Trying to prepay/Guilty in Absentia [URGENT]

[Fahd]

What is the name of your state? VA

Hi Guys,

I am trying to prepay a traffic ticket but I cant. I guess its because my court date is tomorrow in the AM. EEK!

What are my options? If I am found guilty by absentia will there be an arrest warrant out for me? Or is it only if I fail to pay the fine after the court finds me guilty in absentia?

I would call the court and ask but they open only at 8am and my hearing time is 9am. The drive to the court in emporia is 4 hours and so I would like to avoid it as much as possible. I meant to prepay this ticket but forgot until just now!

Thanks for any info!

 

[colincrow]

w cant u pay with out going to your hearing ?

 

[Fahd]

It doesnt give me an option to pay my ticket online. But I see the option to pay other tickets. I'm guessing its not letting me pay because its too close to the hearing date/time. The citation is for a prepayable offence. So that is the only reason I can think of.

 

[Fahd]

OK I found this!

Payments are accepted anytime up to 3:30 p.m. (Eastern time) on the last business day before your court hearing date.

So now my question is, if I pay the ticket tomorrow (after a finding of Guilty in Absentia) will that be the end of it or will there still be a bench warrant for me for failing to appear?

 

[colincrow]

if u dont go to court you will have a failer to apper and that will mean you will have to go back and pay even more. i would just take the 4 hour drive insted of risking them not taking your payment at 8 am

 

[Fahd]

I thought I could pay the fine and court fees by mail?

 

[garrula lingua]

Set your alarm clock.
Get up at four-thirty.
Drive to Emporia.
Pay your ticket.

or

Appear at a later date and ask the court to recall the warrant which will issue tomorrow, and pay for the ticket and the additional charge for failure to appear (don't get stopped before clearing up the ticket, as you may be arrested and the car impounded).

 

[Fahd]

Thanks everyone! I went to court and the judged dropped it to a non-moving violation!

On the way back however, I lost my driver side mirror - https://forum.freeadvice.com/showthread.php?t=393033