Traffic violation procedures

My sister was deep into her pregnancy when she ended up in a minor fender bender. She was basically racing to the hospital because she was having intense abdominal pains, you know? The police report says she failed to yield and then fled the scene—which is total BS because she actually swapped info with the other driver before rushing off to get medical help. It’s been a year now; she’s flying solo with the baby, unemployed, and has zero childcare options to even make it to a court date. What’s the move here? And what happens with the insurance claim? Thanks

She has a sister. 😉

how do I file an appeal? pretty sure she didn't even get a single summons or anything from the court...

So, what did she end up getting?

Not much, honestly. She’s been having a nightmare with the mail lately—nothing ever actually shows up at her place—but she did mention the cops knocked on her door a few times. When the accident went down, she was already down at the precinct giving her statement, and once she got home, she just had to get everything sorted out for the baby.

I’m a bit confused here—did she really not receive anything at all?!?! I don't see why she would need to head to court if nobody ever actually reached out to her in the first place!

It’s most likely because they're kicking off some kind of misdemeanor proceedings... doesn't really matter if she isn't getting the notices in the mail or whatever... the cop was literally at her front door yesterday.

She can head to court with her child for all I care; it’s hardly a crisis.

If she keeps up this behavior, she'll end up behind bars, and unless someone steps up to take the kid, Child Protective Services will be stepping in to take custody.

Harold Fisher5 said:It’s most likely because they're kicking off some kind of misdemeanor proceedings... doesn't really matter if she isn't getting the notices in the mail or whatever... the cop was literally at her front door yesterday.

Look, if they didn't take her into custody then, they’ll be back at her doorstep tomorrow, and once all this legal circus finally wraps up, whoever is found liable—whether it's her or the taxpayers if she walks free—is going to be footing the entire bill.

When you step back and look at the big picture, I honestly think the presiding judge is going to see things my way too... I mean, if a pregnant woman needs medical attention, she knows exactly how to reach 911, so using "alleged labor pains" as an excuse to flee from the police just doesn't hold water... it's like saying you shouldn't even stop at a crosswalk because of some phantom cramps... if a kid runs into traffic because someone thinks they can just ignore the rules, and then a pregnant woman ignores the cops, well, it's all just a slippery slope of negligence under the penal code, and who knows what the kid's father might try to argue in court later on...

Harold Fisher5 said:My sister was deep into her pregnancy when she ended up in a minor fender bender. She was basically racing to the hospital because she was having intense abdominal pains, you know? The police report says she failed to yield and then fled the scene—which is total BS because she actually swapped info with the other driver before rushing off to get medical help. It’s been a year now; she’s flying solo with the baby, unemployed, and has zero childcare options to even make it to a court date. What’s the move here? And what happens with the insurance claim? Thanks

Oh, please, how could she not have someone? She just needs to file a motion with the court using this whole ridiculous explanation, and the state will step in to take custody while the judge decides if a mother who flees the scene of a car accident is even remotely capable of looking after her own child... in the meantime, the kid will be in much safer hands, because I'm sure absolutely nobody is going to put them at risk on the highway...

Everything you need to know is already laid out in this thread
Just look at the timeline and actually read it—what about the statute of limitations? What happens when someone just ignores a court summons? The only thing I find hard to believe is that she isn't getting her mail 😕 or that she isn't picking it up—but hey, if she’s dodging it, that’s a whole different story, and honestly, I wouldn't put it past her 😁

And as for the kid—seriously, maybe hire a babysitter for those two hours of court time if you can't watch them yourself 😎

I had my ID details taken on an Amtrak train because I didn't have a ticket—well, I actually had a pass that covers me from Washington, D.C. to the suburbs, but I decided to ride just one stop further out to a neighboring town. The price for that single extra stop ends up being more expensive than the pass for the entire stretch from the suburbs back to Washington, D.C.—which, honestly, nobody would ever buy! It seems like every time there’s an inspection on the train, they always show up right on that specific stretch between the suburb and the next town.

Anyway, I’m wondering if anyone here has had any direct experience dealing with Amtrak specifically. Are they actually going to sue me if I don't pay this $30 charge, or $133 issue a fine? Also, is there any chance I could swap that fine for community service?

