Posts by Mark Sullivan62

Based on my own experience, it took them a solid 45 minutes just to get their act together and break out the cash, while I was stuck sitting there in the branch the entire time...

ID cards and a little bit of pocket change

The whole process takes just a few seconds at an average bank, though if you're dealing with JP Morgan Chase, it might feel like an absolute eternity given how lightning-fast they move.

Look, pretty much every major bank out there—we're talking Chase or Bank of America—will offer you these Lombard loans based on your fixed-term savings, provided you go to the same institution where your cash is actually parked (and usually they'll bump up your interest rate by maybe 2-3% more than what you’d get on a standard CD)

They'll let you borrow up to 90% of whatever you've got locked up; but honestly, if you ask me, taking a loan against your own savings is just a bad move. Why would you ever pay a bank interest to use your own money when the yield on the deposit is so mediocre anyway? You aren't losing anything significant by just keeping it there instead of paying them those extra few percentage points for the privilege.

Now, if you want to get smart about it, look into Lombard loans backed by your home equity or perhaps some holdings in mutual funds or ETFs if you have those sitting in your brokerage account. That's where the real play is.

Whether that package actually pays off depends entirely on how much you rely on their specific services—it’s really just a matter of how much you use them or think you might, and honestly, you're the only one who can weigh that up

I mean, look, all the cards come free of charge (whether we're talking Maestro, Mastercard, or Visa), plus you get the Zelle integration and mobile banking features $0.33, the ATMs or $0.33 are basically free to use, there aren't any monthly maintenance fees, and they offer better overdraft protection on your checking account, among other perks

But at the end of the day, whether any of that stuff is actually useful to you? That's something only you can decide

I don't know, man, I’ve pretty much blown through my entire credit limit in just about a month, and honestly, I haven't even noticed any major hiccups or issues so far, as of right now......

You should really look into getting that new Mastercard from Chase. They’re running this promo where you can snag a 5% interest rate for the first 12 months. Plus, if you're already using one of their banking packages, they'll waive the enrollment fee entirely
.
It basically functions like a credit card with a grace period—sort of like a revolving line of credit—and you can even split purchases into installments if the merchant happens to be partnered with Chase.

Yeah, just be careful there, you don't want to end up sliding into a negative balance or something like that,

because if you leave that account sitting at zero, and then Chase—or whatever bank you're using—decides to hit you with their monthly service fee or quarterly maintenance charge, they won't have anything to pull from, and that’s exactly how you run into trouble with overdrafts or frozen accounts later on.

Just go ahead and ask your banker if they slap any fees on those specific types of accounts.

And honestly, what Mark Sullivan62 is telling you is solid advice; just set up an automatic transfer to move some cash over from your checking to your savings... it's way easier to manage everything through a standard checking account than messing around with a specialized account.

So, look, I was just wondering how you actually calculated that KTA rate, because honestly, the way you laid it out has me feeling pretty lost here.

As for those KTA rates themselves, they aren't some vague estimate—they are absolute, hard numbers, just look at this example

Michael Perez5 said:hm.... so, what now?

Nothing, just toss it straight in the trash.

Sandra Parker3 said:Alright, let me jump back in here like a total amateur. Honestly, I'm almost afraid to ask. 😲 You guys have made this way more complicated than it needs to be. The real question is actually this:

Is an officer's word enough when they write "handed to me personally," assuming that skipping the signature means you haven't officially "received" it? 😕 In other words, if there's no signature, does that eight-day clock even start ticking, or are they required to send it via certified mail first?

Look, if you sign it, it means you were physically there and you acknowledged receipt...

If you pay the fine listed on that citation, you’re basically pleading guilty, and once that money changes hands, you’ve lost your right to complain or appeal anything.

Sandra Parker3 said:Alright, let me jump back in here like a total amateur. Honestly, I'm almost afraid to ask. 😲 You guys have made this way more complicated than it needs to be. The real question is actually this:

Is an officer's word enough when they write "handed to me personally," assuming that skipping the signature means you haven't officially "received" it? 😕 In other words, if there's no signature, does that eight-day clock even start ticking, or are they required to send it via certified mail first?

Out in Germany, that's how it works. No judge in the world is going to sit there and second-guess the testimony or the citation issued by an official officer—not over there. They don't deal with the kind of excuses and stories I tend to spin myself.

But here in America, it isn't like that at all. Why do you think they even have "confrontation hearings"? In Germany, nobody calls them for confrontations.

The whole point is that if you refuse to sign, they lack the proof that you were actually present at the scene. So, what happens? They call for a confrontation hearing involving the specific officer who wrote the ticket. That usually doesn't happen until a year or eighteen months after the violation took place.

And just imagine for a second—if that officer actually shows up to court—what are they going to say? How are they going to guarantee it was actually you?

Think about the math: there are roughly 250 working days in a year. If an officer pulls over just 10 people every single day, that's 2,500 people. You really think they're going to remember *you* specifically out of that crowd? Hahaha!

