26-15-S, SUPERSEDES 25-29-S AMENDED IN RE: COUNTY COURT – MISDEMEANOR AND TRAFFIC - ORDERED 3/06/2026 BY MELANIE CHASE
WHEREAS, the Judges of the County Court of Seminole County, Florida, have determined that the following is necessary and proper for the disposition of misdemeanor and traffic cases in said county,
IT IS ORDERED:
I. DISPOSITION OF UNIFORM TRAFFIC CITATIONS NOT DISPOSED OF PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 318:
The Clerk of Court is ordered to dismiss any citation and satisfy any D-6 issued to anyone who thereafter is deceased. Proof of death shall consist of a death certificate or any official notification of death by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles or the Department of Health’s Bureau of Vital Statistics.
II. OFFENSES RETURNABLE FOR A CRIMINAL COURT ARRAIGNMENT DOCKET:
The following offenses shall be returnable before the County Court at the Seminole County Criminal Justice Center, 101 Eslinger Way, Sanford, Florida at 9:00 A.M. on the arraignment docket assigned to the law enforcement agency making the arrest or issuing the Uniform Citation or Summons:
A. Any misdemeanor, criminal traffic offense, or criminal ordinance violation for which the defendant is placed under arrest rather than cited.
B. Non-traffic misdemeanors and violation of county and municipal ordinances.
C. Violations of Chapter 320, Florida Statutes, which are not civil infractions.
D. Violations of Chapter 322, Florida Statutes, which are not civil infractions.
E. The following criminal violations of Chapter 316, Florida Statutes:
1. Leaving the scene of a crash (§ 316.061, Fla. Stat.).
2. Driving under the influence (§ 316.193, Fla. Stat.).
3. Reckless driving (§ 316.192(1)(a)-(b), Fla. Stat.).
4. Making false accident report (§ 316.067, Fla. Stat.).
5. Refusing to follow lawful order of law enforcement official, traffic crash investigation officer, traffic infraction enforcement officer, or member of fire department (§ 316.072(3), Fla. Stat.).
6. Any violation of section 316.302 and 49 C.F.R. parts 171-178 not itemized in this order.
7. A violation of section 316.302 and 49 C.F.R. § 395.13 (Operation of a vehicle declared out of service) or 49 C.F.R. § 369.9 (Operation of a vehicle declared and marked out of service).
8. A violation of section 316.302(9) (Failure to submit to inspection).
9. A violation of section 316.063(1) (Failure to leave information – unattended vehicle).
10. A violation of section 316.646(4) (Presenting proof of insurance with knowledge that insurance is not currently in force).
11. A violation of section 316.191(2)(a) (Racing on highway).
12. A violation of section 316.520(3)(b) (Load dropping/shifting/leaking/blowing off and not covered resulting in serious bodily injury or death of an individual).
13. A violation of section 316.545(1) (Obstructing an officer relating to weight of a vehicle and load).
III. OFFENSES RETURNABLE FOR A CIVIL INFRACTION HEARING DOCKET:
The following offenses shall be returnable before the County Court at the Seminole County Criminal Justice Center, 101 Eslinger Way, Sanford, Florida on the eighth Friday after date of offense at 9:00 A.M.:
A. A civil infraction resulting in a crash causing death to another.
B. A civil infraction resulting in a crash causing “serious bodily injury” to another as defined in section 316.1933(1), Florida Statutes.
C. A civil infraction case that has a request to be heard by a County Court Judge.
IV. CRIMINAL COURT ARRAIGNMENT DOCKETS:
A. The following return dates shall be given out by the corresponding law enforcement agencies for initial return/arraignment dates in misdemeanor and criminal traffic cases:
1. The fourth Monday after arrest, citation, or summons date: Sanford and Lake Mary Police Departments, and Sanford Airport Police.
