Glades County is located in, just as the name suggests, in the Everglades of Florida. It has a rather small population of only approximately 15,000 residents. The area has many tourist attractions including air boat rides, nature parks, and many other nature attractions. The county seat is Moore Head, Florida. The area is crossed by some major thoroughfares.
Glades County Sheriff’s Office, Moore Head Police Department, and Florid Highway Patrol monitor the roadways and can issue citations of two varieties—one is a criminal citation and the other is a civil citation. These citations have different penalties attached to them. The penalties for a criminal citation include probation, jail time, community service, fees and fines, license suspension and/or revocation. Criminal violations include Driving Under the Influence, Driving without a License, reckless driving, among other violations. Upon being issued a criminal citation, you must attend a hearing. At the hearing, you, your Glades County Traffic Attorney should you choose to hire one, any witnesses, the citation issuing officer, and the judge or magistrate presiding over your case will be present.
Civil citations are a result of other types of violations, including unlawful speed, failure to produce proof of insurance, careless driving, faulty equipment on your vehicles, among other violations. In order to fix your citation with the court, you have three options: 1) pay the fine or fee and accept the points on your license, 2) pay the fine or fee and take the driver improvement course or 3) contest the citation and attend a hearing. If you choose to attend the Driver Improvement course, you must alert the Clerk of the Court that you intend to take the course within thirty (30) days of the citation. You must take the course within sixty (60) days. And, once complete, you must provide your certificate of completion to the Clerk. The Clerk of the Court and all hearings are held at the courthouse: 500 Avenue J SW, Moore Haven, Florida. There are some restrictions. You can only attend one time in any (12) month period. You can only attend five (5) times in your lifetime. The course is offered in three different formats: in person in a classroom setting, online or on DVD or video. If you have taken the course five (5) times in your lifetime, you will have to either accept the points on your license or contest the ticket to not have points on your license. To contest the ticket, you will need to schedule a hearing with the Clerk of the Court. At the hearing, you, your Moore Head Speeding Ticket Lawyer, any witnesses, the citation issuing officer, and the judge or magistrate presiding over your case. You will be given the opportunity to have your case heard. You can present your side of the facts and any and all defenses to your case. The court may rule in your favor or against you. If they find you are guilty, they may require you to pay fines and fees associated with brining litigation in court. Your Glades County Traffic attorney can assist you in presenting a coherent case.
Having points kept off of your record is the best way to ensure your license is not suspended and you do not fact higher insurance penalties. If your insurance company deems you to be a “high risk” drive, they may require you to carry a SR-22 insurance policy. These policies have premiums that are up to four (4) times as much as safe driver insurance policies. Also, when points accrue at rapid rates, they can result in your license being suspended. If you get twelve (12) points in one year, your license may be suspended for one month. Your license may be suspended for three (3) months if you get eighteen (18) points in one year and a half. If you get twenty-four (24) points in thirty-six (36) months, you may have your license suspended for one (1) year. The points accrue according to the following schedule:
| POINTS | VIOLATIONS |
|---|---|
| 0 | Non-Moving Violation |
| 3 | Littering, Child Restraint Violation, Speeding 15 miles per hour or less over the speed limit |
| 4 | Speeding 16 miles per hour or more over the speed limit, passing a stopped school bus, reckless driving |
| 6 | Leaving the scene of an accident (<$50 damage) or any collisions resulting from speeding |
If you find yourself with a citation, you should find out which option is best for you. With options at your fingertips, you can determine if you can afford the points on your license or if you should invest in the Driver Improvement Course or a Glades County Traffic Attorney. He or she can help you by educating you about the process, illustrate the substance of the law that you were cited for, determine likely outcomes, and set up a plan for you to win your case. With so much activity in the Everglades, it is sometimes daunting to be faced with something as stressful as a speeding or traffic violation. Contact your local Glades County Speeding Ticket lawyer today and allow them to handle your case for you so you do not have the stress and can rest without hesitation.