All you have to do is ask them if you had a bruise on your left or right cheek. If they say "right," then you just suggest bringing in a witness to confirm you actually had a bruise on your left.

Besides, officers rarely show up for these hearings because they'd have to miss work. Just picture this: if only 5% of those 2,500 people they cite annually were called in for a confrontation, that would mean the officer has to show up 125 times. That's half their working year spent in court! Their boss would probably give them a medal for spending more time in front of a judge than actually on patrol.

crimsonsailor7 said:But you mentioned earlier that you appealed everything possible. This guy already got hit with a citation that explicitly says 'refused to sign.' That means he was physically there, he just refused to put pen to paper...

That doesn't mean it always works out that way, though. You've got plenty of lazy judges out there, but then you've got those ambitious ones who don't take minor infractions lightly at all...

Yeah, you’re always complaining, aren't you?

But look, defense strategy is everything here.

You can try pulling the "I wasn't even there" card, but what exactly are you going to appeal then?

If you go through the motions of appealing now, what's the actual basis for the grievance? You're just digging your own grave—what are they going to think? "Oh, sorry officer, I'll be a good little boy next time, I promise"? It's pathetic.

And how do you know some bored deputy at the precinct isn't currently filing a citation in your name, marking down 'refused to sign' at the bottom, and just passing it right up the chain of command?

that doesn't mean it's a universal rule. sure, you've got plenty of lazy judges out there, but you also have those ambitious types who don't take minor infractions lightly.

Maybe so, but if that were true, how come my little courtroom dramas worked out twelve times in a row for me?

Michael Perez5 said:A thousand-dollar fine just doesn't cut it. You can't simply swap out a penalty like that for some community service hours to serve the public good. It just isn't the same thing.

I’m actually wondering about that too. I guess what I really need to do is just file a basic appeal regarding the citation I received. Since I didn't sign it within that eight-day window and didn't provide an explanation, I should probably just submit the dispute and leave it at that. That seems to be it...

Thanks, Sandra Parker3.

P.S. Just a heads up—don't bother feeding the trolls.😉

Exactly, I didn't even sign anything so there's nothing to appeal from

I wouldn't pay it, and I wouldn't bother with a formal appeal either

Because by the time you actually end up in front of a judge, more than half the statute of limitations has already evaporated, and you can just play dumb and act like you have absolutely no clue what they're talking about

In my experience, the cops first had to try and figure out if I was even physically present at the scene, since they didn't have a shred of proof that I was—because, again, I never signed a thing—and as for whether I was actually guilty or not, they haven't even gotten around to making a call on that yet

Thomas Miller80 said:It’s all a bit of a mess, and honestly, I couldn't be bothered to bold the key points for this thread 😬
but here's the deal—who actually issues the warrant (one thing is the police, which is what you were handed), when it becomes legally binding (meaning it's basically over, game set match), the deadline to file an appeal, and what happens once that appeal is processed 🙂

Sorra, my bad, I didn't realize he had already received it.

Whatever you do, don't miss those deadlines, but if you can, milk them for every second they're worth—use them right up until the very last day.

Wait, what?
You're talking about contesting a citation, which is exactly the point I was making to the OP.
As far as I recall, these types of citations are relatively new—ever since that updated misdemeanor law went into effect back in late 2002, the police have had the authority to issue them on the spot.

I just don't get it—why are you trying to play legal expert by lecturing the OP on how to file an appeal when you were the one jumping at every single legal loophole the second it suited you? 😕 You’re being completely contradictory here. ☕

Honestly, I didn't realize he’d already been slapped with the fine right then and there.

I was under the impression he hadn't even received it yet and was already planning his legal fight.

I honestly don't get this at all.
So you get hit with a citation first, and then once "the other thing" actually arrives, you probably just get some bill in the mail 😕
What kind of appeal can you even file against that?
No, seriously, I'm genuinely curious—do you have some massive archive of all this stuff you can walk us through? Because from where I'm sitting, this whole process sounds completely nonsensical.

Well, I've got everything filed away perfectly, a whole damn binder filled with appeals, court rulings, continuances, stays... 🙂

It goes like this:

The car accident happened on September 26, 2002—I was 100% at fault.

The police filed for a misdemeanor proceeding, and then on March 18, 2003, the municipal court issues a citation finding me guilty of the accident, stating I have to pay $233, plus $104 costs; they also slapped me with a six-month license suspension, unless (on probation) I stay clean for a year without committing a similar offense, plus 4 points on my record.

First legal remedy: an appeal within 8 days. And now I'm just seeing this fine print: if you're only appealing the amount of the fine or the costs, the higher appellate court decides on that. If I just pay it, I'm waiving my right to appeal.

So, I filed an appeal. But I wasn't contesting the verdict itself—I wasn't claiming I was innocent, because I was guilty—I just wrote that they weren't being sane with the one-year probation and the 4 points, since I've never (officially) been a criminal. Based on what they said about the legal remedy, this should have gone straight to the higher appellate court.

