Jo-Anne Yau: Magistrate in Fourth Judicial Circuit of Florida
I was recently appointed as a Magistrate and Hearing Officer in the Fourth Judicial Circuit of the State of Florida. On March 31, 2009, I took my oath, and was sworn in by Judge Sharon Tanner.
I will be presiding over the Civil Traffic Division. People who wish to challenge their non-criminal traffic citations will enter their plea before me at arraignment, also referred to as first appearance. The majority of people plead "no contest," which means that they are asking that I withhold an adjudication of guilt, to keep points off their driving record. Some people, however, plead "not guilty". This means that they want to challenge their ticket at trial, where they can confront the law enforcement officer who issued their citation, bring forth witnesses' testimony, and present evidence. The option to go forth with trial is, of course, their right. I then set their case on my trial calendar, and preside over that trial at a later date.
It is important to me that I am still able to practice law. After finishing my morning calendar at the courthouse, I return to my office in downtown Jacksonville, where I continue to represent clients in their patent, trademark, franchising, personal injury, and criminal cases.
