts for different offenses. Generally, my experience has been that ticket lawyers are very reasonably priced for the services that they offer. In Houston, I refer my friends and clients to Scott Markowitz and Paul Kubosh for their tickets. I would guess that the going rate is probably $100 to $200 depending on your driving history and the type of charges that you face. Remember, on top of the attorney's fee you will be responsible for court costs and fines if any.
If your question relates to attorney fees then it cannot be answered here as each attorney will charge a different amount for their services.
If, however, your question regards bail or fines for infractions it is the practice in most jurisdictions to charge a bail amount equal to the fine amount which is then forfeited upon losing the case or upon failing to appear for a trial.
This charge varies, depending on the attorney involved. Some attorneys will charge a particular amount for a particular charge, while others will charge whatever the fine is, so that if they win, you pay the same, but you pay the attorney for a clean record, versus the court with a mark against your record. As for the bail that one of the other attorneys mentioned, the money for bail is not taken away simply because you lose, but rather only if you fail to appear.
Dallas area: $50 and up, assuming you're talking about a speeding citation and not DWLI or something like an ordinance violation (ie. you got a ticket for letting your grass grow too long. Dallas loves those.). Add another $45 or so if a warrant has issued.
To clarify one point: what you get is representation, not a defense. An attorney can tell you if you have a legit defense, and he can help you even if you don't.