But then, on June 9, 2004, they call me down to the municipal court, where I tell the same story all over again, and the judge ends up reducing the penalty to $183 and 2 points, without the probation or the license suspension.

Legal remedy: an appeal to the higher appellate court within eight days.

Get this: that ruling arrived a full three and a half months before the statute of limitations expired and right before the summer court recess.

I appealed to the higher appellate court, still not fighting the fact that I was guilty—because I was—but arguing that the money was just too much, $183

I never received a response, and those points were never even posted to my record.

Simple as that.

Long live our American justice system.

Thomas Miller80 said:Michael Perez5, you're filing an objection without providing any reasoning!
so just cut out that last paragraph 😉

after that, they kick off the misdemeanor proceedings—meaning they'll summon you to a hearing. That's where you can explain yourself as much as you want. If you have evidence you want to present (like asking to cross-examine an officer and the court actually grants it), they'll schedule another hearing. Eventually, the court will hand down a decision, which you can appeal to the higher appellate court within a specific timeframe (I think it's 8 or 15 days from when you get it, I can't remember the exact rule right now).
Hopefully the process makes sense now, though I feel like I've explained this "correctly" at least four times already—not to mention how many times Laura, crimsonsailor7, or Jack 😬
have had to hear it. Whether or not the statute of limitations kicks in? Nobody can tell you that. It all depends on how fast they schedule your hearings—some judges stay on top of things, while others are either totally swamped or just plain lazy 😁

Anyway, good luck 😉

Well, if you aren't certain about whether the clock is going to run out on you, then you really ought to do your part to help the process along.

The first time around, you submit a travel voucher claiming you’re out on official business that very day.

Then, when they send you a notice for a new hearing, you show up—polite, professional, behaving perfectly—and just calmly tell them you have absolutely no idea what they're talking about and that you need to consult with your attorney first.

In my own case, based on a consultation with a misdemeanor defense lawyer regarding a citation from $167, they pushed my hearing back by three weeks.

Then you show up three weeks later and act like, "Oh, right, yeah, I remember now, it was May 5th, my bad."
Then you sit there waiting at least six weeks for them to actually write up the verdict, and once they do, you've got this new eight-day window to file an appeal; so on the eighth day, you file that appeal, claiming you're broke or whatever excuse works, and it gets kicked up to the appellate court, where it basically disappears into a black hole. You won't hear a peep from the higher courts ever again.

That’s exactly how I managed to dodge the fine for a minor fender bender.

Michael Perez5 said:So... I guess I should just file an objection against the court's decision once it actually arrives...
rather than contesting this citation right now?

Look, you aren't doing anything right now. This is just police paperwork. It might show up, it might not.

If it does arrive, they’ll list the specific fine for whatever violation occurred, and they'll tell you to pay it right there.

But don't just pay it. Wait until the very last possible second—like that 8-day window they usually give you—and then file your appeal. Only then does it actually head to the courts. That process takes an absolute eternity; by the time you get a summons to appear, half the statute of limitations has already evaporated.

Right now, you do nothing. Absolutely nothing.

Just wait.

I'm telling you this from firsthand experience. I've had twelve different citations, a few from fender benders, and every single one of them hit the statute of limitations. I never paid a dime, and I don't have a single point on my license.

Trust me on this.

If you go ahead and file an appeal right this second, you're basically admitting you were actually there (even if that appeal doesn't carry much weight in court anyway, it just makes it obvious you're trying to wiggle out of it).

Do exactly what I told you, and the only thing you'll owe me is a plate of BBQ ribs and a couple of cold beers.🙂

Forget the theorists; I'm a man of action.

Thomas Miller80 said:You can file a formal complaint against that officer—just make sure you include their badge number and lay out the whole story. Look, it might not actually get you much help, but if you’re feeling fired up about it—go for it.

As for contesting the citation, you don't need to provide an explanation right away. Once you file the appeal, it kicks off a formal court proceeding, and *that's* when you can explain yourself as much as you want.😁

Wait, I just noticed you didn't sign anything—in that case, let Mark Sullivan62 point you in the right direction.😬

Here’s that direction:

And by the way, Michael Perez5, just sit tight and don't say a word; wait until something actually happens, then you can start complaining about how you have no clue what anyone is talking about.

crimsonsailor7 said:🙄 🙄 🙄 🙄
they’re gonna get a massive reality check when some smart-ass kid finally catches them red-handed, because let's be real, kids these days are way too sharp to actually bother following the rules... 🙄

if you're gonna go out of your way to hide a violation, then just be a badass and own the consequences when they come knocking.

Honestly, that’s exactly what I’d tell the current administration right now

I mean, look, if they don't fix this, the Republican Party is toast in the next election...

not necessarily, you're just acknowledging that you received it

it’s only after you actually pay up that you've admitted fault

and honestly, if you don't sign off on it—who's going to be able to prove you were even there in the first place?