Traffic Ticket Lawyer in St. Petersburg

When you have been pulled over by a police officer and issued a traffic ticket in St. Petersburg, you will usually have two options. You can pay the ticket and deal with the penalties, or you can choose to fight the ticket with the help of a traffic ticket lawyer.

At The Law Place, we have over seventy-five years of collective experience when it comes to investigating traffic tickets and defending the rights of clients in St. Petersburg and across the State of Florida. Our law firm has successfully won many traffic ticket-related cases, including driving under the influence, reckless driving, speeding, and more.

Our team of criminal defense lawyers has the necessary knowledge and resources to guide you through the legal system and develop your case accordingly. We have helped hundreds of clients to get their tickets dismissed and keep their driving records clean. If you put your trust in us, our law firm will handle every aspect of your case and fight to get your ticket dismissed against all odds.

Contact The Law Place to schedule a free consultation today, and a criminal defense lawyer will fight your traffic ticket in St. Petersburg.

The Differences Between Moving and Non-Moving Traffic Tickets in St. Petersburg, FL.

Depending on the type of traffic ticket that you have been issued by a police officer, you could have committed a moving or non-moving violation in St. Petersburg. It is important to know the distinction between a moving and non-moving citation. First of all, they are both recognized as traffic violations, but they are different in nature. A moving violation involves a driver breaking the rules of the road while in motion, and a non-moving violation is usually based on paperwork and parking.

The most common types of moving violations tend to include:

Reckless driving.
Careless driving.
Speeding.
Racing.
Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Aggressive driving.
Distracted driving.
Causing an accident.
Improper lane changing.
Stop sign violations.
Failing to obey a traffic control device.
Failing to signal.
Driving too fast for weather or road conditions.

The most common types of non-moving violations tend to include:

Parking in a restricted area.
Parking in a handicapped spot.
Driving without a license.
Driving without insurance.
Driving with a suspended license.
Leaving the scene of an accident.
Habitual traffic offender.
Driving a motor vehicle without authorization.
Improperly displayed license plate.
Failure to show proof of insurance.
Unlawful use of a driver’s license.
Driving with an expired tag or vehicle registration number.
Having illegal tint.

Every traffic case is different from the next, and they all require an investigation into the facts and circumstances surrounding each one. It is imperative that you seek legal counsel with a traffic ticket attorney from The Law Place. Call us today to set up a free consultation, and we will answer all of the questions that you have in regard to your case.

Options After Receiving a Traffic Ticket in St. Petersburg, FL.

You will usually have three options after receiving a traffic ticket in St. Petersburg.

Pay the ticket – You can pay the ticket either online, in person, or through the mail. However, it will count as an adjudication of guilt. You will receive points on your license if it was a moving violation, and your insurance rates will increase.
Go to driving school – If you are eligible, you can go to driving school and complete a four-hour course which means that adjudication will be withheld, and you will not receive any points on your license. However, you cannot go to driving school if your traffic ticket requires a mandatory appearance in court. Furthermore, you can only go to driving school once within a 12 month period and five times in a single lifetime. In addition, commercial license drivers will not be given the option of going to driving school at all.
Fight the ticket – If you do not agree with the traffic ticket that you were issued, then you will always have the option to fight the ticket. Call a traffic ticket attorney from The Law Place today to set up a free consultation. We will appear in court on your behalf and fight to avoid you getting points on your driver’s license.

What to Do After Receiving a Traffic Ticket in St. Petersburg, FL.

Step one – You were pulled over by a police officer, and you received a traffic ticket.
Step two – You must call a traffic ticket attorney at The Law Place in order to get immediate legal advice and start your defense.
Step three – Our team of traffic ticket lawyers will take your case to court and fight to get your ticket dismissed or resolved as soon as possible. In most cases, you will not even have to go to court, as we will attend court on your behalf.
Step four – Your case has now been closed or dismissed, and points were not added to your license.

How We Will Fight Your Traffic Ticket in St. Petersburg, FL.

