Hamilton County Traffic Attorney
Traffic ticket Attorneys serving Jasper, Florida
Hamilton County Florida is located on the Georgia border in North Central Florida. Located at the crossroad of I-75 and I-10, Hamilton County is growing by leaps and bounds. The estimated population is almost 15,000. The county seat is Jasper, Florida and is the location of the courthouse. The courthouse is located at 207 NE 1st Street, Room 101 in Jasper.
Hamilton County is part of the 3rd Judicial Circuit. There is one county and one circuit Judge working within Hamilton County. The main law enforcement agency is the Hamilton County Sheriffs Office located in downtown Jasper. That agency writes tickets for unlawful speed, careless driving, violation of a traffic control device, driving under the influence, no valid drivers license, and driving while license suspended. They are aggressive in their traffic enforcement and use laser, radar and speedometer pacing in order to combat speeders.
The Florida Highway Patrol is divided into troops. Troop B is made up of 9 counties and encompasses Hamilton County. FHP is constantly conducting aircraft speed enforcement on the interstate system. They use a fixed wing Cessna which travels above the lines in the roadway and clock your vehicle as you pass between those lines.
Hamilton county is located in northern Florida near the Georgia state line. It covers approximately 513.79 square miles of land mass, which means its population density is 28.8 people per square mile. Its county seat is Jasper, and other cities of interest include Jennings and White Springs.
Local Attractions and Landmarks
* Florida Folk Festival, held in May each year, and features performers, craft marketplace, contests, and games for children
* Osceola National Forest, a popular spot for camping, hiking, and fishing
* Big Shoals State Park
* Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center
Government and Law Enforcement
Hamilton County is found in the 3rd judicial circuit of Florida, with the Hamilton County sheriff’s office being primarily responsible for its territory. Sonny Scaff is the county judge, with Linda Morgan being his judicial assistant. Greg Godwin is the clerk of the circuit court, and his office is in room 106 of the courthouse. Those who receive traffic citations in Hamilton County can pay them at the clerk’s office or online via myfloridacounty.com.
Strict Liability
In Florida, traffic offenses are considered “strict liability” violations. Unlike other criminal acts, these offenses do not require law enforcement to prove there was intent. The only thing required for a guilty verdict is proof that the individual committed the act he or she was cited for. This will be noted by a code, which is annotated on the ticket itself.
Types of Traffic Tickets
* Failure to stop for a school bus
* Speeding
* Disobeying a traffic signal
* Driving with an open container of alcohol
Penalties
Traffic tickets are assessed a monetary fine according to the severity of the offense. In addition, drivers are penalized a certain number of points for each offense they are found guilty of. By paying a ticket, drivers are essentially pleading guilty, which means that points are automatically assigned. When as few as 12 points within a 12-month timeframe are accrued, one’s driver’s license can be suspended for a period of 30 days. Drivers may also see their insurance premiums increase as a result.
Obtaining Relief
After receiving a ticket, drivers must decide whether they would like to contest the citation in a court of law. If so, they have 30 days to request a court date. Individuals can also elect to attend driver improvement training. This results in no points being assessed against a driving record along with a decrease in the monetary fine they are required to pay. While this makes driver improvement training very lucrative, operators must remember that they can only take a course once every 12 months or a maximum of five times per lifetime.
When to Contact an Attorney
Jasper drivers who feel there is not enough evidence to prove they committed a violation may want to talk with a traffic ticket attorney. This lawyer can assess the strengths and weaknesses of a case in order to determine the best course of action. Best results can be obtained whenever drivers seek legal counsel shortly after receiving a ticket rather than waiting until closer to the deadline.
