Traffic Ticket Lawyers In Putnam County, Florida
Fight your Palatka traffic citation with a Florida Traffic Lawyer
Putnam County Florida is located in the northeast section of Florida below Jacksonsville. With an estimated population of almost 75,000, the county seat is Palatka. The primary law enforcement agency is the Putnam County Sheriffs Office.
The Putnam County Sheriffs Office responds to almost 75,000 calls for service annually. The Sheriffs Office made 3358 arrests and issued over 6,000 traffic citations. The Putnam County Sheriffs Office assists in or works over 800 crashes every year. Many of those crashes resulted in the issuance of citations for violations such as careless driving, improper change of lane, and violation of right of way.
Aside from the Putnam County Sheriffs Office, the Florida Highway Patrol assists in traffic enforcement and duties. The Florida Highway Patrol issues close to 2,000 citations for unlawful speed yearly. Other law enforcement agencies within the county include Crescent City, Interlachen, Palatka, and Welaka.
The Clerk of Court is Tim Smith and the Court is part of the seventh Judicial Circuit. The Clerks website allows you to track your case online and remind yourself of upcoming court dates.
Most of the residents work in utilities, manufacturing, education and health services.
Putnam County covers almost 730 square miles in northeast Florida. The largest cities in the county are Palatka, Crescent City and Interlachen. Historic landmarks in Putnam County include Bronson Mullholland House, Fort Gates Ferry and David Browning Railroad Museum. The Mt. Royal Indian Temple Mound is also located in Putnam County.
Law Enforcement in Putnam County
A Putnam County traffic lawyer helps you with traffic tickets issued by the
* Putnam County Sheriff’s Office
* Crescent City Police Department
* Palatka Police Department
* Welaka Police Department
* Florida Highway Patrol
Traffic Tickets in Putnam County
Cities, counties and states are facing budget shortages. Traffic fines are now a critical source of revenue. As a result, new methods have been implemented to enforce traffic laws, such as photo enforcement for speeding and red light cameras.
A Putnam County traffic lawyer understands the traffic laws in the county, as well as the methods used by law enforcement to issue traffic tickets. A traffic lawyer handles civil and criminal traffic tickets, such as
* Speeding
* Improper lane change
* Failing to stop for a school bus
* Driving under the influence
* Reckless driving
The Consequences of Paying a Traffic Ticket
A traffic lawyer advises you about your options for taking care of your Putnam County traffic ticket. Each option has benefits and drawbacks, and your traffic lawyer explains each option based on your individual case.
Paying your traffic ticket without fighting the violation in court may seem like the most obvious and easiest choice. This option, though, has long-term consequences. By paying your traffic ticket, you enter a guilty plea with the court. This may result in
* Points on your driving record
* Potentially unnecessary fines
* Higher insurance premiums
* Cancellation of your insurance coverage
* Having your driving privileges suspended or revoked
A traffic lawyer explains your other options, including fighting your traffic ticket in court and completing traffic school.
Florida’s Points System for Traffic Violations
The state of Florida uses a points system to track your traffic violations. If you have too many points on your record, you could
* Pay higher insurance premiums
* Lose your driving privileges
* Lose your job
A traffic lawyer understands the Florida points system, and fights your traffic ticket to keep your driving record clean.
The Putnam County Legal System
Putnam County is part of Florida’s Seventh Judicial Circuit Court. The county court house is located at 410 St. Johns Avenue in Palatka, Florida. The traffic division is located at the county court house in Building 1-B, Room 233.
Putnam County has two county judges.
* Judge Joe Boatright
* Judge Elizabeth A. Morris
A Putnam County traffic lawyer understands the legal system in the county, and works with the county’s prosecutors and judges every day. A traffic lawyer knows how to navigate the court system to resolve your traffic ticket with a solution that works best for you.
If you choose to fight your traffic ticket without legal representation, you are at greater risk of losing your case. The court system in Putnam County requires that you file court documents properly and in a timely manner. This requires several trips to the court house. The court system also extends certain professional courtesies to cases with legal representation. Without a traffic lawyer, you could wait months before your court hearing.
You only have 30 days to file your documents with the Putnam County court system. This is very little time given the complexity of the legal system. Contact our law firm today to find out how our traffic lawyers can save you time, money and stress.
