Fix it ticket

[Bliss]

Friend of mine needs help, she has no idea what to do. This is what she said:

Does anyone know how the traffic ticket system works?

I got a ticket for no tags on a car that I borrowed. I got pulled over and I actually had the tags in the car on the side pocket. Showed them to the officer (CHP) and he still gave me a ticket and said it was just a fix it with a small fine.

The problem is that it wasn't my car. So when I went to return it to the owner I stopped at the local Sheriff station to have it signed off- after applying the tags. They said they wouldn't sign it off since the corner of the ticket was torn. So I returned the car and requested and extension.

I went down to LB Courthouse to pay the ticket and told them I didn't have the car anymore to which they replied that it was okay but instead of paying the 25. it would be 400.

So I tried to get the car back but it is fully dismantled and sitting in a car auto repair waiting for either all it's parts to be sold or repaired.

So today is the final date to show proof and pay. I don't have the car.

I ended up going online and requesting an arraignment which is June 2011. Then I tried to pay the 25.00 online but they wouldn't give me that option.

So my question is, do I need to race over to the courthouse right now and pay this 25. so I don't get pulled over and thrown in jail for a warrant? Or do I not have to pay right now since it's scheduled for court?

[Ogbatman]

She doesnt have to pay right now since she put a court date. The only thing is, is that when she goes in for the arrangment she will need to plead guilty or not guilty. ON that day she will need to pay the bail amount. BUT the judge may ask to see if reg is current and may write it off as fixed and she will pay the $25. But alot depends on the judge.

[reivaxtorres]

yup. one thing would suggest you do is take pictures (with a real camera...not a cell phone....) and take them with you when you see the judge. explain the situation to him, how you borrowed the car and didnt realize the tags werent on there (say it was your fault, you should have noticed) until you got pulled over, but foudn the tags and the current registration in the car and presented it to the officer, but received a citation anyway. explain how you put the tags on the car (this is where you show the judge a pic of the rear plates with the sticker on ther), and how you tried to sign it off but werent able to (explain the story), and how the car is now currently back with its owner but undergoing repairs (show pictures of car at repair shop), and how you cannot physically bring the car to a police station to get signed off.

the judge should be lenient towards your friend and just consider it fixed and have them pay the smaller fine.

[1EVLPNY]

As Mason said she doesn't need to pay the fine right away since a court date was scheduled. But what she should have done and maybe can still do is use all the extensions allowed (I think its 3 extensions total) to see if she can get the car back within the extensions time frame to have the cite signed off.

If that doesn't work, go to the court and explain to them the situation (also show proof that the car is in the shop) and they should give you an extension until the car is fixed and she can get it back to have the cite corrected.

The reason why she got cited even though she had the tags is because they need to be on the car, just like a front plate. People get stopped for no front plate but they have it in the car and show it but still get cited since it needs to be on the car.

[Bliss]

Thanks dudes! Passed on all your advice.