2. The fourth Tuesday after arrest, citation, or summons date: Casselberry, Oviedo, and Longwood Police Departments.
3. The fourth Wednesday after arrest, citation, or summons date: Seminole County Sheriff’s Office.
4. The fourth Thursday after arrest, citation, or summons date: Altamonte Springs and Winter Springs Police Departments.
5. The fourth Friday after arrest, citation, or summons date: Florida Highway Patrol and all other state agencies, and all domestic violence cases (see IV. D. below).
6. The fifth Friday after citation or summons date of any game or fishing violations: Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission.
B. When a defendant is arrested on any offense, all contemporaneously issued traffic citations including civil infraction charges shall accompany the arrest and booking report and shall be placed on the same arraignment docket as the charge for which the defendant is arrested.
C. Any charge including civil infractions made contemporaneously with a charge requiring an appearance on a court arraignment docket shall also be made returnable on said arraignment docket so that all charges are kept together for disposition.
D. When a defendant is arrested on any misdemeanor Domestic Violence offense including Battery, Assault, Contempt of Court – Violation of Injunction for Protection, and Violation of Conditions of Release – Domestic Violence, the Initial Appearance Clerk shall provide the initial return/arraignment date in the misdemeanor case as the fourth FRIDAY after arrest.
V. CIVIL TRAFFIC CLERK’S DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
A. The Clerk of Court is authorized to grant a first continuance request made by law enforcement and place the citation on the next Traffic Hearing Officer trial docket within the speedy trial deadlines. If any subsequent request to continue made by law enforcement is granted, and speedy trial has not been waived, the Clerk is directed to set the citation on the County Court Judge’s Friday docket. This will be a MANDATORY IN-PERSON APPEARANCE for all parties (no virtual appearance will be permitted).
B. The Clerk is hereby authorized to grant any defendant, upon request made in person or in writing, a thirty-day extension for the payment option only as required by Chapter 318 of the Florida Statutes or enter into a payment plan pursuant to section 28.246(4)(a), Florida Statutes.
C. If the defendant is charged with Failure to Show Proof of Insurance and fails to answer the citation or cannot provide proof of personal injury protection, the Clerk shall suspend the registration and driver’s license of said person pursuant to sections 316.646(3) and 318.15, Florida Statutes.
D. To the extent a defendant is charged with any violation of section 316.646, Florida Statutes, when operating a motorcycle, the Clerk shall dismiss the citation at no cost to the defendant.
E. If a defendant tenders (by mail or in person) a civil penalty less than that provided by law, the Clerk is authorized to dispose of the citation by accepting said amount if the defendant can prove by production of the citation supplement that the officer told him that the amount tendered was the correct amount. In such case, the difference between the correct amount and the amount accepted shall be allocated pro-rata as provided by law after deduction of the court costs.
F. If the defendant is charged with an equipment violation on a commercial motor vehicle pursuant to section 316.302, Florida Statutes, and 49 C.F.R. parts 100-399, the offenses shall be made returnable to the Traffic Violations Bureau, Criminal Justice Center, 101 Eslinger Way (P.O. Box 850), Sanford, Florida, or any branch office, within thirty days of the issuance of such citation for disposition allowing the defendant to pay the fine assessed below, plus $10.00 court costs, or request a civil infraction hearing.
G. In addition to the fine imposed by this order for all non-criminal traffic dispositions, the Clerk is authorized to collect any appropriate legislative assessments as authorized by law.
