Jackson County is located on the Florida-Alabama border and in the Florida panhandle. There are approximately 50,000 residents that reside in the county. The county seat is Marianna, Florida. The county has many other towns and cities. These towns and cities are Alford, Bascom, Campbelton, Cottondale, Graceville, Grand Ridge, Greenwood, Jacob City, Malone, Marianna, and Sneads.
Alford Police Department, Bascom Police Department, Cottondale Police Department, Graceville Police Department, Grand Ridge Police Department, Greenwood Police Department, Jacob City Police Department, Malone Police Department, and Sneads Police Department, Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, and Florida Highway Patrol police the local roadways. These law enforcement agencies determine if violations are criminal or civil in nature. A criminal citation will require a hearing. At the hearing, you, your Jackson County Traffic lawyer, any witnesses, the arresting or citation issuing police officer, and the judge or magistrate hearing the case will be present. This is the chance for you to present your case to the judge and have him hear your side of the issues. Once you have your day in court, the judge will determine what your sentence is—including but not limited to jail time, probation, community service, points, fines or fees, among other penalties. You may also have to attend drug or alcohol treatment. They may require either residential or outpatient treatment. Once you have completed the treatment, you may be subject to random drug/alcohol screenings.
A civil citation may be rectified in one of three methods: 1) you may pay the fine or fee associated with your citation and accept the points on your license, 2) you may elect to take driver improvement course and avoid points on your license and pay the fine or fee on your license or 3) attend a hearing and contest your citation. If you decide to elect to take the driver improvement course, you must notify the clerk of the court within thirty (30) days of the citation in writing at the following address: 4445 Lafayette Street, Marianna, FL. The clerk will then need to see proof in the form of a certificate of completion of the course within sixty (60) days of notifying the clerk of you intending to take the course. The course is approximately four (4) hours long. It is available in person in a classroom setting, online, or on DVD/video. You would need to submit your certificate of completion to the clerk for them to keep on your record so that you are not subject to any more fines, fees or points. You must notify the Clerk of the Court that you are requesting a hearing. If you request a hearing, you must attend on the date assigned to you. You, your Jackson County traffic lawyer if you choose to hire one, any witnesses, the citation issuing officer, and the judge or magistrate presiding over your case will need to be in attendance. The Jackson County Speeding Ticket lawyer can present your case for you or you can present your case on your behalf. If you are found guilty of your citation, you may be required to pay court costs associated with bringing your case to the court rather than just paying the civil fine.
Points may be assessed on your license and your license may be suspended or you may have higher insurance premiums because of the number of points on your license. If you are deemed to be a “high risk” driver, your insurance company may require you to carry an SR-22 insurance policy. These policies may be up to four (4) times as much as other policies. If you should accrue twelve (12) points in one year, you may get your license suspended for one month. If you should accrue eighteen (18) points in eighteen (18) months, you may have your license suspended for three months. If you get twenty-four (24) points in three years, you may have your license suspended for one entire year. Any additional points may result in three additional months being added to your already instated suspensions.
| POINTS | VIOLATIONS |
|---|---|
| 0 | Non-Moving Violation |
| 3 | Unlawful speed 15 miles per hour over the speed limit or less, careless driving, littering, child restraint violations |
| 4 | Unlawful speed 16 miles per hour or more over the speed limit, reckless driving, passing a stopped school bus |
| 6 | Leaving the scene of a collision (<$50 damage) or a collision as a result of unlawful speed |
Points can remain on your license for up to five (5) years.
A Jackson County Traffic lawyer can assist you in getting you informed of your rights and the best method in your case to protect those rights. You will gather information you will need to acquire and/or present to the court. Or, you may have the Jackson County Speeding Ticket lawyer attend the hearing and present your case for you. It is best to bring your case to a lawyer as soon as possible to ensure that your rights are best protected, no deadlines are missed and you have the first priority on court dates. Contact your local Jackson County Traffic Lawyer today to get you on the right road to success!
