What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Wisconsin.
So, long story short.. I was given a Wildlife Violation Citation for Possession of a Snag Hook and a Citation for Failure to release a Foul Hooked Fish four months ago. Both citations were given at the same time of the incident on the same day, just for clarifications. The DNR officer told me that I could pay the citation or go to court, but court wasn't mandatory. I was by myself at the time of the incident, and I was and still am 17, soon to be 18. That does not matter though because I found out that Wisconsin is one of the few states that considers all 17 year olds adults when it comes to crimes. I paid the citation three days after the incident without going to court because for some reason my dad told me if I go to court it will go on my record and if I just pay it, it won't.. I've been scared because I've been told it's going on my record?.. I don't understand whether citations go on your record, I'm not familiar with the Justice System, due to the fact that that was my first ever run in with the law.. Can somebody please help me out and tell me how this is going to affect my life? Will it make it harder for me to find a job and make employers look at me differently?.. Please help me someone, I'm so scared. I don't know if I'm now forced to say I was convicted of a crime whenever I apply for a job?! I didn't know it would go on my record or I would have taken it to court and tried to make out a deal of some sort. I paid the ticket three days after because I know I did was wrong and I just wanted to get it over with. I didn't know there was a possibility of it ruining my life, and that's how I feel like it is. If it does, I've looked online and I heard you can expunge a conviction off your criminal record if it's your first, but then again I have no idea on how to.. Please tell me how this incident is going to affect my life. Please don't tell me my actions were wrong, immoral, ignorant, and or childish or anything else, I know it was. I regret it and I don't know if it's going to be with me for the rest of me life... I don't understand how a citation can go on my permanent record, I didn't even have to go to court and they just gave me the citation and left, I wasn't even read my rights or arrested?.. I'm just so confused.. HELP ASAP
So, long story short.. I was given a Wildlife Violation Citation for Possession of a Snag Hook and a Citation for Failure to release a Foul Hooked Fish four months ago. Both citations were given at the same time of the incident on the same day, just for clarifications. The DNR officer told me that I could pay the citation or go to court, but court wasn't mandatory. I was by myself at the time of the incident, and I was and still am 17, soon to be 18. That does not matter though because I found out that Wisconsin is one of the few states that considers all 17 year olds adults when it comes to crimes. I paid the citation three days after the incident without going to court because for some reason my dad told me if I go to court it will go on my record and if I just pay it, it won't.. I've been scared because I've been told it's going on my record?.. I don't understand whether citations go on your record, I'm not familiar with the Justice System, due to the fact that that was my first ever run in with the law.. Can somebody please help me out and tell me how this is going to affect my life? Will it make it harder for me to find a job and make employers look at me differently?.. Please help me someone, I'm so scared. I don't know if I'm now forced to say I was convicted of a crime whenever I apply for a job?! I didn't know it would go on my record or I would have taken it to court and tried to make out a deal of some sort. I paid the ticket three days after because I know I did was wrong and I just wanted to get it over with. I didn't know there was a possibility of it ruining my life, and that's how I feel like it is. If it does, I've looked online and I heard you can expunge a conviction off your criminal record if it's your first, but then again I have no idea on how to.. Please tell me how this incident is going to affect my life. Please don't tell me my actions were wrong, immoral, ignorant, and or childish or anything else, I know it was. I regret it and I don't know if it's going to be with me for the rest of me life... I don't understand how a citation can go on my permanent record, I didn't even have to go to court and they just gave me the citation and left, I wasn't even read my rights or arrested?.. I'm just so confused.. HELP ASAP