Traffic Ticket Lawyers In Hillsborough County
Fight your Tampa traffic citation with a Florida Traffic Lawyer
Hillsborough County is one of the largest counties within Florida. The biggest city is Tampa, although there is major
growth east of I-75 in Brandon and Plant City. The estimated population is over one million and Tampa is the county seat. The Hillsborough County Sheriffs Officeis the largest law enforcement agency in the county. In addition to the sheriffs office, the Tampa, Plant City, and Florida Highway Patrol all provide police protection to the citizend of Hillsborough County.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office is very aggressive with their traffic enforcement. The department has a traffic unit that consists of motorcyles and police cars that are equipped with laser and radar guns. The Florida Highway Patrol has a motorcycle unit that consists of 10 troopers. They work within Pinellas and Hillsborough counties and often times patrol interstate 275, 4, and 75.
The Hillsborough County Sheriffs Office also has a zero tolerance on DUI or driving under the influence motorists. Called operation 3D, the sheriffs office operates multi-agency checkpoints with all local law enforcement agencies. The sherifs offices uses a Bat Unit or mobile breath test vehicle which is equipped with an intoxilyzer 8000 breath machine. This machine is used in the State of Florida to give breath test samples following a persons arrest for DUI.
Hillsborough County beckons potential residents and tourists to the area with the Busch Garden’s amusement park, beautiful botanical gardens, the Florida Aquarium and the Lowry Park Zoo. Water sports and an active art district are other features that draw visitors to the area every year. The largest area in Hillsborough County is Tampa, and the county is the fourth most populated in Florida with a population of 1,229,226. A Hillsborough County Traffic Lawyer is often needed to help vistors and residents fight traffic tickets.
Hillsborough County Court and Hillsborough County Law Enforcement
A person may receive a traffic ticket from a variety of law enforcement agencies in Hillsborough County. The law enforcement agencies that operate in the area include:
Plant City Police Department
Tampa Police Department
Temple Terrace Police Department
Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office
Hillsborough County is part of the 13th Judicial Circuit. The courthouse is located at 800 E. Twiggs Street in Tampa, Florida. Jennifer Gabbard and Frances M. Perrone are the current Hillsborough County judges that handle traffic cases.
Florida Point System
One of the most significant consequences of receiving a traffic ticket in Florida is accumulating additional points on a person’s driving record. In addition to potentially raising one’s insurance premiums, accumulating too many points can lead to a suspended driver’s license. The more serious the offense that a person commits, the more points he or she accumulates. For example, a person may receive six points if he or she leaves the scene of an accident or if he or she was speeding and caused an accident.
Florida may impose four points for the following infractions:
Driving recklessly and causing an accident
Having a moving violation that causes an accident
Passing a stopped school bus
Speeding 15 mph over the posted speed limit
Ignoring traffic signals or other traffic devices
Three-point violations include speeding, driving with an open container or violating a child restraint regulation. Some potential punishments for points include:
12 points within a 12-month period of time – 30 day suspension of a Florida driver’s license
18 points within an 18-month period of time – 3-month suspension of a Florida driver’s license
24 points within a 36-month period of time- 1-year suspension of a Florida driver’s license
Types of Traffic Tickets
A Hillsborough County traffic lawyer can assist a person who has received a traffic ticket. Some common moving violations include:
Speeding
Driving below the minimum speed
Failing to stop at a stop sign
Running a red light
No seat belt violation
DUI
Some common nonmoving violations include:
Illegal parking
Having no vehicle registration
Missing or expired license plates
Options after Receiving a Traffic Ticket
There are a variety of options a person can take after receiving a ticket. Some defendants may choose to pay the ticket. Other defendants may be able to attend traffic school to avoid some of the negative consequences of a ticket. A Hillsborough County traffic lawyer may be able to get a ticket case dismissed. If not, he or she may be able to make other arrangements for the defendant to prevent driving points from accumulating. If you need assistance with your traffic case, contact Finebloom & Haenel at 1-888-344-4848.
