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View Full Version : Unpaid Speeding Ticket... what will happen?


smileshaikh
Aug 30, 2010, 05:48 AM
Well over a month ago, I got a traffic ticket, for going 19 miles over the speed limit. It was in a 30 mph zone but close by there was the 50 mph zone, so I sped up a little too early. Anyhow, the court date was set for August 25th... now it's August 30th... and I couldn't make the court date because both and I and my family were out of the country (not an excuse, we were actually out of the country)... so beforehand I talked to the guy in the front desk and he said the only thing I could really do was write a letter to the court asking for an extension and asking for defensive driving. He told me to call him the Friday before August 25th to see if the extension got approved. I wasn't able to call because that was the same day we took off and I completely had intentions of calling but forgot my speeding ticket (which is where I had the court's phone number written on)... it was totally my mistake. And now since it's been 5 days that's past, I'm totally scared of being arrested and having my license taken away. I don't even know if my extension date got approved but I'm too scared to call in because what if it didn't, then I might get in even more trouble... What do I do to clear this all up and get out of this mess? I've never been in any trouble in my life and this is the first time and it's scary. It's also my first ever speeding ticket if that helps any. Thanks in advance for your response.

JudyKayTee
Aug 30, 2010, 05:57 AM
There very possibly is a warrant out for your arrest - the only way to know is to either call or go to Court and ask. No one here knows and it could take a length of time for you to be notified, during which time frame if you are stopped you could be taken into custody.

Police and Courts take tickets seriously - it's a notice to appear. The Police CAN take you into custody and hold you in custody until the hearing date, although that almost never happens with a traffic ticket. It does happen if there is a previous incident of non-appearance, at least in my town.

And being out of the Country IS an not an excuse in the eyes of the Court. If you couldn't confirm (or get) an adjournment the Court expected you to appear personally or by counsel. Your whole post is one long excuse.

Unless you were in a third World country which doesn't have phone service and/or operator assistance your "I forgot the ticket and didn't have the number" excuse is not going to fly.

Call and find out if you got the adjournment. Hopefully you did and have learned an easy lesson about ignoring the Court and not a hard lesson about ignoring the Court.

I realize you've other problems with how the law works and driving - https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/crime/can-get-trouble-about-crash-487183-4.html#post2433174. Perhaps the defensive or safe driving course is a good idea for you before you get into worse trouble.

tickle
Aug 30, 2010, 06:08 AM
I know from previous posts you are probably only about 18, smiles. JKT is correct there isn't really any excuse you can offer that will sound plausible to the courts. You should have dealt with this when it happened, paid it, and gotten rid of it. I hope you don't speed all the time.

Tick

AK lawyer
Aug 30, 2010, 06:20 AM
Calm down, call in, and find out what's up. Pay the fine and after you do they should cancel the bench warrant, if any. Make sure they do.