H. Other penalties for offenses which the Clerk is authorized to collect include:
1. Improper equipment (§ 316.302(1), Fla. Stat. and 49 C.F.R. parts 382, 385, 390-397) – $100.00
2. Safety regulations for hazardous material (§ 316.302(1), Fla. Stat.) – $250.00
3. Disregard hours of rest (§ 316.302(2)(b), Fla. Stat.) – $100.00
4. Falsification of time records (§ 316.302(2)(c), Fla. Stat.) – $100.00
5. No medical certificate (§ 316.302(2)(i), Fla. Stat.) – $250.00
6. Operator under 18 (§ 316.302(4), Fla. Stat.) – $250.00
7. Disregard Safety Regulation – hazardous materials (§ 316.302(5), Fla. Stat.) – $250.00
8. Not placarding hazardous materials (49 C.F.R. parts 171-179) – $250.00
9. Driver not possessing proper written documents (49 C.F.R. parts 171-179) – $250.00
10. Vehicle (hazardous materials) not stopping at railroad (49 C.F.R. § 392.10) – $250.00
11. Out-of-service driver operating vehicle (49 CFR § 383.53) – $1,100.00
12. Fueling violations – hazardous materials (49 C.F.R. § 397.15) – $250.00
13. Improper identification markings (49 C.F.R. § 390.21 or § 316.302(2)(e), Fla. Stat.) – $50.00
14. Company ID not in compliance (49 C.F.R. § 390.21 or § 316.302(2)(e), Fla. Stat.) – $50.00
15. Failure to remove ID from vehicle (49 CFR § 390.21 or § 316.302(2)(e), Fla. Stat.) – $50.00
16. Unattended Motor Vehicle – hazardous materials (49 C.F.R. § 397.5) – $250.00
17. Parking violation – hazardous materials (49 C.F.R. § 397.7) – $250.00
18. Smoking violation – flammable materials (49 C.F.R. § 397.13) – $250.00
19. Transporting unauthorized persons (49 C.F.R. § 392.60) – $100.00
I. Unless a different amount is specified herein, the amount of any court costs in this order is hereby set at $10.00.
J. The Clerk shall have the authority to schedule a civil emergency ID hearing for a defendant whose driver’s history reflects a Seminole County civil traffic infraction conviction when the defendant’s license or driving privilege is then under suspension for that infraction and the defendant swears that he or she was not the driver to whom the citation was issued. The Clerk shall have the authority in civil traffic infractions to issue a D-6 clearance (“suspended in error”), in advance of the civil ID hearing, without charge, when, in the discretion of the Clerk, the defendant has a credible basis for requesting the civil ID hearing.
VI. OFFENSES TO BE SET BEFORE A CIVIL TRAFFIC INFRACTION HEARING OFFICER:
The following offenses shall be set for a hearing before a Civil Traffic Infraction Hearing Officer at the Seminole County Courthouse, 301 North Park Avenue, Sanford, Florida:
A. All civil traffic infractions;
B. A violation of section 316.6135(1), Florida Statutes – Leaving a child younger than 6 years of age unattended or unsupervised in a motor vehicle in excess of 15 minutes; or for any period of time if the motor of the vehicle is running, the health of the child is in danger, or the child appears to be in distress;
C. Any infraction of section 316.172(1)(b), Florida Statutes – Passing a stopped school bus on the enter/exit side;
D. Any infraction of section 316.520(1) or (2), Florida Statutes – Load dropping/shifting/leaking/blowing off and not covered;
E. Any infraction of section 316.183(2), Florida Statutes (maximum/minimum speed limits on streets/highways); 316.187 (maximum speed limits on highways); or 316.189 (maximum/minimum speed limits on city/county roads); and
F. Parking infractions issued in municipalities that have adopted ordinances allowing parking infractions to be heard by a Hearing Officer not otherwise disposed of. Only upon a specific written request of the defendant contained in a Request for a Civil Traffic Infraction Hearing form or a specific request in a Notice of Appearance or written plea shall the case be assigned to a County Court Judge. All civil infractions and parking infractions issued in conjunction with criminal violations shall remain with the criminal charge(s) for arraignment before a County Court Judge.
VII. CIVIL TRAFFIC INFRACTION HEARING OFFICER SCHEDULE:
Effective July 1, 2026, all civil traffic infraction arraignments and trials will be held at the Seminole County Courthouse located at 301 North Park Avenue, Sanford, Florida.
