Speeding Ticket and I don't have the Money to Pay iT

What is the name of your state? California

I was caught in a speed trap with more than a dozen other cars and were all pulled over at the same time. I was given a ticket for speeding in a school zone. Ticket reads: speed approx 42 - pf max spd 25 - VEH Lmt 40 - Safe 25.

It's been a year since this happen. Ive been re-scheduling and re-scheduling the court day for about a year now, because I just didn't have the money to pay it.

I'm finally going to court Friday and I'm planning to plead 'no-contest'. I want to plead with the judge that I can't pay the fine becuase of money problems in hopes that he may reduce the fine or wipe the ticket off my record.

Is this a good idea? What should I say to the judge in order for him to rule in my favor? I really don't have the money to pay for this ticket. I'm a broke college student, books and food eat up my pockets. What should I do? Help!!!

Mello Mello said:

What is the name of your state? California

I was caught in a speed trap with more than a dozen other cars and were all pulled over at the same time. I was given a ticket for speeding in a school zone. Ticket reads: speed approx 42 - pf max spd 25 - VEH Lmt 40 - Safe 25.

It's been a year since this happen. Ive been re-scheduling and re-scheduling the court day for about a year now, because I just didn't have the money to pay it.

I'm finally going to court Friday and I'm planning to plead 'no-contest'. I want to plead with the judge that I can't pay the fine becuase of money problems in hopes that he may reduce the fine or wipe the ticket off my record.

Is this a good idea? What should I say to the judge in order for him to rule in my favor? I really don't have the money to pay for this ticket. I'm a broke college student, books and food eat up my pockets. What should I do? Help!!!

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My response:

The judge will give you three choices:

1. Pay the fine.

2. Community Service.

3. Jail.

Make your choice.

IAAL

Try this

Everyone knows Cali kids don't pay that much for school. Not like SUPER-broke midwestern students.

But seriously, check this post for advice:
https://forum.freeadvice.com/showthread.php?t=251009

If you go to court and provide some kind of documentation that you truly are facing hardship (student loan docs, tax returns, paystubs, notes from parents documenting how much money they give you, your required expenses like housing / food / books) the judge will be A LOT more likely to reduce the fines. If he doesn't, you can explain the situation to the clerk and they will have a process in place for helping people to pay (including possibly a sliding fee scale). They may require you to provide some / all of that documenation, so it would save you a trip if you had it when you went in.

***NOTE: When people are trying to apply for charity care / special assistance for different things, they always try to prove NO INCOME at all (thinking that any income will disqualify them). This is not true. If you can prove that your income is small or small in comparison to unavoidable expenses (tuition / housing / books / possibly food), you are more likely to be believed and receive assistance. So, if you don't have a job and get money from parents or girlfriend / boyfriend or anyone, get a note from them saying "I give bob, my son $1,000,000 every week to help cover his expenses" and the court will take that as your income. You are a lot better off saying "my parents give me $200 / week, which doesn't last between car insurance, housing and food" than saying "I have no income and have all these expenses" (they will assume your hiding income or lying).

Good Luck!

My response:

Then, the judge will order 15 hours of Community Service. The California courts get their "pound of flesh" one way or the other.

IAAL

I AM ALWAYS LIABLE said:

My response:

Then, the judge will order 15 hours of Community Service. The California courts get their "pound of flesh" one way or the other.

IAAL

Click to expand...

@All
Thanks for the advice.

@Amadonna
Lol. Cali kids are still broke, its hard to maintain in the valley. I didn't know the midwest had it that bad. Lol. Now I don't feel as broke. Lol

@ I AM ALWAYS LIABLE
So does this mean I've waived my chance at traffic school? So all I have to do is bring in a written letter signed by whomever is providing me with money?

Also what is a sliding scale fee?

Silly Cali Kids

First and foremost... U of Michigan is the most expensive public school in the country, $14K / SEMESTER for out of staters.

Next, you may still be eligible for traffic school. You should contact the court and ask about that. If you're in college, they probably have a student legal services organization; most universities do. You could get free help from them (not exactly free, part of your tuition goes to it... but you get the drift). If SLS can't help you, contact the court and if the clerk can't help you, bring it up on your court day. You should look online for rules about traffic school in Cali. In most states, you can only take it once every 18 months or something like that.

Remember, I didn't say that you would definitely get off if you could prove low income. Being in college, you probably have low income, but most programs are kind of funny when it comes to income for college students (despite the fact that you make 150% of poverty - considered extremely poor - and you have overhead expenses double your income, they get weird about it). What I am saying is that if you have your parents or whomever write a letter stating how much they give you and at what frequency AND you can provide for what expenses you are responsible (and presumably that comes out to leave little to no money), they are MUCH MORE LIKELY to assist you with the fines.

Remember... low income with high expenses is a tragedy / hardship, but NO income with high expenses is a liar.

Sliding fee is where they make you pay a percentage of the ticket based on your income (e.g. if you are 300% of poverty with average expenses then you pay 25% of your ticket cost, etc.) If they don't have a sliding fee program or are unable to remove the payment, they probably have some sort of payment schedule allowing you to spread it out into smaller payments.

If all else fails, do what every other student who's hard up for money does... go to your local pharmaceutical company and sign up for a few "mildly unpleasant" experiments...

Best of Luck!!!