Traffic Ticket Team

Traffic Ticket Team

As elected clerks of court, we are deeply concerned about the amendment to the Senate General Appropriations Act, which proposes another $23 million cut to the clerks’ statewide budget. In Broward and Palm Beach alone, more than 250 employees were laid off last year. These additional cuts mean up to another 130 people may be laid off. The result will be a direct impact on the citizens we serve and our local economy. There are documented, quantifiable costs associated with court-related delays in civil cases, with a direct economic impact approaching $10.1 billion annually in the state of Florida. You may recall that clerks’ budgets across the state were cut by almost $90 million last year, and almost 1,300 people were laid off statewide. More than 30 clerk branch service offices were closed. Those reductions, combined with the ones proposed, will critically impact the ability of Florida’s clerks to provide constitutionally and statutorily required services. However, before we cut services, we adopted technologies to ensure our offices were running as lean as possible. We have been cut to the bone, and with 90,000 foreclosures pending, we’re not getting the job done. The public’s access to the courts will be further restricted as customers wait in line for hours. Businesses will lose thousands of dollars because of case processing backlogs delaying certificates of titles, writs of possession and court docket updates. Civil court lawyers will be the hardest hit by backlogs, as clerks shift from civil departments to criminal to meet statutory requirements such as “speedy trial” — a mandate to give criminal cases top priority. Our legislators need to hear from everyone that cutting the clerks’ budgets for two years in a row will limit access to the courts and directly affect court users. It is unconscionable to impact Florida’s economic recovery by restricting access to the courts in these difficult times. If you are a local Florida Bar member, a member of the business community or just a person who has dealings with the courts, you need to reach out to your state senators and representatives to prevent another direct hit on your economic future and the future of Florida. If you get caught speeding, you should call the Traffic Ticket Team, www.trafficticketteam.com, to fight your Florida Traffic Ticket. If you get a traffic ticket for anything, speeding, red light, DUI or anything else, call us anytime to fight your traffic ticket at 954-967-9888, Law Offices of Jason A. Diamond, P.A. and Diamond, Kistner & Diamond.

Traffic Ticket Team www.TrafficTicketTeam.com

A visit to the driver’s license office has always been a little slice of hell.  Now it’s gotten even worse.  Florida’s strict new identity requirements for license renewal are steering drivers to new heights of confusion, costing them time from work, sending them on laborious paper chases and forcing return trips to the dreaded DMV. ”It’s very frustrating,” said Harmony Hoot, of Lake Worth who, along with her fiancé recently was on her third attempt in a day to renew his license. “I’ll admit I was yelling. There were some profanities.”  The source of Hoot’s woe: A new state law that went into effect Jan. 1 requiring drivers to provide more documentation before renewing a license. Where formerly you needed only to produce your old license to get a new one, you must now cough up more solid identification such as a birth certificate or passport.  Further proof is required in the form of a Social Security card. If the flimsy card has disintegrated in your wallet over the past decades, a W-2 tax form or paycheck bearing the nine magic numbers will do. But that’s not all. The state demands not one, but two proofs of residency bearing your address, which can be a utility bill, mortgage statement or vehicle registration or title. Parents can accompany minor drivers and attest to their residency as long as the parent has the required proof of address.  Married women using their husband’s name will need to produce a marriage certificate. ”I was not told I need a marriage certificate just to renew my license,” said a disheartened Lucy Garcia, of Tamarac, who for a second time was turned away from the license office in Lauderhill. “Who knows how much longer I’m going to be coming here?”  But at least the Lauderhill office had staffers out front to cull from the herd people who lacked sufficient documentation, sparing them a wait in line.  The documentation requirements are part of the REAL ID Act passed by Congress in 2005 in response to the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks. The hijackers used false identification, including Florida driver’s licenses. A majority of states has refused to comply with the act, and federal authorities have postponed until mid-2011 a deadline for it to take effect. Gary Biller, director of the National Motorists Association, a driver’s advocacy group, said the new requirements are too extreme. However, if you get caught speeding, you should call the Traffic Ticket Team, www.trafficticketteam.com, to fight your Florida Traffic Ticket. Call us anytime to fight your traffic ticket at 954-967-9888, Law Offices of Jason A. Diamond, P.A. and Diamond, Kistner & Diamond.