The Law Place will start your case by:

We will investigate the nature of your traffic ticket. If there is a discrepancy, the traffic ticket will most likely get thrown out.
We will discuss the facts and circumstances surrounding your case with you directly. We will also discuss your driving history, which will help us to decide if we need to plea bargain.
We will explain the possible outcomes that will help you decide the best way to proceed with your case.
We will deal with the related paperwork and file the documents on your behalf so that we can keep your driving record clean.
We will keep you up to date in regard to the status of your case, and we will let you know if we need to go to trial.

Types of Driving Penalties in St. Petersburg, FL.

There are often more consequences than you think when you commit a moving violation in St. Petersburg. You will receive penalties that will be attached to your driving record, such as:

Points against your driver’s license.
A license suspension, revocation, or cancellation depending on the nature of your violation.
An increase in auto insurance rates.
Surcharges (like DUI charges).

Fines for Speeding Tickets in St. Petersburg, FL.

The most common type of moving violation is usually speeding in the State of Florida. Points tend to accumulate more quickly for speeding compared to any other type of violation. However, the fines that drivers will have to pay for their ticket often varies depending on how fast they were traveling.

6 to 9 mph over the speed limit – The driver will have to pay a fine of up to $129.
10 to 14 mph over the speed limit – The driver will have to pay a fine of up to $204.
15 to 19 mph over the speed limit – The driver will have to pay a fine of up to $254.
20 to 29 mph over the speed limit – The driver will have to pay a fine of up to $279.
30 mph or more over the speed limit – The driver will have to make a mandatory appearance in court.

The Points System in St. Petersburg, FL.

You should know that the costs and consequences of your traffic ticket will not end once you pay the fine, as you will also need to consider the points that will be added to your driving license in St. Petersburg.

The State of Florida works according to a points system, which means that every moving violation has a certain value of points. For instance, if you have been pulled over for failing to yield, then you will receive three points on your license if you were to plead guilty and simply pay the fine. Points tend to range from three to six points for careless driving to failing to leave your contact information following a crash in the State of Florida.

When points add up, they will have many future consequences. For example, if you receive twelve points within one year, then your license will be suspended for up to thirty days. If you receive eighteen points in the span of eighteen months or twenty-four points in the span of thirty-six months, then your license will also be suspended in the State of Florida.

Points for Common Traffic Violations in St. Petersburg, FL.

The points that you will receive often vary depending on the nature and severity of the traffic violation in question. The most common examples of points are specified in the list of violations below:

Speeding – 3 points.
Careless driving – 3 points.
Failure to stop at steady red signal – 3 points.
Too fast for conditions – 3 points.
Reckless driving – 4 points.
Failure to obey traffic control signal – 4 points.

If you would like to see a complete list of traffic violations and the associated points, check out Florida’s Uniform Traffic Citation Manual.

Speeding Tickets in St. Petersburg, FL.

There are two types of speed limits recognized by the State of Florida: basic and absolute. An absolute speed limit is known as a posted maximum, while a basic speed limit restricts drivers from traveling at speed higher than what is considered reasonable under certain conditions and circumstances.

The penalties for a speeding ticket often vary by county, and it will normally depend on the speed of the driver and the type of violation that they committed.

Basic Speeding Violation

A fine between $125 and $370 ($500 maximum).
A judge can order you to attend traffic school.
3 points on your driver’s license.

Absolute Speeding Violation

A fine between $125 and $370 ($500 maximum).
A judge can order you to attend traffic school.
3 or 4 points on your driver’s license (more than 50 miles per hour over the speed limit).

Speeding in a Construction or School Zone Violation

A fine between $150 and $620 ($1,000 maximum).
A judge can order you to attend traffic school.
3 or 4 points on your driver’s license (more than 50 miles per hour over the speed limit).

It is also important to note that you cannot go to traffic school in the event that you are caught speeding at 30 miles per hour or more above the speed limit in the State of Florida.

Stop Sign and Red Light Tickets in St. Petersburg, FL.

A driver must come to a complete stop before the marked line, entering the crosswalk near the side of an intersection or entering the intersection itself when they are at a stop sign or a red light. The penalties will vary depending on the type of stop sign or red light violation.

Running a Red Light

A fine between $250 and $280 ($500 maximum).
3 or 4 points on your driver’s license (depending on the circumstances).

