St. Johns County Traffic Court Records

St. Johns County traffic court records are kept by the Clerk of Courts in St. Augustine. This fast-growing county has a population near 280,000, and traffic cases here are on the rise. The St. Johns County Clerk office lets you search for traffic citations and pay fines through its online system. You can look up your case with a citation number or by name. Whether your ticket was from I-95, US-1, or a local road in Ponte Vedra or St. Augustine Beach, the St. Johns County Clerk handles all traffic court records for the area. Getting started with a search is simple and takes just a few minutes.

St. Johns County Clerk of Courts

The St. Johns County Clerk of Courts manages all traffic citation processing in the county. Their office sits on Lewis Speedway in St. Augustine. Every traffic ticket written in St. Johns County ends up here, no matter which agency wrote it. The clerk staff can help you understand your options, check on a court date, or pull up your case file. They deal with both civil traffic infractions and criminal traffic charges.

Reaching the St. Johns County Clerk is straightforward. Call the main number or visit the office in person during business hours. The St. Johns County Clerk website has tools for searching cases and making payments. If you need to file court documents for a traffic case, you can use the statewide Florida Courts E-Filing Portal or drop them off at the clerk window. Phone staff can answer basic questions about fines and court dates for St. Johns County traffic court records.

Note: Court filings for St. Johns County traffic cases cannot be accepted by email and must go through the e-filing portal or in person.

Searching Traffic Records in St. Johns County

St. Johns County provides online access to traffic court records through the clerk's website. You can search by name, case number, or citation number. The system pulls up case details including the charge, fine amount, court date, and case status. This is a free tool. Anyone can use it. Florida's public records law under Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes guarantees that all state, county, and municipal records are open for inspection by any person. That includes traffic court records in St. Johns County.

You can also search St. Johns County traffic court records through the St. Johns County Clerk's online portal, which is a good place to start if you need case details.

The portal shows basic case data for traffic citations filed in St. Johns County. Some documents may be viewable online too. The Florida Supreme Court's Administrative Order AOSC 15-18 says traffic court cases for adult defendants should be visible online, including the actual court documents. Certain personal details like social security numbers and bank account numbers get redacted for privacy, but the core facts of any St. Johns County traffic case are public record.

St. Johns County Traffic Citation Options

When you get a traffic ticket in St. Johns County, you have 30 days to respond. This deadline comes from Florida Statute Chapter 316, the state's uniform traffic control law. Miss the deadline and you face extra fees plus a possible license suspension. The St. Johns County Clerk processes your choice and updates your traffic court record.

Your first option is to pay the fine. This is a guilty plea. Points go on your driving record. The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles tracks points under the state system. You can pay online through the clerk's site or through PayFLClerk, which covers all 67 Florida counties. The second option is traffic school. You plead no contest, pay the fine, and take a state-approved driver improvement course. The court withholds adjudication and no points hit your record. Under Florida Statute 318.18, fine amounts vary by violation type.

The third option is to plead guilty or no contest and appear in court. The judge decides the penalty. Option four is to plead not guilty and request a hearing. You must file this within 30 days. The St. Johns County court sets a date. At the hearing you can present evidence and challenge the citation. Each of these steps creates entries in your St. Johns County traffic court record that stay in the system.

Fines and Collections in St. Johns County

Traffic fines in St. Johns County depend on the violation. Moving violations cost more than non-moving ones. Speeding, running a red light, and reckless driving each carry different amounts. If you miss the 30-day window, a late fee gets added. Payment of the civil penalty counts as a conviction, so it is more than just paying a bill. Points from the violation go on your driving record through FLHSMV.

Unpaid St. Johns County traffic fines that sit for more than 90 days can go to a collection agency. Florida Statute 28.246 allows clerks to use collection services for overdue fines. The agency can tack on up to 40% of the original amount as their fee. A $200 fine could turn into $280 in collections. On top of that, your license gets suspended. Getting it back means paying everything plus a reinstatement fee through FLHSMV. Paying your St. Johns County traffic citation on time avoids all of this.

Note: Accumulating too many points from St. Johns County traffic violations can lead to higher insurance rates and a suspended license.

St. Johns County Traffic Court Process

The path of a traffic case in St. Johns County follows a set pattern. An officer writes the citation. It reaches the clerk within days. The clerk enters it into the system, and your 30-day clock starts. If you do nothing, the clerk adds fees and notifies FLHSMV to suspend your license. All of this gets logged in the St. Johns County traffic court records.

If you contest a ticket, the court sets a hearing. You get a notice with the date. At the hearing, the judge reviews the facts. You can bring evidence or witnesses. The officer may or may not show up. The judge rules. If you lose, you pay the fine plus court costs. If you win, the case is dismissed. Either way, the full record stays in the St. Johns County system. The Florida Clerks of Court Operations Corporation sets standards for how all 67 clerks, including St. Johns County, maintain these records. You can access your St. Johns County traffic court records anytime through the clerk's online tools or by visiting the office on Lewis Speedway.

Nearby Counties

These counties border St. Johns County. If you got a ticket near a county line, double-check which clerk has your case. Each county runs its own traffic court records system in Florida.