Traffic Ticket Team www.trafficticketteam.com

A popular phone app could help you avoid a pricey speeding ticket. Sounds like the kind of program police wouldn’t embrace, but that’s not necessarily the case. When Art Acevedo took over as Austin police chief, one of his first orders of business was to eliminate the daily news releases about where APD was running radar. However, the Travis County Sheriff’s office is embracing new technology and the concept that the more information the public has, the safer the roads will be.  It’s not uncommon to see law enforcement officers armed with radar guns aimed at oncoming drivers. Now with a simple check of the app on a 3-G phone or by going on line, Central Texas drivers can know in advance where deputies with the Travis County Sheriff’s Office will be running radar. ”It’s simply a way for us to communicate with the public the areas where they need to slow down and comply with the speed laws. The added benefit is notifying people if there is some change in the road conditions that affects their safe driving,” said Roger Wade, the public information officer for the Travis County Sheriff’s Office.  The Trapster App also alerts drivers to flooded roadways or accidents that could delay their trip, but the main focus is on radar detection.  ”The bottom line is we want to make the roads safer for Travis County and this is another tool that will do that,” said Wade. The question seems to be whether it’s better to let the public know where radar is being run or not.  Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo prefers not to give advance notice. ”It kind of defeats the purpose of being out there,” said Acevedo. “We want people to know that we were working it but telling them the specific roadways was a little counterproductive for us.”  Drivers we spoke to were split.  ”Yeah I think it is a good idea and I probably would use it,” said John Egan. ”If you know we are running late for work or if I am in a hurry, we would want to know there is going to be a cop around the corner. I will slow down,” said Sean Munoz. ”Some people are going to have radar detectors anyway and they are going to find out if they want to find out,” said Diane from Austin. “But most people are not going to take the time to look into something.”  Drivers can add data to Trapster, just like the Travis County Sheriff’s office does — but if it’s inaccurate, it can be taken down.  By the way, Roger Wade tells us his office doesn’t make any money off Trapster. The app is free of charge.  However, if you get caught speeding, you should call the Traffic Ticket Team, www.trafficticketteam.com, to fight your Florida Traffic Ticket. Call us anytime to fight your traffic ticket at 954-967-9888, Law Offices of Jason A. Diamond, P.A. and Diamond, Kistner & Diamond.

We all remember when we got our driver’s license. It’s one of life’s great moments, a giant step toward adulthood. Decades later comes a related rite of passage that generates considerably less enthusiasm: the day you stop driving. Most older drivers are aware when that time is approaching. They recognize their diminishing skills; maybe they have a close call or sometimes can’t find the way home. Most relinquish their keys or make concessions to age and adjust their driving patterns. But others, no matter how many times they get lost, blow stop signs or get honked at by fellow motorists, want to keep that grip on the wheel. ”I think most people understand the point when it’s unsafe for them to drive,” says Moraine Byrne, senior vice president for Covenant Retirement Communities, a nonprofit organization. ”They’re more often afraid they might hurt someone else. They make the decision on their own or cut way back.” Giving up driving can be difficult. People fear a loss of independence and the ability to participate in longtime activities. They worry about being able to do their shopping, visit friends or keep doctor appointments. All good points, all needing to be addressed during any family discussion. ”Unless there’s a real emergency, I recommend the family plan to start the conversation slowly,” Byrne suggests. “Ask questions, [don't] come in with a set plan in mind, but come in with an open mind so the parent doesn’t feel they’re being attacked. You really need to have several conversations, unless there is an emergency situation. You have to have respect for a parent’s position.” When the evidence is in, the family may realize that stopping cold turkey isn’t warranted. If a person’s skills are only starting to erode, there are alternatives.  Curtail higher-risk driving situations, for example. Recent research from the MIT AgeLab and The Hartford found that 69 percent of drivers older than 75 and 58 percent of those 65 to 74 self-regulate their driving. That means avoiding driving at night or rush hour, taking only familiar routes, limiting trips to a certain distance, and keeping off expressways and highways. Then there are classes where older drivers can brush up on their skills. AARP (aarp.com) offers a classroom and online course aimed at older drivers.  ”I’ve known several people who have taken it who said it helped them remain focused and helped them to think differently,” Byrne says. “I’ve looked at the course work, and it looks like a tremendous program.” Stress fitness. Research by the National Institute on Aging, published in 2008 in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, suggests that physical conditioning helps maintain the performance of older drivers, decreasing errors by more than a third.  The test subjects participated in an exercise program to improve flexibility, coordination and speed of movement relevant to driving. Even with those efforts, a driver’s deterioration is sometimes unmistakable. Pop cruises the expressway at 25 miles an hour, or pulls into the garage without bothering to open the garage door first.  Problems can also be less obvious. Has pop’s insurance rate increased? Has he received recent traffic tickets? Inspect the car; are there fresh and/or unexplained dents? Does driving leave him exhausted or frazzled? Does he take medication that might affect his driving? If Mom, Dad or a Grandparent gets a ticket and you still want her or him to drive, please feel free to call the Traffic Ticket Team,www.trafficticketteam.com, at 954-967-9888 for a free consultation.

GMAC Insurance recently conducted a survey of a driver’s basic knowledge of the laws of the road. The company quizzed more than 5,000 drivers in all 50 states and the results are in. While New York has what GMAC Insurance deems as the worst drivers, Florida finished ninth overall. Many law firm clients think that the lack of knowledge of traffic laws is a valid defense against their traffic ticket but unfortunately that is not the case. According to the survey about 41 million Americans would fail their written driver’s test if they had to take it today. While most drivers are aware of the laws surrounding speeding, running a red light and driving with a suspended license there are many laws out there that Florida driver’s aren’t as familiar with. Some are newer laws like Florida’s Move Over Law or some are just misunderstood like what is careless driving or reckless driving. If you want to take the test yourself, visit www.nationaldriverstest.com. If you have been cited for a traffic violation in Florida and need qualified legal representation, please do not hesitate to contact experienced Traffic Ticket Lawyers such as Jason Diamond at the Traffic Ticket Team www.trafficticketteam.com or email jason@trafficticketteam.com (954) 967-9888

