Bay County, Florida is situated in the panhandle of the state. The county seat is Panama City. The county is world-renowned for its sandy white beaches, dolphins that play year round and sunny weather. The county has a large array of tourist activities, most of which revolve around Panama City Beach. The county also, however, has a portion of the Apalachicola National Forest Reserve. One can easily go from beach to forest in the county.
With its diverse climates, the county has lots of traffic traversing it. Local law enforcement agencies and state law enforcement agencies patrol the major thoroughfares and roadways. Law enforcement agencies include Panama City Police Department, Panama City Beach Police Department, Callaway Police Department, Mexico Beach Police Department, Parker Police Department, Springfield Police Department, Bay County Sheriff’s Department, and Florida Highway Patrol. Patrollers write citations to those in violation of criminal codes and civil statutes.
A criminal citation is issued when the violator has committed a criminal offense. These offenses include Driving Under the Influence, driving without a driver’s license, reckless driving, among other violations. These citations require a hearing before a judge or magistrate. At these hearings, you may wish to hire a Bay County Traffic Attorney to attend the hearing with you. He or she can detail the process for you, the likely outcome of any proceeding, and any defenses available to your case.
A civil citation is issued in most other circumstances. The most common civil citations arise out of unlawful speed, careless driving, failure to stop at a traffic signal, among other violations. These citations do not require a hearing, but you may request one from the clerk of the court in writing within thirty days of your citation. The Bay County Clerk of the Court and any and all hearings will be held at the Bay County Courthouse, which has its address at 300 East 4th Street, Panama City, FL 32401. The officer that issued the citation, any witnesses, yourself, any Panama City Speeding Ticket Lawyer you may choose to hire, and the judge will be present at this hearing. You can be ordered to pay the fine plus any court costs or you may be adjudicated not guilty and you may be able to avoid fines/fees and/or any other penalties.
Besides requesting a hearing, there are two other ways to remedy a traffic violation. These options are: simply paying the fine or attending a Driver Improvement Course. A Driver Improvement Course is available online, in person in a classroom setting, or on video/DVD. The course may lower your fine/fee and keep points off of your license. Paying the fine/fee will settle the case with the court. Points may be put on your license according to the following schedule:
Non-moving violations…………………………………………………………………………….0 points
Unlawful speed 15 miles per hour over the speed limit, child restraint violations, littering,
and other moving violations not otherwise listed……………………………………………3 points
Unlawful speed 16 miles per hour over the speed limit, passing a stopped school bus,
moving violation (non-speeding) resulting in a collision…………………………………….4 points
Leaving the scene of an accident with less than $50 damage or moving violation(speeding)
resulting in a collision……………………………………………………………………………..6 points
It is important to keep points off of your license in an effort to avoid having your license suspended or having higher insurance premiums. If you attain twelve (12) points in a year, your license may be suspended for one month. If you get eighteen (18) points in a year and a half, your license may be suspended for three months. Finally, if you get twenty-four (24) points in three years, your license may be suspended for one year. It is important to note that any further violations above and beyond this limit can result in a license suspension for ninety (90) days. Also, insurance companies can, in their sole discretion, raise your insurance premiums. If they deem you to be a high risk driver, you may be required to carry an SR-22 policy, which can cost you up to four times as much in insurance premiums each month. These policy requirements stay in effect for three to five years before your insurance premiums can be restored to safe driver premiums.
You should hire a Bay County Traffic Attorney to assist you in your case. He or she will detail for you the process, defenses, and any outcomes for your case. A Panama City Speeding Ticket Attorney will assist you by making sure you meet deadlines and attend any hearings you may have with you. Contact one today to ensure your rights are protected!
