Santa Rosa County is located in the Florida panhandle. With its borders lying on both the Gulf of Mexico and Alabama, the county has a unique flare to it. The old south meets gulf breezes. The county is home to many types of wildlife and with its southern flare, it offers a unique cuisine, different artistry, and it is an all-around charming place to visit. The county seat is Milton, Florida. Other cities to note are Gulf Breeze and Jay.
The local law enforcement patrol the unique county. This includes Milton Police Department, Gulf Breeze Police Department, Jay Police Department, Santa Rosa Sheriff’s Department, and Florida Highway Patrol. These law enforcement agencies can issue two types of citations: criminal and civil. Criminal citations result in a hearing. These hearings are attended by the arresting or citation issuing officer, any witnesses, the defendant, the defense counsel, and a judge or magistrate presiding over the case. The judge may determine that you are in need of a program or treatment facility. The judge may also determine that you need to undergo counseling. Penalties associated with criminal citations include jail time, probation, community service, fines/fees, among other penalties. The types of criminal violations are driving under the influence, driving with a suspended or revoked license, reckless driving, among other violations. Criminal citations do have higher penalties than civil citations.
The types of violations that give rise to civil citations include careless driving, unlawful speed, failure to yield or stop, no proof of insurance, among other violations. These violations can be remedied with one of three options: payment of the fine or fee and acceptance of points on your license, payment of fine or fee and attendance at a driver improvement course, or contesting the citation. By electing to take the driver improvement course, you may keep points from being assessed on your license. You must notify the clerk of the court of your intent to elect to take the driver improvement course within thirty (30) days of the citation. The Clerk of the Court can be reached at the courthouse: 6865 Caroline Street, Milton, Florida. Then, you must complete the course within sixty (60) days. Once the course is complete, you will receive a Certificate of Completion. You must submit the Certificate of Completion to the Clerk of the Court. There are limitations about how many times that you can take the course in your lifetime and during a twelve month period. You can only take the course one time in a twelve (12) month period. If you have already taken the course five (5) times in a lifetime. If you have taken the course within the allotted time period, then you have to either accept the points on your license or contest the citation. The citation can be contested by notifying the Clerk of the Court of your desire to do so. A hearing will be scheduled. You, your Santa Rosa County Traffic Attorney should you choose to hire one, any witnesses, a judge or magistrate presiding over your case, and the citation issuing officer may be present. The judge or magistrate presiding over your case will determine your level of guilt. You will be allowed to present or to have your Santa Rose Speeding Ticket Lawyer to present your defenses and your facts to the judge. He or she will determine your sentence and if you should need to be any additional court costs if found guilty.
Points on your license may prove to be a nuisance. There are two ways that this is true: license suspension and insurance premiums increase. If your insurance company determines that you are a “high risk” driver they may require you to carry in their sole discretion a SR-22 insurance policy. The premiums for these policies can be up to four (4) times as much as safe driver insurance. Points on your license can also lead to license suspension. If you accrue twelve (12) points in a twelve (12) month period, your license can be suspended for one year. If you accrue eighteen (18) points in an eighteen (18) month period, your license can be suspended for three months. Finally, if you accrue twenty-four (24) points in a thirty-six (36) month period, your license can be suspended for up to one entire year. Any additional violations can result in a three month suspension being added to any existing suspension.
Should you find yourself with a traffic citation in Santa Rosa County, contact your Santa Rosa Speeding Ticket Lawyer today! Your Milton Traffic Attorney can assist you by educating you about the process, determining a case plan for you to arrive at your best outcome, and assisting you in understanding your rights. He or she will guide you through the process, calming your worries and attending to the paperwork that needs to be filed. A Milton Speeding Ticket Lawyer will know his or her way around a courtroom and be confident in front of a judge or magistrate. Remember, there are deadlines for every case, so make sure you contact your local Milton Traffic Attorney today to ensure none are missed. Know the process. Know the law. Know your rights. Contact us today!
