A Look at How to Settle a Traffic Ticket From Years Ago

A Look at How to Settle a Traffic Ticket From Years Ago

Tony Lu
March 13, 2013

A Look at How to Settle a Traffic Ticket From Years Ago

Submitted by: Tony Lu

So you have decided to sell your old car and while cleaning out the glove box, you discover a traffic ticket from a few years ago. You remember getting it and remember how you were going to pay, but life took over and you forgot. Now you are unsure of what to do and wonder just how to settle a traffic ticket from years ago.

Traffic tickets can haunt you for years and charges and fees can accumulate over that time. Even if you do not remember the ticket, chances are, they are in law enforcements computers so they do not forget. If you are stopped or pulled over for any reason by the police, a quick lookup of your license on the computer will turn up the old ticket and most likely, a bench warrant and they may arrest you on the spot.

So when you find an old ticket the first thing you have to do is examine it closely. All the information you need will be on it including your address at the time of the ticket plus what the violation was with its statue or ordinance number. The date you got it and the court date should be clearly marked on it also, along with the court information or phone number.

Since it has been years since you received it, the court date has definitely passed and you have defaulted on the case. Meaning you pled guilty because you did not show up. When you do not show up for court and do not contact them about it, you are considered "in contempt of court", and that is where the added fees, fines, and charges come from. This is where bench warrants come from also, ordering an immediate arrest of the defendant and brought before a judge.

The first thing to do is call the clerk of court at the courthouse and explain your situation. Depending on how long it has been, the clerk may be able to help you to clear it up as fast as possible. You may have several options, they may allow you to reopen the case or allow you to go ahead and pay the fine, which may include some added fees, charges, and even fines.

If you want to try to reopen, you will need to ask the clerk if you can apply to do that. If accepted, that means you get a second chance at the time requirements to pay the fine or ask for a trial by pleading not guilty. However, usually special circumstances or mistakes on the citations are the only way to get a case reopened.

If they do not allow you to reopen the case, they may allow you to just pay the fine. Most courts have a big caseload and if they can get rid of simple traffic ticket cases quickly, they will opt to do that. Especially if you are willing not to fight the ticket and are prepared to pay it right away, although some counties may have places some fees or charges on the ticket because of lateness also.

The next time you are cleaning up old paperwork or the glove box of your car and find an old traffic ticket, do not despair. There are ways on how to settle a traffic ticket from years ago. Even if there is no information on the ticket, you can contact the nearest clerk of courts and they will help you find the person you need to talk to.

About the author, Fight your New York traffic ticket, it is not about the fee, it is more about your insurance profile, keep it clean and pay low premium.supported by suggest link

About the Author: traffic ticket, it is not about the fee, it is more about your insurance profile, keep it clean and pay low premium.supported by suggest link

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