Florida Supreme Court May Issue Ruling On Orlando’s Red Light Cameras

By Orlando Personal Injury Attorney on August 6, 2012

In a development that James O. Cunningham and other Orlando personal injury lawyers are monitoring very closely, Orlando city officials have announced that they may ask the Florida Supreme Court to determine the legality of their red light camera ticket program. A recent ruling by the 5th District Court of Appeal ruled that when the city began the program, Orlando was preempted from launching it at the time because that decision should be made at the state level. Despite the Court of Appeal’s ruling, Florida laws governing red light camera ticket programs have changed, allowing local governments to begin such programs and making the court’s ruling moot.

However, Orlando officials say that the ruling could prevent them from taking initiative and enacting ordinances on other issues and are planning to appeal the ruling anyway. They filed a notice with the 5th District Court of Appeals, and Orlando City Attorney Mayanne Downs said recently that while they are taking steps to appeal the ruling, the final decision on doing so has yet to be made.

"What is most important to us and to all cities is that we have fundamental powers and authority to operate our city to make it the place that we want it to be," she said. "So we’ll get advice from our legal team, and we’ll talk about whether it makes sense to file an appeal."

The effectiveness of red light cameras has been an especially hot issue in Orlando and throughout Florida with strong feelings on both sides of the issue. Red light camera proponents cite data from the Federal Highway Administration that indicates that red light camera programs reduce deadly high-speed right-angle auto accidents (T-bone accidents) by an average of 25 percent. Opponents cite the same data that showed red light cameras increase low-speed rear-end accidents by 15 percent and are little more than a new revenue source for Orlando and other cities that installed them in recent years.

Mr. Cunningham and other Orlando auto accident lawyers support any measures that reduce the number of drivers who run red lights and engage in other negligent actions. He has successfully represented injured people against negligent drivers since 1977 and has the skills, experience and resources to build successful cases for clients. If you have been injured in an auto accident and want to learn more about the law, your rights and your legal options, schedule a free consultation today by calling 800-425-2004.

James O. Cunningham

Since 1977, personal injury lawyer James Cunningham has provided effective legal advocacy to people who are injured through the negligent actions of another person or entity throughout the Central Florida area. He fights to obtain recoveries for his clients’ physical and emotional pain and suffering and pursues his clients’ personal injury cases with a commitment to excellence and impeccable preparation.