Traffic Tickets & Citations Defense Attorneys, Orlando Florida

Our attorneys defend Florida traffic tickets and citations,
primarily in Orange, Seminole, & Osceola Counties. We
handle hundreds of citations each year. We defend violations
such as:

Accident Tickets
Aggressive Driving
Blocking an Intersection or Crosswalk
Careless Driving
Driving While License Suspended (click here for more
information on DWLS and license suspensions)
Driving without Headlights
Equipment Violations
Expired Driver's License
Expired Tag
Failure to Yield Right-of-Way
Failure to Use Due Care
Failure to Use Turn Signal
Following Too Closely
Improper Lane Change
Improper Passing
Improper U-Turn
No Proof of Insurance
No Registration
Obscured Tag
Passing a Stopped School Bus
Red Light Violations
Seat Belt Violations
Speeding (including school/construction zone)
Stop Sign Violations
Stopping on Railroad Tracks
Toll Violations/Failure to Pay Toll
Too Fast for Conditions
Unsafe Equipment
Violation of a Traffic Control Device (this includes such
violations as running a red light or stop sign, turning in violation
of a sign, etc.)
Window Tint Violations

For more information on having
Private Counsel handle your
traffic ticket, contact attorney
Jill Hampton, who heads our traffic
ticket division, via email:
JH@AttorneyHampton.com, or by
phone: 407-849-2949. You can also fill
out the form below and have our office
contact you. We can normally handle
your citation without you having to
attend court, and payment can be made
by credit card over the phone.
Consultations are free and confidential.

You must make an election within 30 days of receiving your citation,
and you must notify the Clerk of the Court in the county where the
citation was issued which election you choose.

Why hire an attorney for a traffic ticket? An attorney who regularly
handles traffic infractions can review your case and advise you as to
your options and the best course of action for you. We can also
review your citation to make sure it complies with the law, and for
possible defenses. Our attorneys handle hundreds of traffic
citations each year, regularly appear before the various judges and
hearing officers, and follow of changes in the law, recent decisions,
and trends in sentencing. Additionally, an attorney is experienced at
knowing what the State must do to prove the elements of your
charge and what defenses do and do not typically work. Your
attorney will attend the hearing for you, and you normally do not
have to attend, keeping you from missing work/school. You might
especially want to consider hiring an attorney if:

		You have a CDL (Commercial Driver's License). CDL
		drivers are not allowed to elect school, so a hearing is your only chance at keeping the points off;

		You have elected school in the last year or a total of five
		times in your life, or you do not want to use one of your school elections;

		You got a ticket for speeding more than 30 miles per hour
		over the speed limit, since this requires a mandatory court hearing.

What if I have already elected school in the last year or more than
5 times? If you cannot elect school, then your only option to avoid
points is to request a hearing and ask the judge to keep the points
off. He or she can still order you to attend school, and it does not
count against your elections. We encounter this situation regularly,
and we may be able to keep the points off your license by going to
court for you. You might also consider electing a hearing so that
you do not use one of your school elections and save those
elections for future tickets.

What is a "withhold of adjudication"? A withhold means that you
may still have to pay a fine and/or attend school, along with other
possible sanctions, but you do not receive any points on your
driving record for that offense. The offense will stay on your driving
history but will reflect the withhold and show no points. Unless your
ticket involved a car accident, your insurance company normally will
not raise your rates if you received a withhold.

How does the "point system" work? If you simply pay a ticket or
are adjudicated guilty of a moving offense, you will receive points on
your driving record. The number of points will depend on the
violation: most moving violations are worth 3 points; speeding 16
mph or more over the speed, running a red light, moving violations
resulting in an accident, and reckless driving are each 4 points;
leaving the scene of an accident with property damage is 6 points;
unlawful speed resulting in an accident is 6 points. If you
accumulate 12 points in 12 months, your license will be suspended
for 30 days; 18 points in 18 months is a 3-month suspension; and
24 points in 36 months is a 12-month suspension. The State of
Florida may require that you complete driving classes and pay
reinstatement fees to regain your license. In addition to possible
point suspension, your insurance is likely to increase if you receive
points. Therefore, it is a good idea to talk to an attorney when you
receive a citation to discuss your options to avoid points.

