Out of country for court date - getting continuance?

[send9]

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

Yesterday, I was driving here in Chicago, Illinois, taking an unfamiliar street, and accidentally ran a stop sign. I didn't try to "roll" the sign, I am just an idiot who missed it. I'd be glad to pay for my crime, but, in Chicago, this is a mandatory court appearance. Problem is: a) I travel a LOT for work b) I will be out of the country for vacation on my court date.

It gets worse because their site says that you can't request a continuance by phone; you have to send in an attorney or representative. What do I do? Do I have to hire an attorney? Can I have a friend act as a representative and get me a continuance?

Thanks in advance!

Here is the relevant municipal code that I broke:

9-24-010 Stop signs.

(a) Whenever city council by ordinance designates a street or portion thereof as a through street, the commissioner of transportation, subject to the review and approval of the executive director of emergency management and communications where appropriate, shall place and maintain a stop sign on every street intersecting the through street unless traffic at any such intersection is controlled by traffic-control signals; provided, however, that at the intersection of a through street and a heavy-traffic street not so designated, stop signs shall be erected at the approaches of either or both of the streets as may be determined by the commissioner and the executive director upon the basis of an engineering and traffic study. The commissioner and the executive director are hereby authorized to determine and designate intersections where particular hazards exist upon other than through streets and to determine whether vehicles shall stop at one or more entrances to any such intersections and to erect a stop sign at every such place where a stop is required. The commissioner is also authorized to erect stop signs at marked crosswalks between intersections where in his judgment a stop is required to protect pedestrian traffic. Every stop sign shall be erected as near as practicable to the nearest line of the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection, or, if there is no crosswalk, then as close as practicable to the nearest line of the roadway.

(b) When stop signs are erected as herein provided, every operator of a vehicle shall stop the vehicle at the sign or at a clearly marked stop line before entering the nearest crosswalk, if any, or the intersection, except when directed to proceed by a police officer or traffic control aide.

(c) Any person violating this section shall be fined not less than $100.00 nor more than $300.00 for the first offense, not less than $500.00 nor more than $700 for the second offense and $1,000.00 for a third or any subsequent offense, and may also be required to perform reasonable community service.

(Added Coun. J. 7-12-90, p. 18634; Amend Coun. J. 12-11-91, p. 10832; Amend Coun. J. 9-9-98, p. 77383; Amend Coun. J. 11-6-02, p. 96501, § 4; Amend Coun. J. 12-4-02, p. 100729, § 4; Amend Coun. J. 12-7-05, p. 64870, § 1.9; Amend Coun. J. 2-7-07, p. 98206, § 1)

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

 

[seniorjudge]

Q: What do I do? Do I have to hire an attorney? Can I have a friend act as a representative and get me a continuance?

A: It gets worse because their site says that you can't request a continuance by phone; you have to send in an attorney or representative.

 

[patstew]

It gets worse because their site says that you can't request a continuance by phone; you have to send in an attorney or representative. What do I do? Do I have to hire an attorney? Can I have a friend act as a representative and get me a continuance?

Is there some reason your representative can't be you? Call and ask. Then go in with proof that you have fully-paid travel arrangements for the court date.