Truancy Ticket Question

[swarner]

What is the name of your state? CA

Good Morning,

I have quite of a scenario for ya:

My neice is a senior in high school and is now 18 years old. When she was 16 she received a truancy ticket for trying to walk into her school after the bell rang. The next day she went with her parents to Mexico (on a scheduled family vacation) and the ticket was somehow forgotten about. Last year in November, while she was still a minor, she tried to get a permit to drive, but the lady at the DMV told her she had this outstanding ticket, she gave her numbers to call but she couldn't get any information on what needed to be done to take care of this. So my question has three parts: 1) Has this ticket turned into a warrent for being unpaid? 2) Does a persons tickets clear after they turn 18? 3) How would we even begin to start to get this taken care of?

Thanks so much in advance for any information that can be given.

 

[CdwJava]

The next day she went with her parents to Mexico (on a scheduled family vacation)

This happens frequently, and these are rarely legal absences ... in fact, many school districts now will punish students for these Christmas trips to Mexico and some will seek truancy charges against the parents. The way around it is to withdraw the child from school for those few weeks ... though that is very detrimental to the child's education.

1) Has this ticket turned into a warrent for being unpaid?

Possibly. But, I suspect they would have picked her up in all this time (what, a year or more?)

2) Does a persons tickets clear after they turn 18?

Uh ... no.

3) How would we even begin to start to get this taken care of?

Contact the court that she was supposed to appear in originally. Chances are she was given a citation that advised she would be contacted by Probation for a hearing date. if not, and she was given a hearing date, that will be the court she might need to contact.

Possible avenues include contacting the officer or the agency that issued the citation, the probation office in the county where it was issued, or the court where she was supposed to appear.

- Carl

 

[swarner]

Thank you so much for the information.

If you don't mind I have a couple more question for you.

Besides the actual ticket, are there more charges that could be added because of the procrastination in getting this taken care of? Also since she is now 18 does the responsibility in paying the fee's still fall on the parent since she was a minor when she received the ticket?

 

[CdwJava]

Besides the actual ticket, are there more charges that could be added because of the procrastination in getting this taken care of? Also since she is now 18 does the responsibility in paying the fee's still fall on the parent since she was a minor when she received the ticket?

I don't think there will be additional offenses charged, no.

I suspect that the court will expect her to handle her citation - whether it be a fine or some other result.

Truancy matters can be handled in a number of ways, my experience with truancy is only in two counties and both were slightly different.

- Carl

 

[hellokitty]

Truancy

Hi Swarner,

I am somewhat in your niece's situation. I was cited for truancy when I was a minor and I recently turned 18. I never went to court... Do you think I can get my license without clearing the ticket, or what should I do?