Panama City has been a popular spring break
destination for many years and there appears to be no end in sight for the
annual college student pilgrimage. Of course, spring break means full motels
along with multiple events and activities. It also means disorderly conduct,
alcohol intoxication, and occasional vandalism.
Panama City police have always been stretched to the limit to patrol the city
and beach during spring break season. Misdemeanor arrests always increase
during this stretch, which creates a particular problem in adjudicating court
cases when the defendant has returned home to another state. Panama lawyers agree that designated courts can help lessen the stress on the court system.
The idea is not new, as the satellite court model was used consistently until
1999.
The problem with attempting to adjudicate all charges at central court has been
a swamped court system with many more low-level cases that are never resolved
completely. Misdemeanors are not typically eligible for extradition and many
rulings go unfulfilled, resulting in additional contempt charges for the
defendant. Using spring break courts located in a motel room close to the
spring break activity makes adjudication easier in terms of court appearances
and resolved cases. Accepting a guilty plea in a misdemeanor case finalizes the
case, depending on case particulars.
Disorderly conduct and alcohol intoxication are easily the most common charges
for spring breakers, who are actually welcomed guests for the community when
they arrive. Spring break courts can set a minimum policy for handling typical
cases and finalize them rather quickly. The infusion into the local Bay County
economy is always anticipated. Just as the court forecasts the level of turnout
for case increases, lawyers prepare in the same manner for cases that are more
serious than a simple guilty plea. Many students who are arrested on more
serious charges will retain a local attorney to negotiate a settlement or
reduction of the charge.
The impact that spring break has on the local Panama City region is difficult
to calculate in exact terms. The community trade-off is clearly the increased
tourism business versus the amount of vandalism resulting from behavior that
gets out of hand. There is a fine line between acceptable and unacceptable
behavior during spring break. Alcohol usage is common and many of the students
are actually under legal age to possess or consume alcohol. Cases are often
borderline prosecutions for alcohol intoxication, as illegal possession charges
can be filed also. The real emphasis is reduced vandalism and a strict
attention to individuals who maybe driving under the influence.
Spring break is considered a rite of passage for most college students and many
colleges stagger the semester schedule just right for the Panama City area to
handle a steady influx for a 2-3 month period, along with another rush just
after the semester ends for many students who focused on studies during break.
The multitude of problems experienced by the Panama City court system could
very well be reduced by this return to a past approach to dealing with problems
where the problems occur in a voluntary format that allows for cases being
taken up by the primary court if necessary.
