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Lost speeding ticket

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frankhu

Junior Member
What is the name of your state? GA

I got a ticket on the way from Atlanta to Orlando for speeding at 85 mph in 70 zone in the July, 2004. About July 20 (I couldn't remember the exact day) I returned back to Cleveland. I made a call and was told to send the fine to a place, I wrote down the address on the ticket and I put the ticket on the table, but 1 day later I couldn't find it! During that period I was packing up my luggages. By the end of the July, I returned to China. Before I left I hadn't got any letter from court. I always keep this matter in mind, but don't know how to deal with it, since I couldn't remember the number of the ticket and the name of the county where the ticket issured. Can you give me any advices? thanks a lot.
 


seniorjudge

Senior Member
frankhu said:
What is the name of your state? GA

I got a ticket on the way from Atlanta to Orlando for speeding at 85 mph in 70 zone in the July, 2004. About July 20 (I couldn't remember the exact day) I returned back to Cleveland. I made a call and was told to send the fine to a place, I wrote down the address on the ticket and I put the ticket on the table, but 1 day later I couldn't find it! During that period I was packing up my luggages. By the end of the July, I returned to China. Before I left I hadn't got any letter from court. I always keep this matter in mind, but don't know how to deal with it, since I couldn't remember the number of the ticket and the name of the county where the ticket issured. Can you give me any advices? thanks a lot.
You're going to have to remember the county and the state where you got it.

If you can't remember the state, then call the state police/highway patrol of the state where you got it and explain the problem.

They will probably be able to find it.
 

sukharev

Member
By now, at least two things should have happened:

1) you were not present for the trial, and were found guilty
2) your license was suspended in GA and that was communicated to your home state (Ohio?)

Depending on how fast this took, and what the local rules were, more things could also happen:

3) your license could be suspended in Ohio
4) there could be a warrant for your arrest due to failure to appear in court and non-payment of fines

To find out what did happen, you need to start by calling Ohio DMV, maybe requesting a copy of your drivers record. In parallel, you can also call GA DMV, and ask if there is anything on file there. Finally, you can indeed call state police and ask them if anything shows under your license.

Don't be afraid, nobody is going to come after you, just be honest, describe it the way you did here, and ask how this can be taken care of. My guess is that there would be a couple hundred dollar fine, and headache of reinstating your license if it's suspended (be careful, don't drive if it is, you can get into whole lot more trouble very quickly, just read some posts here to find out what can happen).
 

Two Bit

Member
>1) you were not present for the trial, and were found guilty

We don't do that in Georgia. Speeding is a misdemeanor punishable by jail time.

In Georgia, two things happen when you don't show up for traffic court. A warrant is issued for your arrest, and your privledge to driv in the state of Georgia is suspended. We'll send a notice to Ohio.

Now you can't be arrested for driving on a suspended license in Georgia for failure to appear until you're served with notice of the suspension. However, if Ohio suspends your license as a result of our notice, then we probably can make the case for DWSL.

PM me or e-mail me at [email protected].
 

sukharev

Member
Two Bit said:
A warrant is issued for your arrest, and your privledge to driv in the state of Georgia is suspended.
So in GA you can get that without being found guilty? Hmm, something does not add up :D
 

seniorjudge

Senior Member
sukharev said:
So in GA you can get that without being found guilty? Hmm, something does not add up :D
You are suspended because you did not show up for court and NOT because you were found guilty of a crime in absentia.

Driving is a civil privilege and it is a civil suspension, not a criminal suspension.
 

lwpat

Senior Member
Actually your license is suspended because you have not paid the fines which resulted from the FTA and speeding ticket. This happens in every state.
 

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