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son cited for 9:00 curfew,coming from school soccer game

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raidershane12

Junior Member
What is the name of your state? PA,My son was at a high school soccer game {he paid admission},the game ended at approx 9:00,he was riding his bike home,the police stopped him at 9:05,questioned them{he was with 4 other high school kids},police called me to pick him up at 9:30,{one block from home}its now 4 days later and I get a call from the police saying they are going give a citation, is a 9:00 curfew even legal,my son has never been in trouble,he is on football team and tries to go to ALL school sporting events for support and school spirit something seems wrong here,any help or adive is greatly apprecited, if found guilty he will face a school sport suspension of at least one game!Thank you
 


raidershane12

Junior Member
son cited for curfew

my son is 15 ,we live in Laureldale PA,I pay taxes to laureldale boro and the township of Muhlenburg the curfew in the township is 10:00,the school is in boro on line
 

fairisfair

Senior Member

CdwJava

Senior Member
It is going to depend on the specific wording of the statute. It will also depend on what they were doing. If they were somewhere OTHER than traveling between the game and home, they coul dvery well have been in violation of the ordinance. Most of the time curfew ordinances are used to address kids that are doing something a little out of line. But, it depends on what your jurisdiction's ordinance says.

- Carl
 

fairisfair

Senior Member
Here is the cut and paste from the ordinances

§ 62-1. Curfew established for certain minors.
Any person under the age of 18 years who shall not be accompanied by a parent or
guardian is hereby prohibited from being upon the streets, ways and public area of
Muhlenberg Township after 9:00 p.m. and before 5:00 a.m., prevailing times.
§ 62-2. Violations and penalties. [Amended 3-1-1982 by Ord. No. 188]
Any person violating any of the provisions of this chapter shall be punishable, upon
conviction thereof, by a fine of not more than $300 and costs of prosecution or by
imprisonment in the Berks County Prison for not more than 90 days, or by both fine
and imprisonment. In the event of the imposition of a fine only, default in payment of
such fine and costs of prosecution shall subject the violator to imprisonment in the
Berks County Prison for not more than 90 days.
 

CdwJava

Senior Member
I don't know about in PA, but out here an ordinance that vague and broad would have been overturned. In fact, San Diego had a much better written ordinance that WAS thrown out in the early 90's. Everyone out here had to re-write them. A GOOD ordinance has exceptions in the law for organized and supervised events, etc. In this instance, it would be illegal, say, for the team to go with the coach to pizza without mom and dad! In theory, the high school football team had better not leave the locker room after a football game or they coul dbe picked up if mom and dad were not with them!

If I had to guess, I'd say that this would lose on a serious court challenge. However, unless the ACLU or some other organization gets involved, the chances of any parent having the thousands of dollars needed for an attorney to challenge what is likely a low or no fine offense, is slim to none.

- Carl
 

rmet4nzkx

Senior Member
You need to ask your child what was really going on, I doubt he was innocently peddling his bike back home with 3 others and did nothing to attract the polices attention.I say thins as the mother of grown boys! You may also check with the school and see when the game really ended.
 

xylene

Senior Member
You need to ask your child what was really going on, I doubt he was innocently peddling his bike back home with 3 others and did nothing to attract the polices attention.I say thins as the mother of grown boys! You may also check with the school and see when the game really ended.
I think you have a point, but think the OP is not stupid.

I for one sincerely believe a townie PA cop could be this ah nel.

I also sincerely believe a school sporting event could end at 9pm or close to it.

I think mom needs to crawl so far up the school boards butt that running school sports is almost impossible. (Like sporting / school events must end whatever time the most distant student from school lives could make it home from the event... on foot)

Perhaps these hicks could then roll bake the hour to a suitably reasonable time, and / or pass a statute that meets a standard of reasonableness and common sense... not to mention is legally defensible.
 

CdwJava

Senior Member
This was my thought as well. We don't use it just to get anal with kids, it is a tool to deal with problem kids. Perhaps they were someplace where there have been a lot of problems recently (an area with a lot of break-ins or vandalism, perhaps).

9 PM sounds a bit early for a game that started at 7 PM. However, not all games run on the same schedule as ours do.

- Carl
 

xylene

Senior Member
We don't use it just to get anal with kids, it is a tool to deal with problem kids. Perhaps they were someplace where there have been a lot of problems recently (an area with a lot of break-ins or vandalism, perhaps).
I think what you are saying is very plausible.

I would say that on the west coast the definition of problem teens may be more... defensible that it is in semi-rural PA where teen curfews are the stuff of activist elderly folks responding to a televsions newscaster induced perception of drug fueled youth, and not a response any actual increase in crime.

Basically, unless there is some history or a REAL serious and justifable problem or incident about to take place... I think the kid is getting rail roaded.

A 9:05 the sun had barely set. :rolleyes:
 

CdwJava

Senior Member
Well, there ARE reasons for some of these curfews ... my city has a curfew of 9 PM for kids 15 and under on weeknights (Sunday through Thursday nights) and 11 PM for 16 and 16 year olds. The curfew on Friday and Saturday nights are 11 PM (15 and under) and 12:30 AM (16 and 17). However, out here there are also exceptions for going to or from organized school or church activity, etc.

- Carl
 
My 15 yo was picked up after curfew recently also. They sent the complaint to the juve division for action, and the action was...nothing. No fines, no court, nada. Perhaps if your son is not a problem child, it will go no further either.
 

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