Legal Question in Traffic Law in Florida

On Friday, April 23, 2012 an officer with the Sebring Police Department issued me a parking ticket at the Walmart store in Sebring, Florida.

I am handicapped and I have a valid handicap placard issued to me by the State of Florida. On this day, there were no handicap accessible parking spaces available and no other spaces available in proximity to the entrance, so I parked in the diagonally-striped no parking zone adjacent to the handicap parking spaces. My handicap placard was properly displayed yet I was issued a $250 Handicap Parking Violation.

I know I parked in a no parking zone. The fine for such a violation is $22. But, I was issued a $250 handicap parking violation even with my handicap placard properly displayed.

Here's the info on the citation:

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PARKING VIOLATION NOTICE

Sebring Police Department, 307 N. Ridgewood Dr., Sebring, FL 33870

The defendant is in violation of the following Municipal Ordinance 1134 Section 22 - 127

(x) PARKED IN A PROHIBITED AREA

(x) VIOLATION PHOTOGRAPHED

(x) Violation of Handicapped Parking is $250.00

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What are my options?

Thank You for your Time!


Asked on 5/04/12, 4:00 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Craig Epifanio Craig Epifanio, P.A.

Unusual scenario. You really have two options. 1: Pay it. 2: Go to court and fight it. Because of the amount of the fine it may be worth it to hire an attorney. A lot depends on the judge and the attorneys in your area will know the judges better than others on here. This is a gray area so local counsel would be best.

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Answered on 5/04/12, 4:59 pm


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