What if I have a CDL (Commercial Driver's License)? Because
most holders of a CDL rely on their licenses to make a living, and
because many commercial drivers' employers do not allow any
points on their driving record, it is important to avoid having points
assessed. Unfortunately, drivers with a CDL can no longer elect
traffic school for a moving violation. Therefore, the only option to
avoid points is to request a hearing on the citation, and ask a judge
or hearing officer to consider a withhold of adjudication. The
judge/hearing officer can still withhold the points, and impose other
sanctions such as school and fine and court costs. Our attorneys
are experienced at attending such hearings and striving to keep you
from having points assessed.

What should I do with the traffic ticket(s) I was issued with my
criminal charge? If you have been charged with DUI, DWLS, or
other criminal charges, you may have also received a traffic ticket
such as speeding, red light, etc. Talk to your attorney about
consolidating them with the criminal charges as one case. We may
be able to have the associated infractions dismissed as part of the
resolution of your criminal charges.

Florida law requires that anyone
ticketed for going 30 miles per
hour or more over the speed
limit is required to make a
mandatory court appearance.
Electing school or just paying the
ticket is not an option. However,
you can still hire an attorney to
handle the court appearance for
you, and he or she can appear in
court on your behalf, so you don't
have to go to court yourself.

Below are some links you may find helpful if
you have recently received a citation.

Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor
Vehicles.

Florida Driver's Handbook

The hiring of an attorney is an important decision that should not be based solely on advertisements.
Before you decide, ask us to send you free written information concerning our qualifications and
experience.

Private Counsel LLC is a private law firm located in Orlando, Florida, practicing criminal defense, DUI defense, juvenile
defense, traffic charges, traffic tickets, drug charges, domestic violence, violations of probation (VOP) and community control,
sealing and expungement of criminal charges and criminal history. Cases primarily in Orange County, Seminole County, and
Osceola County, Florida.

This website and information contained herein is not legal advice and not intended to be taken as legal advice. Please contact
Private Counsel, LLC or another Florida attorney for individual advice regarding your own situation.

Copyright © 2007 by PRIVATE COUNSEL, LLC. All rights reserved.

TRAFFIC TICKETS & CITATIONS

Traffic Ticket Defense Attorneys
Orlando, Florida
Orange, Seminole & Osceola Counties

GUARANTEED
NO POINTS!
Or your money back in
most cases.
Call for more information.

Florida traffic laws for drivers under 18 are more
strict than for adults:

		First-Time Driver ("DATA") School. First
		time drivers in the State of Florida are required to take the Drug Alcohol Traffic Awareness (DATA) course before applying for their license.If you receive a moving traffic conviction while you have a Learner’ s License, the one year period you are required to hold your Learner’s License will be extended for one year from the date of the conviction or until you are 18 years old, whichever happens first. For an approved First-Time "DATA" course, click here.
		If you receive 6 points on your driving
		record within a 12 month period, your driving privileges are automatically restricted to business purposes only for 12 months or until you are 18, whichever happens first. If you receive additional points during this restricted period, the restriction is extended 90 days for each additional point.
		DUI: If you are under 21 and have a blood
		alcohol level of .02% or more, the DMV will suspend your license for six months for a first offense, one year for a second offense. Refusal to submit to testing results in a suspension of twelve months for the first offense, eighteen months for a second offense. Visit ou r DUI information page if you or a loved one is facing a DUI charge.
		School attendance: If you are truant in
		your school attendance, your driving privilege will be suspended until you provide proof you have attended school for 30 consecutive days.
		Tobacco, drug or alcohol possession: If
		you are convicted for possession of illegal drugs, or alcohol or tobacco products your license will be suspended.

If you have been charged with Driving While
License Suspended ("DWLS"), do not pay or
go to court for your ticket without first speaking
to an experienced traffic ticket defense attorney.
Paying these tickets can result in a 5-year
suspension of your driver's license. You will
not be told this by the court at the time you pay
the ticket--this suspension is done by the State
of Florida AFTER these tickets are paid. The
decision how best to handle these charges
needs to be made only after a careful review of
your case and your driving history.

DON'T PAY THAT
"DRIVING WHILE
LICENSE
SUSPENDED"
TICKET!

Obtain a copy of your Florida Driving
Record by clicking here. We
recommend selecting the option to
obtain a "complete" driving history.

PRIVATE COUNSEL, LLC ♦ DEFENSE ATTORNEYS
733 WEST COLONIAL DRIVE, ORLANDO, FLORIDA 32804
(407) 849-2949