Broward County is one of the three counties that comprise the Miami area. It is also the eighteenth most populous county in the nation. The population of Broward County is approximately 1.8 million people. With 23 miles of beaches in the county, scuba and snorkeling is very popular in the area. The county also has big shopping malls, museums, hall of fames, among other tourist attractions. The main cities in Broward County are Fort Lauderdale, Pembroke Pines, Deerfield Beach, Coral Springs, and Hollywood.
The county has Interstates 75 and 95, Florida Turnpike, and Interstate 595. These highways and roadways are patrolled by local law enforcement agencies. These agencies include Fort Lauderdale Police Department, Pembroke Pines Police Department, Deerfield Beach Police Department, Coral Springs Police, Hollywood Police Department, Florida Highway Patrol, and Broward County Sheriff’s Office.
Broward County is part of the 17th Judicial Circuit with almost 90 judges to handle the volume of cases. The county has four courthouses where the traffic cases are heard. The courthouses are located in northern county at: 1600 West Hillsboro Avenue, Deerfield Beach, FL. There is a judicial complex located in Fort Lauderdale at 201 SE 6th Street. There is another courthouse located at 100 North Pine Road, Plantation, Florida. Finally, the last courthouse is located at 3550 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, FL. Any of these courthouses have clerks of the court, which is where you can find out a hearing date, pay your citation, request a hearing, or ask any question of the court before a hearing with a judge.
Upon getting a traffic citation, you have three options: 1) pay the citation within thirty (30) days, 2) fight the citation in a hearing, or 3) attend a Driver Improvement Course to keep points off your Driving Record. You must pay the citation within thirty (30) days from the date of the citation. In order to fight your citation, you should hire a Fort Lauderdale or Hollywood Speeding Ticket Lawyer. Whether you hire an attorney to assist you or not, you need to request a hearing in writing with the clerk of the court within thirty (30) days of the citation. The other way to handle a citation is to notify the clerk that you will be taking a Driver Improvement course within thirty (30) days. You must complete the course within ninety (90) days of the citation. The Driver Improvement course may keep points off of your license. Also, should you choose this alternative, there are some restrictions: you must have not taken the course in the last twelve (12) months and you can only take it five times in your lifetime. The course is available online, in person or in a video.
While the course is one way to keep points off of your license, a Broward County Traffic attorney can petition to have the points kept off of your license as well. An attorney can assist you by giving you possible defenses, likely outcomes, and knowledge of the process. They can also attend hearings for you. If you have requested a hearing in a civil issue or if you are required to attend for a criminal matter, the judge, the issuing officer, any witnesses, yourself, and your attorney may be present. The judge will hear about the date of the citation and any defenses you may be able to present.
The reason for keeping points off of your license is so that you are not subject to higher premiums and possible license suspension. If you get twelve (12) points on your license within a year, you may have your license suspended for one month. If you get eighteen (18) points in eighteen (18) months, you may have your license suspended for three months. Finally, if you get twenty-four (24) points in three years, you may have your license suspended for one year. These points are put on your license from incidents, moving violations, and other traffic violations. In as few as four simple violations within a year, your license may be suspended just on the basis of a point accrual. Therefore, it is important to ensure that the points are kept off of your license.
Broward County, with its immense population and numerous tourist attractions, the county, of course, has a large number of traffic violations. A Ft. Lauderdale or Pembroke Pines Speeding Ticket lawyer can assist you in keeping points off your license and attending a hearing for you. A Broward County Traffic Attorney may be just what you need to ensure your rights are protected.