Is there any way I can essentially "intimidate" them into dropping the lawsuit entirely? For instance, if I send a response stating that, should it go to court, I will be requesting to perform community service instead of paying the fine—do you think that would work?

Jamie Vaughn10 said:I had my ID details taken on an Amtrak train because I didn't have a ticket—well, I actually had a pass that covers me from Washington, D.C. to the suburbs, but I decided to ride just one stop further out to a neighboring town. The price for that single extra stop ends up being more expensive than the pass for the entire stretch from the suburbs back to Washington, D.C.—which, honestly, nobody would ever buy! It seems like every time there’s an inspection on the train, they always show up right on that specific stretch between the suburb and the next town.

Anyway, I’m wondering if anyone here has had any direct experience dealing with Amtrak specifically. Are they actually going to sue me if I don't pay this $30 charge, or $133 issue a fine? Also, is there any chance I could swap that fine for community service?

Is there any way I can essentially "intimidate" them into dropping the lawsuit entirely? For instance, if I send a response stating that, should it go to court, I will be requesting to perform community service instead of paying the fine—do you think that would work?

honestly, you aren't going to accomplish anything that way...

So, I ended up crossing against a red light on foot and got flagged down by the police.👎 They handed me a citation right there on the spot, which I signed, along with a payment slip. The fine comes out to $133. I actually told the officer straight up that I’m broke—which isn't an exaggeration—and he just asked if this was my first offense. When I told him it was, he mentioned I could file an appeal within eight days. Now, everything would be a lot simpler if this had happened back home in Washington, D.C., but it went down in some other city way out of my way. So now I'm sitting here wondering: am I actually going to have to trek all the way to a municipal court in that city, or is it honestly just easier to bite the bullet and pay the fine?

driftingstag3 said:So, I ended up crossing against a red light on foot and got flagged down by the police.👎 They handed me a citation right there on the spot, which I signed, along with a payment slip. The fine comes out to $133. I actually told the officer straight up that I’m broke—which isn't an exaggeration—and he just asked if this was my first offense. When I told him it was, he mentioned I could file an appeal within eight days. Now, everything would be a lot simpler if this had happened back home in Washington, D.C., but it went down in some other city way out of my way. So now I'm sitting here wondering: am I actually going to have to trek all the way to a municipal court in that city, or is it honestly just easier to bite the bullet and pay the fine?

For minor offenses under $167, you can actually swap the ticket for some community service, but let's be real, that's definitely not your style...

Is there any way to defer paying this fine?

Morgan Perez3 said:Is there any way to defer paying this fine?

Well, if you play your cards right, the court might actually let you work out a payment plan...

urbanraven16 said:Well, if you play your cards right, the court might actually let you work out a payment plan...

yeah, right, they don't give you installments. I got pulled over during a routine stop and it turns out the registration had expired three days ago. Had no clue since the car wasn't mine, but the cops hit me with a fine of $167 which I didn't pay. Now I’ve got a court summons and they're basically telling me to either pick community service or just pay up. Apparently, there's no installment plan, just a one-month extension at most, and if I go the community service route, they might call me sometime in the next year.

so, you tell me...

I mean, honestly, I feel like the court just can't let that happen...

-Driving the wrong way-
Ugh, just another college kid getting caught red-handed...
So, I was over in the suburbs today—near the local shopping center—trying to find a spot to park where I wouldn't get hit with a fee. While I'm maneuvering into the space, this cop suddenly appears out of nowhere and demands my license and registration. I’m sitting there totally stunned, and he just points to this brand-new one-way sign... He probably had been sitting there waiting for someone to mess up, since they must have changed the street direction just yesterday or last week. I was just driving on autopilot and didn't even notice the change.
Long story short, I drove maybe 20 yards the wrong way down "the street" (it's that big boulevard near the ExxonMobil station, take a right after the station then the first right, if you know what I mean). He told me $667 I'm looking at a heavy fine and a six-month license suspension. He didn't hand me any paperwork on the spot, though. This is my very first offense since I passed my test four years ago. Does anyone have any advice? (If there's even anything I can do?)
Thanks