NYC Ticket: Reduced Fine or Dismissal?

[hawke94]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Massachusetts

I received a "Failure to display muni receipt" violation a month ago in NYC and contested it by mail. My defense was that the Body Type and Color on the ticket was incorrect and should be dismissed. I have a gray SUV (Audi Q5); the ticket says 4SDN and SIL (silver). It should have said SUBN and gray. In my letter accompanying the ticket, I even quoted the NYS traffic law citing that misdescribed Body Type can be grounds for ticket dismissal. I also included a copy of my Massachusetts registration that says the Body Type is UTIL and the Color is GRAY. Yesterday, I received a response offering a reduction of the fine from $65 to $43. My question is whether I should take it or allow it to continue to an Administrative Law Judge? The risk, of course, is that the ALJ will not dismiss it and I will have to pay the original amount. If my car was registered in NY, I would be inclined to continue to fight it. However, my car is registered in MA. I've read on this forum and others on the Internet that dismissals for out-of-state tickets can be unofficially different from in-state. Any advice, opinions, experiences, etc would be greatly appreciated.

 

[You Are Guilty]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Massachusetts

I received a "Failure to display muni receipt" violation a month ago in NYC and contested it by mail. My defense was that the Body Type and Color on the ticket was incorrect and should be dismissed. I have a gray SUV (Audi Q5); the ticket says 4SDN and SIL (silver). It should have said SUBN and gray. In my letter accompanying the ticket, I even quoted the NYS traffic law citing that misdescribed Body Type can be grounds for ticket dismissal. I also included a copy of my Massachusetts registration that says the Body Type is UTIL and the Color is GRAY. Yesterday, I received a response offering a reduction of the fine from $65 to $43. My question is whether I should take it or allow it to continue to an Administrative Law Judge? The risk, of course, is that the ALJ will not dismiss it and I will have to pay the original amount. If my car was registered in NY, I would be inclined to continue to fight it. However, my car is registered in MA. I've read on this forum and others on the Internet that dismissals for out-of-state tickets can be unofficially different from in-state. Any advice, opinions, experiences, etc would be greatly appreciated.

Silver vs gray is not going to get you a dismissal no matter what state you are registered in. The body type could, but even that is pretty rare. Unless there are any errors in the "required information" boxes, then personally, I'd probably pay the settlement. (Do an advanced search here for "nyc parking ticket" for more information).

But that's just me. Good luck.

 

[HighwayMan]

Take the settlement. You'll lose otherwise.

Silver and gray are really the same color in this case. If I stop a car of that color and I don't have the registration it goes down on the ticket as "gray". Color means little on a NYC Notice of Parking Violation.

As far as body type, that is also pretty meaningless - in this case. That type of vehicle, if registered in NY, could be registered as either a sedan or a "suburban". I have seen the same model Jeeps registered either way. That argument will get you nowhere.