Okaloosa County is located in northwest Florida in the panhandle. Okaloosa County’s county is Crestview. There are almost 200,000 people that reside in the county. Okaloosa County has beautiful waves that roll in off the Gulf of Mexico. Destin is a prime location that is located in the county. Many tourists from the North come down and visit the Gulf Coast in Destin. The county is patrolled by the local law enforcement agencies, which include Destin Police Department, Crestview Police Department, Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Department and Florida Highway Patrol.
Local law enforcement agencies can write one of two types of traffic citations: criminal and civil. Criminal citations include driving under the influence, reckless driving, driving with a suspended license, driving with a revoked license, among other citations. Criminal citations require you to attend a hearing. At the hearing, you, your Okaloosa Traffic Attorney should you choose to hire one, any witnesses, and a judge or magistrate presiding over your case will be present. There, the court will determine what, if any, penalties and /or treatment they find suitable. The penalties include jail time, probation, community service, fines or fees, among other penalties. Treatment can include drug and/or alcohol programs. Penalties and treatment may run concurrently, in which case you may be going through treatment while facing a penalty. A Destin Speeding Ticket Lawyer can assist you in determining your rights and the best way to protect them. You should contact a Destin Traffic Attorney if you are faced with a criminal citation.
Civil citations may result in one of three methods to rectify the situation. Civil citations include unlawful speed, careless driving, failure to stop or yield to a traffic signal, among other violations.The first option is to pay the fine or fee and accept the points on your license. You should pay the fine or fee to the Clerk of the Court, which is located at: 101 East James Lee Boulevard, Crestview, Florida . You could also pay the fine or fee and take the driver improvement course. The driver improvement course is four (4) hours long. It is on DVD/video, in person in a classroom setting, and online. You can find a listing of your local classes on the clerk website or by google searching online. You must notify the Clerk of Court of your intention to take the course within thirty (30) days of your citation. You must then take the course within sixty (60) days. Once you have completed the course, you will receive a Certificate of Completion. You must submit the Certificate of Completion to the Clerk of the Court in order to avoid further fines/fees, penalties, and suspension. There are limitations as to how many times you can take the course. If you have taken it in the last twelve (12) months, then you are ineligible to take the course again. You can also only take it five times in a lifetime. Should you meet these limitations then you will either have to accept the points on your license or contest the ticket. If you decide to contest your ticket, you need to notify the Clerk of the Court within thirty (30) days of the citation. You will then need to complete the course within sixty (60) days. Once you have completed the course, you will receive a Certificate of Completion. You will need to turn in the Certificate of Completion to the Clerk of the Court in order to avoid further fines/fees or penalties.
Points on your record can result in higher insurance premiums and license suspension. Higher insurance premiums are a result of you being deemed a “high risk” driver. Once your insurance company determines that you are a high risk driver in their sole discretion, you may be required to carry SR-22 insurance. These policies are up to four times as much as safe driver insurance premiums. Also, if you accrue points at a rapid rate, your license may be suspended. If you accrue 12 points in a twelve (12) month period, your license may be suspended for one month. If you accrue 18 points in eighteen (18) months, your license may be suspended for three months. If you accrue twenty-four (24) points in a thirty-six (36) month period, your license may be suspended for an entire year. Any additional violations will result in your license being suspended for an additional three months on top of the existing suspension.
If you find yourself faced with a citation from Okaloosa County—regardless of if it is a criminal or civil citation, you should contact your Okaloosa County Traffic Lawyer and get their help. They will assist you in determining your best case scenario, a plan of action, and educate you about your rights. You should contact your Destin Speeding Ticket Lawyer to get the information you need to ensure your case is on the right track, to ensure that no deadlines are missed, and to stay confident about your case. Remember, your case may be time sensitive, so it is best to contact your Destin Speeding Ticket Attorney as soon as possible to ensure that your rights are protected.
