While traffic infractions may seem harmless, the consequences for committing an infraction can be quite severe. If you wish to fight against your Ft. Lauderdale traffic infraction penalties, do not hesitate to reach out to a professional defense attorney for assistance. Read on to learn more about how Ft. Lauderdale traffic infraction penalties, as well as the ways a skilled attorney, could assist you in their potential mitigation today.
Civil and Criminal Infractions
A driver’s potential Ft. Lauderdale traffic infraction penalties will depend on whether or not the infraction is civil versus criminal. For a civil infraction, the potential penalties can include points on an individual’s license, fines, court costs, traffic school, and potentially a suspension of the driver’s license either at the discretion of the judge.
The potential penalties for a criminal infraction would be dependent on whether or not it is a misdemeanor or a felony. The overwhelming majority of criminal infractions are misdemeanors. The maximum penalty for a misdemeanor offense is up to a year in the Broward County Jail.
Examples of Criminal Infractions
An example of a criminal infraction could include leaving the scene of an accident involving serious bodily injury or death, a felony DUI, or aggravated fleeing and eluding. These cases would most likely lead to a prison sentence. If the individual was charged with a DUI, they would go to DUI school. DUIs also involve vehicle immobilization, as well as the installation of an ignition interlock device. This is a device that monitors the BAC level of the driver, and if the amount is higher than the legal level, the car does not start.
Misdemeanor Traffic Infractions
The most common misdemeanor traffic infractions include one’s first offense for driving on a suspended license, reckless driving, and the first offense for DUI. Leaving the scene of an accident that only involves property damage or minor injury could also apply, as well as certain documentation violations such as an expired registration tag or not having a driver’s license.
Felony Traffic Infractions
If an individual faces Ft. Lauderdale traffic infraction penalties for a felony conviction, they should seek the services of an experienced traffic lawyer that could attempt to mitigate the penalties that they face. Whether a traffic infraction is a felony or not is governed by Florida statutes. Driving on a suspended license remains one of the most serious traffic infractions a driver can commit. For example, if an individual receives too many charges for driving on a suspended license within a five year period, that would trigger the loss of their license for a full five years after being declared a habitual traffic offender. A driver could only apply for a special occupational license after their first twelve months without a license.
Circumstances Leading to License Suspension
A common way that an individual can face a suspension of their driver’s license includes failure to pay their fees or to appear in court for a prior offense such as a speeding ticket. If an individual is cited with a traffic ticket in Ft. Lauderdale and they ignore it or fail to pay their fee, that triggers a suspension of their driver’s license which is tracked on their record. If they are caught driving while their suspension is in effect, they will have committed a criminal traffic infraction. If a driver accumulates three or more of these charges, they could face serious Ft. Lauderdale traffic infraction penalties.
Appealing Traffic Infractions
There are two ways to appeal infractions within the traffic courts themselves. One would be to move to mitigate the sentence. There are certain time constraints surrounding this process. There is also a way to appeal a traffic-related case through a higher court and in Ft. Lauderdale, the appeal from traffic court would go to the circuit court. Most individuals do not appeal their traffic tickets to a higher court. It tends to be a fairly expensive venture for filing court and attorneys’ fees. Typically, when somebody is seeking an alternative result for a traffic ticket in Ft. Lauderdale, it will involve a motion for reconsideration. Reach out to a skilled traffic lawyer to learn more.
Working with a Professional Traffic Lawyer
While Ft. Lauderdale traffic infraction penalties can feel overwhelming, know that you do not have to face them alone. A skilled attorney could assist you with experienced legal representation in court so you can fight back. If you wish to challenge your Ft. Lauderdale traffic infraction penalties, do not hesitate to contact a local traffic attorney today for your initial consultation.
