Parking Ticket Query

[Modor]

What is the name of your state? Iowa

Received a parking ticket on 2/22/07. No box was checked on the ticket
http://www.geocities.com/nascarfan46/ticketscan.pdf (a scan of the ticket).

REcently, my parents received a notice in the mail demanding $50 or further action will be taken.

My questions:

1. What power does a police department have in being the recipient of funds? How are they able to cite for non-civil problems?
2. If no citation was checked on the box, how have I violated any applicable law?
3. Someone told me the police chief owns the apartment complex I was parked in. Doesn't this present a conflict of interest?
4. No clear signage is present at this complex that states guests of residents may not park in the lot.
5. If it is "private property", doesn't that mean the police can't maintain law on it?
6. Is this indeed worth contesting?

 

[patstew]

My questions:

I hardly know where to start.

1. What power does a police department have in being the recipient of funds? How are they able to cite for non-civil problems?

This seems purposely obtuse. Are you a law student?

2. If no citation was checked on the box, how have I violated any applicable law?

Apparently! Did you ask what the violation was?

3. Someone told me the police chief owns the apartment complex I was parked in. Doesn't this present a conflict of interest?

Someone told me I couldn't get pregnant right after I stopped taking the pill. They were wrong. Have you verified that the chief owns the complex?

4. No clear signage is present at this complex that states guests of residents may not park in the lot.

What *does* the signage say?

5. If it is "private property", doesn't that mean the police can't maintain law on it?

So, if you're beating your wife in your house, the police can't intefere? I don't think so, skippy.

6. Is this indeed worth contesting?

Only you can answer that question.

 

[PrinceCharming]

I do not know Iowa laws.

However, there are some cities who permit Police Officers to issue tickets on private property, but they are usually restricted.

One example is in NYC, Police may issue tickets for those who park in a wheelchair spot even though it is private property.

NYC also will throw out tickets that are not properly identified. If the violation box is not checked, the ticket is usually dismissed as a "defective ticket".

If there are no signs, take pictures of the premises and plea "not guilty".

As patstew has mentioed, your questions seem to be jibberrished.

I hope this information was helpful.