Trial Hearing Report: Observation of a Traffic Violation Case

This report details a student's observation of a trial hearing at the Washington County Court in Florida on March 26, 2020. The case involved a taxi driver charged with speeding and not wearing a seatbelt. The report outlines the court proceedings, including the officer's testimony, the driver's defense, and the judge's decision. The driver pleaded guilty, citing personal distress, and was fined $1000. The report emphasizes the importance of law and order, the role of the judge in considering individual circumstances, and the application of due process within the US legal system. It also references relevant legal principles and the government's role in ensuring fair judgments. The report provides a clear understanding of the legal process and courtroom dynamics, highlighting the practical application of legal concepts.

Running head: TRIAL HEARING
TRIAL HEARING
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Authors note

1TRIAL HEARING
Washington County Court, Florida
Date: 26th March 2020
Time: 10 am- 12 pm
Location: Chipley, Florida.
Introduction
In every area of the planet, the existence of law and order is the prime objective. This
particular court visit report assures that the citizens of the US are aware of their rights and
liberties. A court is such a place that is made up of efficient official individuals who listen to the
facts and evidence of a case and after that provide judgments. The Washington County Court of
Florida deals with a variety of civil and criminal matters which include family disputes, domestic
violence, child care, negligence claims, and matters related to probate and small claims,
misdemeanor, felony, and traffic (Washington County Court of Florida, 2020).
The court visit offers a substantial knowledge of the courts and how judges treat the cases
in the courtroom. The law students get a wonderful opportunity, where the theoretical skills can
be put into action. As an integral part of the court visit assignment, I attended the Washington
County Court of Florida.
For making this report I have reached the court premises at 10 am sharp on 26th March
2020 and stayed there till noon. To enter into the courtroom I had to face security checks and
also asked to deposit my cell phone and other belongings. It is important for maintaining the
safety and security of the court premises. The court is located at 1293, Jackson Avenue, Chipley,
FL 32428 (Washington County Court of Florida 2020).

2TRIAL HEARING
The matter of dispute which I have observed in the court was the case of a Caucasian taxi
driver who has violated traffic regulation. The driver was charged with two offenses, such as
driving at exceeding speed limits and for not wearing a seat-belt (Driving in America, Traffic
Laws and Rules in America, 2020). The traffic officer who was present at the time of the
incident was also presented in the court at the time of the hearing. After receiving permission
from the judge the court officer explained the charges with which the driver was charged. The
officer stated that the taxi had been droved by the driver at the speed of more than 90 miles per
hour. Moreover, he did not wear the seat-belt. When he stopped at the signal for committing a
secondary offense of not wearing a seat belt the traffic officer ticket him for violating the law. As
speed limits in the US vary from one state to another depending upon the vehicle and various
other factors, therefore, the traffic officer is not authorized to impose a penalty. The officer told
him that violating speed limits can impose a severe penalty in the forms of severe fine or
community service or sometimes include imprisonment (Driving in America, Traffic Laws and
Rules in America, 2020).
The judge permitted the driver to defend himself. He said that on that day he was
disturbed and upset as his father was admitted to the hospital. For this reason, he forgot to wear
the seat belt and break the speed limits. The driver pleaded guilty. As his recorded speed was 86
and he is the first time offender, therefore, the driver was fined with $1000.
The judicial system of the US relates solely to the main results from a variety of
aggregated and analyzed data. The study has thoroughly assisted the state in recognizing these
problems and thus offering the right solutions to the issues, especially when the issues are related
to poor people and children (Friedman and Hayden 2017).

3TRIAL HEARING
In this case, the judge has considered the mental state of the driver and imposed
comparatively a lower rate of penalty. Moreover, the judge was not biased. A traffic violation is
considered to be a serious offense in the US. Here, the traffic driver had violated the rule of
wearing a seat belt while driving. As it is a secondary offense thus it was not decided in the
court.
The US Government has played a significant role in making the correct judgment within
the court of the states. For achieving this several bodies have been created by the US government
which ensures that all works have been done by the experts. While giving judgment, the US
courts always focus on the due process of law which limits the power of the government
(Lawson 2017). Recently, the US government take the necessary steps to educate the citizen’s
about their rights and liberties. Every individual irrespective of their gender or wealth has the
right to get a fair and just judgment. In the US, 65 percent of the judgment is regarded as
competent justice, according to statistics from the last 10 years. In the US, the law and order are
managed by the Courts. Therefore, the court must act reasonably.

4TRIAL HEARING
Reference
2020. [online] Available at: <https://www.washingtonclerk.com/court-information/traffic/#>
[Accessed 12 April 2020].
Friedman, L.M. and Hayden, G.M., 2017. American law: An introduction. Oxford University
Press.
Lawson, G., 2017. Take the Fifth, Please: The Original Insignificance of the Fifth Amendment's
Due Process of Law Clause. BYU L. Rev., p.611.
Nriol.com. 2020. Driving In America, Traffic Laws And Rules In America. [online] Available at:
<http://nriol.com/america-visitors/driving-in-america.asp> [Accessed 12 April 2020].