Brenda Di Ioia is a chief traffic magistrate in the Broward County (FL) Court System. She came to her present position after serving as special magistrate for the Judicial Enforcement Division. Prior to that, she worked for six years as a certified federal arbitrator and qualified state arbitrator on Lemon Law disputes. She has also served as a certified family and county court mediator, as well as an attorney representing children in family law cases.

In addition to serving as a traffic magistrate, Di Ioia is an adjunct professor for Nova Southeastern University's paralegal program. In the past, she has served on the board of directors for the Broward County Bar Association, and as president of the Broward County Women Lawyers Association and chair of the Family Law Section of the Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers. She also makes frequent local television appearances thanks to her abundant knowledge regarding traffic law and dispute resolution.

Di Ioia earned a BA from Florida Atlantic University and a JD from Nova University Center for the Study of Law. In 2006, she received an AV rating, the highest rating an attorney can receive for legal knowledge and ethics.

Q: What is the best thing about being a chief traffic magistrate?

A: I love working directly with people and like to see them empowered, which is something I get to do every day.

Q: What is the lamest excuse a speeder has ever given you?

A: "I just finished watching the movie 'The Fast and the Furious' and I wanted to show my little brother how fast our car would go."

Q: What is the most common excuse speeders give you?

A: "I was keeping up with the flow of traffic." Or "I don't think I was going THAT fast."

Q: What is the most bizarre excuse a speeder has ever given you?

A: A defendant said that she was speeding because she forgot to wear her aluminum hat. The hat, she said, protected her from the officers' beepers that control brainwaves and cause people to speed as a way of revenue enhancement.

Q: Describe the worst driver to ever appear before you.

A: He was a cab driver who left his fare in the car in the middle of the road and started walking home. He was not competent to drive.

Q: What's your best advice for someone who wants to fight a speeding ticket?

A: Know what you're charged with and be prepared.

Q: What is the worst thing about being a chief traffic magistrate?

A: People sometimes blame me for the consequences of their own actions.

Q: When was the last time you got a speeding ticket?

A: It happened over 20 years ago. I was going with the flow of traffic. LOL!