If you have picked up a standard traffic citation in Florida, you have three options. You can choose to pay the citation in full, contest the charges, or you can choose to take a basic driver improvement course. You will be given 30 days to make your decision, and if you fail to respond to the ticket within this time period, you will face additional penalties.
These days, settling your ticket online is a simple process. If you are unable to make the journey to your local county clerk’s office, you can visit the Florida Pay Clerk website to make a payment. However, just because it is easy does not mean it is the best option for you. By paying the fine, you are admitting guilt, and this could mean points on your license and an increase in your insurance rates. Contesting your charges could save you money and hassle in the long-term.
If you need help in deciding how to settle your ticket, an experienced traffic ticket lawyer from our law firm can help. We have years and years of combined experience and handle traffic ticket cases daily, so if you choose to contest your ticket, we can build the best defense strategy for you and work to have your charges reduced or dismissed.
Contact The Ticket Lawyers today at (866)-985-7740 for a free consultation.
When you are given a traffic citation by an officer in Florida, you will be asked for your signature. By signing the citation, you are not admitting guilt. You are simply acknowledging the charge.
From this point on, you have 30 days from the date of the infraction to respond. If you ignore the ticket, it will not simply go away. Failure to respond to your ticket will result in additional charges, including license suspension. However, you do not simply have to pay the fine and accept the consequences. You have three options available to you:
If you choose to pay the citation, you can find all of the details of how to make your payment listed on the front of the ticket. You will be able to report directly to the Clerk of Court by visiting the clerk’s office in the county where you picked up the citation. The locations of the offices and all the information about your local office can be found on the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FHSMV) website.
If for convenience, you want to make a payment online, you can visit the Florida Pay Clerk website. This website allows you to pay online for any of the sixty-seven counties in which the violation may have occurred.
Payment of the fine is considered an admission of guilt and results in a conviction. Therefore, if applicable, points will be put on your driving record. This will lead to an increase in your insurance rate, and if you have reached the maximum of 12 points, your license will be suspended. A breakdown of points awarded for traffic violations can be found on the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles website.
If you decide to contest your charges, you have the same 30 days to contact the Clerk of Court in the county where you picked up the ticket and request a hearing.
If you are unsuccessful in your hearing and the County Judge, Hearing Officer, or magistrate concludes that you are guilty of the offense, they may require that you complete a basic driver improvement course and pay the fine associated with your citation.
However, with the help of the right lawyer, you can put forward a solid defense that means your case will be thrown out. Therefore, you can avoid the fine, the points, and possible license suspension.
Don’t pay the fine just because you live out of state. If you want to contest the charges, a lawyer from our law firm can appear in court on your behalf.
You also have the option of taking a Florida driver improvement course but must elect to do so within 30 days. Details of approved driver improvement courses can be found on the FHSMV website. However, you only have the option for this option once in a 12 month period and a total of five times in your life.
One issue with these courses is that once you have completed a driver improvement course, you will be required to submit a certificate of completion to the Clerk of Court. This can be difficult for drivers who picked up a citation when driving out of state, but a lawyer from our law firm can submit this on your behalf.
Driver improvement courses can be a good option for first-time offenders, but they may not be a good choice for drivers who have multiple offenses on their record. To find out what the best option is for you, contact us now for a free consultation.
For some traffic violations in Florida, you will be required to provide proof of compliance to the Clerk of Court’s office. This could be in the form of a driver registration certificate or your driver’s license. This will be the case if:
If you are unable to provide this information, or you can not attend the Clerk of Court’s office, contact The Ticket Lawyers now, and we can advise you on how to proceed.
Ignoring a traffic infraction is never a good idea. If you fail to respond to your ticket within 30 days, your fine will be doubled, and your driver’s license will be suspended.
However, if you have found yourself in this position, contact an experienced lawyer immediately. We can help you have your license reinstated and fight your original charges.
After being issued with a traffic citation, it is important that you are aware of all the options that are available to you. Just because paying a fine or opting to take a driver improvement course is sold to you as the easiest option, it does not mean that it is in your best interest. Contesting your fine may save you money in the long term and can even save your driving license.
You won’t lose anything by calling us for a free consultation before your 30 days is up. We can give you honest legal advice and help you decide what steps to take next. If you live out of state, we can take on the burden of this citation for you.
For a free consultation, call the Ticket Lawyers today at (866)-985-7740.
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