There are two types of courts in West Palm Beach DUI trials. In state court, there is county court and circuit court. The cases that are held in county court are generally misdemeanors, the traffic crimes, and traffic infractions. Sometimes, this is by ordinance but usually, minor crimes and traffic crimes are held in the county court. There is no district court. If an individual wants to know more about DUI trials, they should consult a knowledgeable DUI lawyer that could answer their questions.
How County Court Judges Treat DUI Charges
In county court, they treat the DUI charges quite seriously because DUIs can affect other people, other people’s property or their personal wellbeing so a judge will take great care in a DUI case to make sure that if anyone’s property was damaged or if anyone was hurt, that those victims have an opportunity to be heard as to the disposition of the case, whether or not they are owed any money or whether or not they have an opinion as to how the case should be resolved.
If there are no victims, the courts in West Palm Beach DUI trials still treat them seriously because it could be an indicator of a continuing danger to the community. The judges want to make sure that if the person has a drinking problem, that it is being addressed. They want to make sure that the person has learned their lesson if they are guilty and they want to make sure that if they are guilty, that the sentence is appropriate and conforming with the law. The judges follow the law and they treat DUI cases quite seriously because it can have an impact on the general community as well as people that were directly affected either in a crash or some other type of DUI incident.
A Judge’s Background
Judges come from all kinds of different practices before they come to the courts in West Palm Beach DUI trials. There are some who are prosecutors, some who are public defenders, some who are civil litigators, some who have never seen a courtroom. There are all types of lawyers from all different aspects of the legal spectrum and profession. It is hard to say but most judges are former government attorneys. They have either worked for the state attorney’s office or the public defender’s office or some other governmental agency before becoming a judge.
How Circut Court Judges Treat DUIs
The circuit court judges have a severe approach to DUIs as well. A DUI offense could cause harm to people in general, and members of the local community. These are constituents whom the judges are appointed or elected to represent and protect, so they are very mindful of that. As a result, the judges try to consider the people that have been affected by the case and, the people who are under their jurisdiction and being prosecuted for these offenses, when deciding what type of sentences they are going to receive.
Types of Cases Held at Circuit Court
The type of DUI cases that are held at circuit court would be DUIs that are felony DUIs. The circuit court would generally handle all felony cases so felony DUIs would be someone who has had a third offense within 10 years of a prior that will qualify as a felony offense for DUI or a fourth DUI offense in a lifetime that would be a felony case that would be heard in the circuit court or any DUI involving a serious injury or death which would be DUI manslaughter.
Selecting Circut Court Judges
Circuit court judges are chosen one of two ways, the same way county court judges are. Circuit court judges are chosen the same way as county court judges. They are elected by the electorate or appointed by the governor depending upon the seat that is open and whether it is an elected seat at the end of a judicial term or if it is a vacant seat, someone who retired or stepped down. The governor would fill any vacancy and then if a term was up, the populace or the citizens would elect a judge. Most of the county court judges in Palm Beach County are appointed judges by the governor of the state over at different times over the years. There are more appointed judges rather than elected judges in West Palm Beach. If an individual wants to know more about courts in West Palm Beach DUI trials, they should consult an experienced DUI attorney that could answer their questions and build their defense.
