Traffic violation procedures
in Criminal and Misdemeanor Law ·
Hey everyone, I could really use some perspective here.
So, back in May around 2:30 in the morning, I got caught up in a bit of a mess over at Jeffersonian Square—your classic "drunk guy looking for trouble" scenario. I was just waiting for the bus with my girlfriend when this guy, clearly wasted, starts muttering nonsense under his breath at me. I did the smart thing and tried to ignore him, acting like I wasn't even paying attention, but he decided to play the tough guy and clocked me right in the head. Out of nowhere, a police officer appears, steps in to separate us, and starts asking for IDs and whatnot. Honestly, I didn't care at the time; I had no intention of suing the guy or making a whole scene out of it. But then today comes the surprise: a mail carrier hands me a notice from the Municipal Court of Los Angeles. It turns out I’ve been issued a citation claiming we were both responsible for disturbing the peace, with each $133 fine being set at $50 plus court costs. The reasoning basically states that the legal proceedings were initiated by a law enforcement officer based on direct observation, blah, blah, blah.
Now, what I’m wondering is whether I should just bite the bullet and pay these $183 fines (while secretly wishing a semi-truck would run him over) or if I should actually file an appeal. I’d much rather contest it, because there's nothing funny about paying a penalty for being the victim of an unprovoked attack, and as a student, I'm already strapped for cash. If I go the appeal route, is there a chance it ends up costing me even more than these $167?
So, back in May around 2:30 in the morning, I got caught up in a bit of a mess over at Jeffersonian Square—your classic "drunk guy looking for trouble" scenario. I was just waiting for the bus with my girlfriend when this guy, clearly wasted, starts muttering nonsense under his breath at me. I did the smart thing and tried to ignore him, acting like I wasn't even paying attention, but he decided to play the tough guy and clocked me right in the head. Out of nowhere, a police officer appears, steps in to separate us, and starts asking for IDs and whatnot. Honestly, I didn't care at the time; I had no intention of suing the guy or making a whole scene out of it. But then today comes the surprise: a mail carrier hands me a notice from the Municipal Court of Los Angeles. It turns out I’ve been issued a citation claiming we were both responsible for disturbing the peace, with each $133 fine being set at $50 plus court costs. The reasoning basically states that the legal proceedings were initiated by a law enforcement officer based on direct observation, blah, blah, blah.
Now, what I’m wondering is whether I should just bite the bullet and pay these $183 fines (while secretly wishing a semi-truck would run him over) or if I should actually file an appeal. I’d much rather contest it, because there's nothing funny about paying a penalty for being the victim of an unprovoked attack, and as a student, I'm already strapped for cash. If I go the appeal route, is there a chance it ends up costing me even more than these $167?