Tickets public knowledge?

What is the name of your state?PA

I have gotten multiple tickets. I have a clear understanding of what they can lead do. Currently, I have I warrant out for a past due one. Oops on my end.
My real question is, are parking tickets public record? I know that warrants are, however, I would like to know if anyone off of the street can question about one's parking ticket record?
Many thanks!

Without reviewing the particulars of the Freedom of Information Act, my best guess would be that they are public information. In saying this, I am assuming you are referring to parking citations issued by the police department under a municipal ordinance, and not under the state staute for parking, which would be issued on a normal traffic citation. The difference being that a parking citation issued under the state vehicle code would be filed with the local District Justice and as such, is public information.

The tickets issued and payable directly to the municipality should be public knowledge, as well.

That's what I feared.
Well, not so much as feared. When I pay the ticket, it goes to the local office (Allentown Parking Authority) Anything past that goes to the District Court.
I have someone who says he works in "Corrections". (whatever that means) We do not get along, and there is a small legal tiff going on with him and my friend. I have kept out of it for the most part, but I finally told my friend I would pay his fine for this to be over and done with. So Mr. Correction e-mails me, saying "oh, and I know all about your parking tickets."
So I just wanted to know if he was pulling strings, or finding out what I could have easily found out as well. It is more annoying than anything. Makes me wonder just how much identity privacy a citizen really has.

While parking tickets are not necessarily protected documents - in fact, I would have to guess they ARE public, their access by someone in corrections is disturbing. If this corrections person was not accessing the local or county computer system for a work-related purpose, chances are he has broken the law.

I canot go looking in to our county system just because I feel like it ... it has to be for a legitimate legal purpose.

If you didn't have a warrant, I'd suggest you contact his supervisors. But, now he can simply comment that he was looking in to a possible warrant for some reason.

Your tickets and court documents are not secret documents.

Sorry.

- Carl

That just plain sucks. I am quite sure that finding "evidence" of him rooting around will be almost impossible for the average Joe Schmoe. Unless, I find a kick-butt lawyer. But seeing as how he wasn't really doing any harm (yet),more like intimidation, I will hold off and just let the guy be a jerk. Besides, if I owe parking tickets, I am contributing to the county and state. So, in a way, I'm one of the good guys.
Besides, I'm not an arrogant self-centered cretin like other posters who use handicapped spaces and then whine about the tickets that follow. My tickets are for expired meters, and street cleaning.

Mest guess would be that he knows about your parking tickets from another source. In other words, he heard it through the grapevine.

While I guess it would be possible to research it to the point that he could discover these parking tickets, I think it's unlikely. Unless he has easy access to the information (as in, he works for Allentown Parking Authority) I would think the "rewards" wouldn't be worth the effort.

As a correction officer, he is not a sworn LE officer. He has no access to privilleged information as a police officer would. I know quite a few great Correctional Officers, but I know many more who are just wanna-be cops....and this guy seems to fit into the latter category.

Regardless, parking tickets issued under a local ordinance would not be entered into any type of database other than the one maintained by the parking authority, and I would doubt the Jail has access to that. Even traffic warrants aren't entered into a centralized system....

I would speculate that someone told him about your tickets, and he was just trying to play "my balls are bigger than yours".

Well, I thank everyone for their answers. I will just take care of the tickets (as I have), and let this guy to whatever he needs to do to feel superior.
You're awesome guys, thanks!

CdwJava said:

While parking tickets are not necessarily protected documents - in fact, I would have to guess they ARE public, their access by someone in corrections is disturbing. If this corrections person was not accessing the local or county computer system for a work-related purpose, chances are he has broken the law.

I canot go looking in to our county system just because I feel like it ... it has to be for a legitimate legal purpose.

If you didn't have a warrant, I'd suggest you contact his supervisors. But, now he can simply comment that he was looking in to a possible warrant for some reason.

Your tickets and court documents are not secret documents.

Sorry.

- Carl

Click to expand...

Where I live you can to a the town website and punch in ANY license plate numer in the city and it will tell you if those people have ever gotten tickets..

That does not sound legal to me. The information that comes up is the address of the violation so if you got a parking ticket in front of your house for overnight parking I can get your address. Maybe stalk you or something.

Just does not seem right.

joeyd1266 said:

Where I live you can to a the town website and punch in ANY license plate numer in the city and it will tell you if those people have ever gotten tickets..

That does not sound legal to me. The information that comes up is the address of the violation so if you got a parking ticket in front of your house for overnight parking I can get your address. Maybe stalk you or something.

Just does not seem right.

Click to expand...

It may not seem "right", but I suspect it's perfectly legal. Off the top of my head, I think it would be in CA, too.

- Carl

CdwJava said:

It may not seem "right", but I suspect it's perfectly legal. Off the top of my head, I think it would be in CA, too.

- Carl

Click to expand...

On top of that I can retrieve any VIN number by looking up anyone license plate.

How valid is that?

joeyd1266 said:

On top of that I can retrieve any VIN number by looking up anyone license plate.

How valid is that?

Click to expand...

If the VIN was written on the citation - a public document - then it's lawful. Again, it may not be smart, but it is likely lawful. But, why would it be a big deal if someone knew the VIN of your car? I'd be more concerned about the name and address issues.

Have you thought to aproach the city council and ask the reasoning behind the web site? Or start a movement to remove it?

However, you know where the bad guys find out people's addresses (including cops)? From voter registration rolls in the library. You want to know where someone lives, check the phone book and voter registration records. Since (at least in CA) you cannot register to vote with a PO Box - it has to be a physical address, you can learn where anyone who has registered to vote lives ... and that includes a great many prominent individuals.

- Carl

CdwJava said:

If the VIN was written on the citation - a public document - then it's lawful. Again, it may not be smart, but it is likely lawful. But, why would it be a big deal if someone knew the VIN of your car? I'd be more concerned about the name and address issues.

Have you thought to aproach the city council and ask the reasoning behind the web site? Or start a movement to remove it?

However, you know where the bad guys find out people's addresses (including cops)? From voter registration rolls in the library. You want to know where someone lives, check the phone book and voter registration records. Since (at least in CA) you cannot register to vote with a PO Box - it has to be a physical address, you can learn where anyone who has registered to vote lives ... and that includes a great many prominent individuals.

- Carl

Click to expand...

The vin is not on the ticket... This is when you put in a license number for a car excise tax bill.

I have asked them to withdraw the information and the will not. No real good explanantion to me has been giving.