Lee County is located in South Florida. The county is home of Fort Myers, Florida and Cape Coral, Florida. Bonita Springs, Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Fort Myers Beach, and Sanibel are the towns and cities that are incorporated in the County. There are other cities and towns that are not incorporated, which consist of Alva, Boca Grande, Captiva, and Babcock Ranch. Interstate 75 and Highway 41 cross the county and with about 450,000 people there are traffic issues. Fort Myers Police Department, Cape Coral Police Department, Bonita Springs Police Department, Fort Myers Police Department, Fort Myers Beach Police Department, Sanibel Police Department, Alva Police Department, Boca Grande Police Department, Captiva Police Department, Babcock Ranch Police Department, Lee County Sheriff’s Department, and Florida Highway Patrol monitor the traffic that is ongoing in the county.
These law enforcement agencies can issue two types of citations: criminal and civil. Criminal citations require a hearing. At the hearing, you, your Lee County Traffic Attorney, any witnesses, the citation issuing or arresting officer, and the judge presiding over your case will be present. At the hearing you can present your side of the events, any existing defenses for your case, your Fort Myers Traffic lawyer can define the defenses available to you and explain their pertinence to your case. It is imperative that you attend the hearing, but should you not be able to, you must alert the Clerk in order to determine if it can be rescheduled. Any non-appearance can result in a bench warrant being issued for your arrest.
A civil citation is dealt with differently. In these cases, the civil citations can be handled using three different methods: (1) pay the citation and keep points on your record, (2) pay the citation and take a driver improvement course to keep point off of your license, and (3) contest the ticket. If you decide to take the driver improvement course, you must notify the Clerk of the Court at the following address: 1700 Monroe Street, Fort Myers, Florida in writing within thirty (30) days of the citation. You must take the course within sixty (60) days of the notification. Ensure that you present the Certificate of Completion that you receive from the course to the Clerk of the Court in order to ensure that fines and fees or worse penalties are not assessed on your license. The driver improvement course is approximately four (4) hour long. It can be taken in person, online, or on DVD/Video. The course can only be taken so many times, however. It can only be taken one time in twelve (12) months and can only be taken five (5) times over the course of a lifetime. The course is a way to keep points on your license that may accrue to other penalties as discussed below. If you have taken the course too many times, you may be required to keep the points on your license and pay the citation fee and fine or contest the ticket. In order to contest the ticket, you must attend a hearing. At the hearing, you, your Lee County Traffic Attorney should you choose to hire one, any witnesses, the citation issuing officer, and a judge or magistrate presiding over the case will be present. The Lee County Traffic Attorney can determine what defenses are most appropriate for you and your case. They can also outline the process for you so that you have a good working knowledge of what is about to transpire on your case and the outcomes of your case.
Points on your license can result in two outcomes: higher insurance premiums and license suspension. If your insurance company determines that you are a “high risk” driver, then you may be required to carry a SR-22 insurance policy. This insurance comes with premiums that are up to four (4) times as much as safe driver premiums. They can determine that you “high risk” based on their own definition, which usually includes a calculation of the points you have accrued. The points can also result in your license being suspended. If you accrue twelve (12) points in one year, your license may be suspended for one month. If you accrue eighteen (18) points in a year and a half, your license may be suspended for three months. If you accrue twenty-four (24) points in three years, your license may be suspended for one entire year. Any additional points or violations will result in your license being suspended for an additional three months added to any current suspension already on your license.
A traffic citation can bring stress and duress to the person who has gotten the violation. A Lee County Traffic Lawyer can bring you a level of security if you are uneasy about the situation. He or she can answer any and all questions you may have about your violations and present any applicable defenses to you so that you have any idea about how your case may proceed. Contact your local Coral Gables or Fort Myers Speeding Ticket lawyer today to ensure that all deadlines are properly met and you have your rights protected.
