Did a judge really rule Florida’s red light camera law unconstitutional?
Yes, in one specific case. On March 3, 2026, a Broward County judge dismissed a red light camera citation after finding that Florida’s enforcement framework unconstitutionally shifts the burden of proof onto vehicle owners. The ruling does not strike down the law statewide, but it gives drivers a new argument to raise.
What exactly did the judge rule?
In State of Florida v. Kayla Erin McFadden, Case No. 25135882TI20A, Broward County Judge Steven P. DeLuca signed a 21-page order dismissing a red light camera citation issued in Sunrise. The citation was issued under Fla. Stat. § 316.0083, part of the Mark Wandall Traffic Safety Act, which authorizes red light camera enforcement statewide. Under that framework, a vehicle owner has to submit a sworn statement identifying who was driving in order to avoid the fine. The court classified these proceedings as quasi-criminal rather than purely civil, given the fines and formal findings involved, and on that basis found that this structure violates due process under both the Fourteenth Amendment and Article I, Section 9 of the Florida Constitution, by requiring the owner to disprove responsibility rather than requiring the government to establish it.
Does this ruling apply to my ticket if I am not in Broward County?
Not automatically. This is a trial court order in one Broward County case, not a statewide appellate ruling, and it is not binding on courts elsewhere in Florida, including Miami-Dade. What it does provide is written judicial reasoning that can be cited and argued in any Florida red light camera case, since the underlying statute being challenged is the same one used statewide.
Is this ruling being appealed?
That remains genuinely unresolved. As of the most recent available reporting, no confirmed appeal has been filed, though attorneys involved in the case have said the fight is likely not over. If the state appeals and the Fourth District Court of Appeal upholds the ruling, that decision would carry binding authority within its district, and could effectively become the law statewide if no conflicting appellate rulings exist elsewhere. Florida’s red light camera program survived a separate constitutional challenge in 2018, when the Florida Supreme Court upheld it in Jimenez v. State. This new challenge rests on a distinct legal theory, the burden of proof, not the one rejected then.
What is the standard penalty for a red light camera ticket in Florida?
The fine is $158 under Fla. Stat. § 316.0083, treated as a civil penalty rather than a criminal moving violation. Paying it does not add points to a driving record. Points are only assessed if the citation goes unpaid and uncontested long enough to result in a uniform traffic citation from a law enforcement officer instead.
What defenses already existed before this ruling?
Several, independent of the constitutional argument:
- Procedural errors: mistakes in how or when the citation was mailed.
- Yellow light timing: whether the signal at that specific intersection met required timing standards.
- Camera reliability: whether the equipment was functioning and calibrated correctly.
- Identity: establishing that the registered owner was not the person driving.
What does the DeLuca ruling add to those defenses?
A constitutional due process argument, on top of whatever fact-specific defenses already applied to a given citation. Because the ruling addresses how the statute is structured, not just the facts of one ticket, the reasoning can be raised in any Florida red light camera case, even though no court outside Broward County is required to follow it.
What should I do if I get a red light camera ticket in Florida?
A citation can be paid, contested at an administrative hearing, or in eligible cases resolved through a state-approved driver improvement course under Fla. Stat. § 318.14(9), which can reduce the fine and avoid points. Whether the constitutional argument or one of the fact-specific defenses fits a particular ticket is worth a real review before deciding which path to take. See our DUI and Traffic Defense page for how these cases are handled in Miami-Dade, and our Legal Terms Glossary for more on burden of proof and related terms.
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