How to Fight a Parking Violation in Florida
- 1). Request a hearing to dispute the parking violation in person. This will need to be done at the traffic court in the county where the parking violation was issued, which may not be the Florida county in which you reside. This information can be found on the website for the Florida Department of State, under "Clerk of the Courts." Call to verify what the issuing county requires for a hearing application; some counties may require that you appear in person to request a hearing.
- 2). Prepare the evidence you need to dispute the parking violation. This may include a picture of the area showing parking signs or the space that was ticketed; a copy of the Florida statute that verifies that you were legally parked; a witness who saw the vehicle improperly ticketed; or a police report showing that the vehicle was stolen and not in your custody at the time of the Florida parking violation. Have all of this together by the date of your hearing.
- 3). Arrive at the hearing early--or at least on time. A notice should be mailed to you prior to the date, giving the time and the courtroom where your case will be heard. Often, groups of people are assigned a specific block of time. Arriving late can be disruptive and give the judge a negative impression of you, which could make it harder to plead your case.
- 4). Present the evidence to the judge when you are called. Respectfully explain why your vehicle was parked where it was, and what happened to precipitate the officer's belief that you were illegally parked. If there was no apparent reason, explain this to the judge as well. Provide any paperwork that will back up your version of the facts and show why the Florida parking violation should not have been issued.
- 5). Accept the judge's decision without appearing upset, if it is not in your favor. If you disagree, do not argue; arguing will not change the judge's mind and could cause additional legal problems if the court views your behavior as aggressive. Instead, excuse yourself from the courtroom after the decision and ask the court clerk what steps can be taken to appeal the judge's decision. It is important to take into consideration your chances of successfully defend your case against the Florida parking violation, as additional court costs and fines may be added if you lose again.