Running a Stop Sign

A fine between $150 and $190 ($500 maximum).
3 points on your driver’s license.

Distracted Driving Tickets in St. Petersburg, FL.

The distracted driving law restricts drivers from texting while on the road in the State of Florida. Distracted driving is considered a secondary violation, which means that a police officer must have another reason (such as speeding) in order to pull you over.

Distracted Driving First Offense

A fine between $100 and $200.
No points.

Distracted Driving Second Offense

A fine between $100 and $200.
3 points on your driving license.

Distracted Driving Second Offense in a School Zone

A fine between $100 and $200.
3 points on your driving license.

Driving Without a License Tickets in St. Petersburg, FL.

Every driver must have a valid license in their name when they are on the road in St. Petersburg. The penalties will depend on the circumstances surrounding the violation:

Driving Without a Valid License

A fine between $100 and $120 ($500 maximum).
No points.
No jail time.

Driving Without a License in Possession

A fine of $10 (dismissal fee with proof of valid license).
No points.
Spending up to 60 days in jail.

Driving With a Suspended or Revoked License First Offense

A fine of $500 maximum.
No points.
Spending up to 60 days in jail.

Driving With a Suspended or Revoked License Second Offense

A fine of $1,000 maximum.
No points.
Speeding up to 1 year in jail.

Driving With a Suspended or Revoked License Third or Subsequent Offense

A fine of $5,000 maximum.
No points.
Speeding up to 5 years in jail.
This is classed as a felony offense.

Traffic Ticket Requiring a Mandatory Court Appearance in St. Petersburg, FL.

You might have to make an appearance in court, even though a police officer issued you a civil infraction in St. Petersburg. If you are ordered to make an appearance in court following a traffic violation, then be aware that it is a serious traffic infraction.

Florida Statute 318.19 explains the traffic infractions that require people to make a mandatory appearance in court:

A traffic infraction that resulted in an accident that caused ‘serious bodily injury.’
A traffic infraction that results in an accident that led to the death of another person.
A traffic infraction for a failure to stop near a school bus where children are present.
A traffic infraction for loads from vehicle dropping, falling, shifting, or blowing away.
A traffic infraction for a speeding ticket above 30 miles per hour over the speed limit.

The Most Common Traffic Tickets Issued in St. Petersburg, FL.

Police officers can issue traffic citations for a number of different offenses in the State of Florida. The Annual Uniform Traffic Citation Report revealed the most common traffic tickets issued in the year 2018 as:

Speeding violation tickets.
Careless driving tickets.
Stop sign violation tickets.
Improper lane change tickets.
Toll violation tickets.
Red light camera tickets.
Driving with a suspended or revoked license tickets.

How to Fight a Traffic Ticket in St. Petersburg, FL.

You will always have the option to challenge a traffic ticket in the State of Florida. It is ultimately up to you to decide if you want to fight the ticket or not, but it is worth checking the status of your ticket. There will be a list of instructions on your ticket that will tell you how to initiate a dispute. If you are ready to fight the traffic ticket, then we strongly recommend that you seek legal advice from a top-rated traffic ticket attorney from The Law Place. We will help you to develop a strong case and get your ticket dismissed no matter what.

Contact The Law Place Today in St. Petersburg, FL.

If you were issued a traffic ticket and you do not agree with it, then you can decide to challenge the ticket in St. Petersburg. The first step will be to get in touch with a traffic ticket attorney who can help you to beat the charges.

At The Law Place, we have over seventy-five years of combined experience and knowledge when it comes to tackling traffic violations in St. Petersburg and all over the State of Florida. Our law firm has helped hundreds of clients to get their tickets dismissed for a wide range of traffic violations.

If you want to avoid the fines and consequences that come with traffic tickets, then you should let us step in to do the work and handle the case. Our team of criminal defense lawyers will investigate your ticket, gather facts and information, challenge the legitimacy of the police officer’s actions, and build a strong defense strategy that will win your case in St. Petersburg.

If you call us today, a traffic ticket attorney will discuss the details of your case and explain how we can help you to get your ticket dismissed. The phone lines to our office are available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week so that you can call us at a time that suits you.