Madison County is located in North Florida, on the Georgia border. It is home to approximately 20,000 residents. It has many fall festivals, rural activities, and is home to a portion of the Florida/Georgia borner. Madison is the county seat. The other cities in the county include Greenville, Florida and Lee, Florida. The county has many major roads that pass through it: Interstate 10, US 19, US90, US 221, State Road 6, State Road 14, State Road 53, and State Road 145. These roads are patrolled by local law enforcement agencies. Law enforcement agencies include Madison Police Department, Lee Police Department, Greenville Police Department, Madison County Sheriff’s Office, and Florida Highway Patrol.
These police agencies can issue two types of citations: civil and criminal. Criminal citations require a hearing. Criminal citations will result in attendance at a hearing including any sentencing that is necessary to remedy the violations. Criminal violations include driving under the influence, reckless driving, driving with a suspended license, driving with a revoked license, among other violations. Penalties can include jail time, license suspension, impoundment, drug or alcohol treatment program, probation, community service, fines or fees, among other penalties. The penalties for criminal ciations are higher than those for civil citations.
Civil citations can be remedied by three options. The first option is to pay the fine or fee to theClerk of the Court and keep the points on your license. The Clerk of the Court is located at the Courthouse, which has its address at 101 South Range Street, Madison, Florida. The second option is to pay the fine or fee and to elect to take a driver improvement course. The driver improvement course is approximately four (4) hours long. It is available online, in person in a classroom setting, and on DVD and video. The course does have limitations as to how many times you can take it. You may only take the course one time in a twelve (12) month period. It can only be taken five (5) times in your lifetime. Once you have taken it the allotted amount of times, you must eitherkeep the points on your license or contest the ticket. You need to alert the Clerk of the Court within thirty (30) days in writing of your intent to take the Driver Improvement Course. You must then take the course within sixty (60) days. Once you have taken it, you will be given a Certificate of Completion. You will need to file the Certificate with the Clerk in order to ensure that your license is not suspended or points are not assessed on yourlicense and/or you do not incur any additional fees or fines. Finally, you can contest your ticket as well. If you choose to contest your ticket, your Madison Speeding Ticket Lawyer, yourself, any witnesses, the citation issuing officer, and the judge or magistrate presiding over your case will be present for the hearing. You will be able to present your case and any and all defenses you may have that are applicable to your case. The Madison County Traffic Attorney you may choose to hire can alert you to the possible defenses in your case. They can also educate you of your rights, determine the best and worst case scenarios for your case, and determine the best plan of action for you. If you are determined to be guilty of the traffic violation, you may be required to pay additional court fees.
Points on your license may result in two hardships: your license may be suspended or you may have higher insurance premiums. Your insurance company, in their sole discretion, may render you a “high risk” driver if you have a high number of points accrued on your license. Once you are defined as such, you will be required to carry an SR-22 insurance policy. These policies have premiums that are up to four (4) times as much as safe driver insurance. You may be subjected to these premiums for as long as it takes for the points to be expunged off your license, which can be up to five (5) years with a safe driving record.
Points accrue according to the following:
| POINTS | VIOLATIONS |
|---|---|
| 0 | Non-moving violations |
| 3 | Unlawful speed up to 15 miles per hour over the speed limit, careless driving, failure to yield or stop |
| 4 | Reckless driving, unlawful speed 16 miles per hour or more over the speed limit, passing a stopped school bus |
| 6 | Collision resulting from unlawful speed or leaving the scene of the crime (<$50 damage) |
If you are faced with a driving violation from Madison County, you are not alone. There are many individuals that are facing traffic violations like yours across the state. The best plan of action is to hire a Madison County Traffic Attorney who can assist you in getting the knowledge you need to best protect yourself and your rights. Your liberty, your pocketbook, your fundamental rights may be at risk and you should get the attention you deserve from a Madison Speeding Ticket Lawyer you trust. Call one today to make sure you do not miss any deadlines and your rights are protected!