A. All cases requesting a hearing are to be set for an Arraignment, unless a Notice of Appearance or Not Guilty plea is filed by an attorney. Arraignments will be scheduled on Wednesday and Thursday at 9:00 a.m.
B. All cases in which an attorney files a Notice of Appearance or a Not Guilty Plea on or after May 1, 2026, will be placed on a trial docket starting in July 2026. Trials will be scheduled by agency according to the following schedule:
1. Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. – Longwood Police Department, Lake Mary Police Department, Altamonte Springs Police Department, Winter Springs Police Department, Sanford Police Department and Seminole County Sheriff’s Office.
2. Thursday at 1:30 p.m. – Casselberry Police Department, Oviedo Police Department, Orlando/Sanford International Airport Authority, Florida Highway Patrol, and Seminole County Sheriff’s Office.
VIII. SUBMISSION AND DISPOSITION OF CITATIONS ISSUED BY STATE AGENCIES:
A. Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Recreation and Parks:
1. The offenses enumerated below in paragraph (2), which are violations of Florida Administrative Code Chapter 62D-2, may be presented for prosecution by citation issued by the Department of Environmental Protection. In order to be accepted by the Clerk, citations shall be complete, legible, signed by the defendant, and filed with the Clerk within five (5) business days of issuance. Citations shall be made returnable to the Traffic Violations Bureau, Criminal Justice Center, 101 Eslinger Way (P.O. Box 850), Sanford, Florida, or any branch office, within thirty (30) days of the issuance of such citation for disposition as specified in paragraph (2) below.
2. The defendant shall pay a fine of $20.00, plus $10.00 court costs, plus any appropriate legislative assessments for all citations issued for offenses enumerated in any subsection of the following sections of Chapter 62D-2:
a. 62D-2.013 Park Property and Resources
b. 62D-2.014 Activities and Recreation
c. 62D-2.015 Civil Penalties (as authorized by sections 258.007, 258.008, 316.212, 316.2125, 316.2126, Florida Statutes)
3. If the defendant fails to dispose of the citation pursuant to paragraphs (1) and (2) above, the defendant shall be set on an arraignment docket and proper notices shall be furnished to him or her by the Clerk.
B. Florida Department of Agriculture, Florida Forest Service:
1. The offenses enumerated below in paragraph (2), which are violations of Florida Administrative Code Chapter 5I-4, may be prosecuted by citations issued by the Florida Forest Service. In order to be accepted by the Clerk, citations shall be complete, legible, signed by the defendant, and filed with the Clerk within five (5) business days of issuance. Such citations shall be returnable to the Traffic Violations Bureau, Criminal Justice Center, 101 Eslinger Way (P.O. Box 850), Sanford, Florida, or any branch office, within thirty days of the issuance of such citation for disposition as specified in paragraph (2) below.
2. The defendant shall pay a fine of $50.00 which includes court costs of $10.00; $3.00 pursuant to section 938.01, Florida Statutes; and $2.00 pursuant to section 938.15, Florida Statutes, for all offenses under Chapter 5I-4, with the exception of 5I-4.005(1)(g) (Artifacts) and 5I-4.007(4) (Pollution of Waters) for which the defendant shall pay a fine of $100.00 which includes court costs of $10.00; $3.00 pursuant to 938.01, Florida Statutes; and $2.00 pursuant to section 938.15, Florida Statutes.
3. If the defendant fails to dispose of the citation pursuant to paragraphs 1 and 2 above, the defendant shall be set on an arraignment docket and proper notices shall be furnished to him or her by the Clerk.
IX. EFFECTIVE DATE:
This order shall govern the disposition of citations issued October 1, 2006, and thereafter. The provisions of this order shall also govern dispositions of citations issued prior to said date which are pending and not in a D-6 status as of the date of this order.
DONE and ORDERED this 6th day of March, 2026.
MELANIE CHASE
CHIEF JUDGE