Another driver’s license examiner has surrendered to begin serving a prison term in a conspiracy in which examiners took payoffs to obtain driver’s licenses for more than 1,500 illegal immigrants. Chenita Byrd-Mosley, 30, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit unlawful compensation or reward and conspiracy to commit official misconduct.  Byrd-Mosley will serve 18 months in prison, followed by three years probation. Each of the two charges was punishable by up to five years. Debbie Hunter-Collins, 43, of Delray Beach, pleaded guilty last month and will surrender July 12 to serve a two-year prison term, followed by three years of probation. Prosecutors have said at least seven examiners at the Delray Beach Driver’s License office were part of the scheme.  They say at least six conspirators generated fake immigration documents, then directed applicants to examiners who would wave them through, often without requiring driving or written tests.  At $1,200 to $2,500 per license, the conspirators may have pocketed several million dollars, prosecutors say. Investigators haven’t ruled out that more examiners and conspirators were involved. Examiner Melita Dera Zilea, 28, of Coral Springs, already has been sentenced to three years in prison, followed by two years of probation. And co-worker Jashonda Kaliha Scott, 25, of Palm Springs, got two years in prison followed by three years of probation.  Examiner Patreese Harvey, 29, of Palm Springs, is scheduled to make a plea and is expected to also receive prison time and probation.  The remaining two examiners, Maggie Nelson, 47, of Delray Beach, and Osie Carter, 49, Boynton Beach, are set for trial March 2. So are four alleged conspirators: Jonex Moise, 35, of Boynton Beach; Rene Clairvoyant, 57, of Boca Raton; Willy Adam, 52, of suburban Lake Worth; and Lorigene Jean Baptiste, 41, of West Palm Beach. Alex Adrien, then 42, of Delray Beach, was arrested in April 2009 and eventually deported to Haiti. Two suspected conspirators remain at large. If you think you need an attorney for a related case, please call the traffic ticket team at 954-967-9888 or go to www.traffictcketteam.com

Two separate lawsuits involving red-light cameras in Aventura and Temple Terrace, Florida have officials in Pembroke Pines worried that their Broward city could be next. Critics of the red light cameras assert that the cameras violate drivers’ due process rights. A few months earlier, Florida’s legislature killed a bill that would have allowed municipalities to install red-light cameras at intersections. In response to these concerns, city officials are working to amend their contact with American Traffic Solutions (ATS) so that ATS would shoulder part of the burden of any lawsuits. Last March, Pembroke Pines became the first city in Broward County to fine drivers for speeding using red-light cameras. The first camera is at Pines Boulevard and 129th Avenue. They have since added five more, and violators are fined $125. Twelve other Broward County municipalities are either researching this option or are about to vote on it. Hollywood, Fort Lauderdale, and Hallandale Beach have all approved red-light camera programs, despite it being a legal gray area. If you get a traffic ticket for a red light camera, you don’t need to worry about points on your license, but the fines are hefty. If you need some advice, please call me at (954) 967-9888 or email me at jason@trafficticketteam.com

We have learned that the Florida Highway Patrol will be targeting violators of the Move Over Law. The Move Over Law mandates that drivers move over one lane whenever an emergency vehicle has its lights activated on the side of the road. In cases where moving over is not a realistic option, drivers are required to slow down to 20 mph below the posted speed limit. Florida’s Move Over Law was adopted in 2002 after several incidents where emergency response personnel were killed or injured while stopped at the side of the road. Over the last ten years, more than 150 law enforcement officers across the country have been hit and killed by passing motorists while performing duties on highways. The Florida Highway Patrol is teaming up with law enforcement agencies across the state to raise awareness and ensure compliance to the Move Over Law. If you get a traffic ticket for a move over violation, call the traffic ticket team who’s lawyers have handled over 1,000,000 traffic tickets. (954) 967-9888 www.trafficticketteam.com jason@trafficticketteam.com

Florida Leading The Way Among State That Are Cracking Down On Aggressive Driving Those of us who live in Florida are aware of all the new laws and regulations that are being instituted to crack down on aggressive drivers but apparently the whole country knows about it now thanks to a recent article in USA Today. The article talks about the new Florida traffic ticket law that will go into effect on January 1 that sends a driver found to be at fault in three traffic accidents in a three year period back to school for a strict driver education test that also requires a road test. That law is joined on the books by another that will go into effect in less than a month. That law makes traffic school mandatory for first-time offenders of certain moving violations traffic tickets. That used to be an option for drivers but not a requirement. The new laws are said to be aimed at people who are aggressive drivers, which in the state’s eyes are those who speed, tailgate, change lanes without indicating, weave in and out of traffic and ignore traffic signals. According to reports, this type of behavior on the road causes more fatalities than drunk driving. If you have received a traffic ticket anywhere in Florida please do not hesitate to contact Florida Traffic Ticket Team to discuss the matter 954-967-9888 or jason@trafficticketteam.com.  Our lawyers have handled over 1,000,000 traffic tickets.