Opinion on my traffic ticket...

[girth]

OK, I got a BS ticket a while back for $77 for "failure to stop at stop sign". My court date was July 7th and I mailed in my "plea" as "not guilty", meaning I didn't have to show up for the court date - the DA would just contact me later to have a "conference". I don't know how the DA was going to contact me, but I assume it's via postal mail since all he has is my address. Anyway, he/she STILL hasn't contacted me! Does this mean that he/she may have just saw that it was only $77 and figured "F it, lets toss this one - more trouble than it's worth". My record was clean otherwise.

So what do you guys think - did I get out of this ticket or does it just take longer for him to contact me?

 

[Notorious]

hard to say, the ones that i think i'm going to get out of I get screwed on. Then the ones I'm sure they are going to hit me with everything they got, i usually get off of. By the way... did you stop at the stop sign or just slow down?

 

[girth]

By the way... did you stop at the stop sign or just slow down?

I stopped 1.5 times for it. I first came to a complete stop because there was a guy in front of me that had to stop for it, so obviously I stopped when he did albeit not right up really close to the intersection (although there was no "line" indicating where one should stop). Then when he went, I slowly rolled up, looked all directions and went (I count this as my .5 stop). I know that TECHNICALLY by the book that is not legal and that's why I got the ticket --- but F me - totally clean record and they give me a ticket when what I did was really not dangerous? I'm certain he really did it because I had an orange car. F-ing pigs. Oh, and this was also during one of their "mandatory seat belt enforcement" things...so he probably figured he'd stop me for the stop sign and then just give me a warning about that and instead give me a seat belt ticket....but the problem there was that I was WEARING my seatbelt like a good driver. So no benefit from that either - if anything I feel punished for wearing my belt now because if I wasn't wearing it I probably would have just been ticketed for that.

 

[Notorious]

that sucks, hope things work out for you. Luckily the fine isn't too bad.

 

[Black Majik MSP]

The one thing I do know about the legal system is that everything takes a LONG time. My court notices usually come in the mail & I've had some take months to show up.

 

[Sir Nuke]

technically...you ran the stop sign....and in court.....its your word agains the officers...and from what you just said...you DID RUN the sign...technically. SO, you have only one hope....and that is when it comes time for your court date....that the officer doesn't show.....for at least in my state...if the officer doesn't show....they throw out the ticket.

 

[girth]

DAAAAMN! Months?! That's a long-ass time to wait just for a stupid $77 ticket! I guess I can wait if they can...I'm just wondering if I got off and don't even know it.

 

[jersey_emt]

You still need to go to court. You're 'not guilty' plea entry is a message telling the prosecutor that you will be in court that day.

Just sending out a 'not guilty' plea does not get you off the hook.

 

[girth]

You still need to go to court. You're 'not guilty' plea entry is a message telling the prosecutor that you will be in court that day.

Just sending out a 'not guilty' plea does not get you off the hook.

I assume you mean it's a message saying I will not be in court that day. I'm just wondering how long does it take them to "review" these things after the court date. My other traffic offense way back when I went to court, pled not guilty, and then had a conference with the DA that very day. Then had another conference via the phone with him 1 week later. This minor ticket on the other hand had a court date of 10+ days ago and I've still had no contact with the DA...so I'm wondering if he just tossed it and said it's not worth persuing for only $77. How long will I have to wait?

 

[Pro_fan]

You should definitely get in contact with the traffic court division for wherever you are. Even if, let's say, your letter for them got lost in the mail or something, the onus is on you to show up on the appointed court date that is assigned. If you don't show up, depending on your State's laws, the conviction in absence could either a) cause you not to be able to use registry services (ie. registering your car, getting a new driver's licence, etc) or b) cause a warrant to be put out for your arrest. At least that's how it works up here in my Province in Canada.

I'm not sure how the DA conference call thing works....we definitely don't do that up here.