<p>Edit: the website for the LA Superior Court (it’s the lowest level court in CA, go figure) is <a href=“http://www.lasuperiorcourt.org/traffic[/url]”>http://www.lasuperiorcourt.org/traffic</a> Loof for “online citation services” Note that sometimes their server doesn’t work. You can also find it by typing “LA Superior Court” into your favorite search engine.</p>
<p>Also, if she goes the written trial route, ask in the letter to be found not guilty (guilt requires intent, right?) but if that is not possible if the fine could be lowered due to her financial circumstances.</p>
<p>I don’t know about other states, but in California, a traffic violation is a WARRANT. In other words, if they ever catch up to her, she will be arrested for not paying. 20 years from now, she could be pulled over and the computer will say she has an arrest warrant out against her. It could be very embarrassing…</p>
<p>So, I certainly would not ignore it. As for writing a letter, or the other suggestions, it doesn’t hurt to try. My experience (50+ years) in California is that they really don’t care about excuses.</p>
<p>Sad story:
I was arrested in CA for unpaid parking tickets and was held in jail until they ‘bail’ was paid. If she’s not going back to CA still consider the possibility that the offense will be reported to her home state. Strangely jaywalking is a ‘moving violation’ and could affect her drivers license.</p>
<p>Soozie, she may be guilty but I think it’s ticky-tacky to give unwitting auslanders such a ticket, not a warning. Sense of justice (as opposed to law) and all that.</p>
<p>For everyone who gave me advice, here’s the update on my daughter’s ticket.</p>
<p>My daughter sent in the fine ($123!) along with a letter protesting the ticket. I know she got confirmation with more instructions on what she was supposed to do; I don’t know what she actually did to follow up. </p>
<p>In yesterday’s mail was a notification from some court in California (not sure which one) that “the people’s case to dismiss has been granted” and a refund ordered. </p>
<p>So, everything worked out OK – apparently, you can plead a ticket in California and win. Although I’ll really believe it when the refund check arrives.</p>
<p>Used to be, a ticket in one state could be safely ignored if you planned to never return to that state. This is the computer age! Records are accessible from all over. I had an interesting time watching for my son’s northern Minnesota speeding ticket to reflect on our family insurance bill in Wisconsin. Took about 6 months, but they knew all about it. </p>
<p>Sorry, posted on the wrong page! Glad you got at least the promise of a refund.</p>
<p>Glad it worked out. It is not a good idea to ignore these things - as mikemac pointed out, court could issue a bench warrant. Courts don’t like it when people don’t follow the rules - even in something as trivial seeming as jay walking. Ignoring a ticket now can lead to problems in the future with things like getting loans/mortgages, passports, internships, jobs - in other words, all those things that young adults have to look forward to. There are enough details to attend to without having to backtrack and pay an old fine. Take care of it when it happens.</p>
<p>Take it from a local–I wouldn’t mess with the DMV or the LAPD. When it comes to enforcing things like this, they’re remarkably efficient. Whenever I get a parking ticket and send the check in, it’s processed and deposited with blinding speed. Also, the authorities are very accustomed to dealing with an itinerant population–lots of tourists, lots of people moving in and out–so they’re used to dealing with folks who try to bail on tickets by simply leaving the state. Pay the ticket; it’s a small price to pay for peace of mind.</p>
<p>However, it’s an often-mocked stereotype of Californians that pedestrians here foolishly stand and wait for the light to change when crossing the street, even when no traffic is present. Now you know why they do. It’s not foolishness that gave rise to that habit. It’s the law.</p>
<p>well. come live in MY city where pedistriations often don’t even look when crossing- at the light, the cars the buses, whatever</p>
<p>but my D did get a 100dollar ticket for not paying on the bus- left her buspass at home</p>
<p>a few weeks ago, there were 3 cops, two cop cars, and 4, yes for, transit workers standing around giving two old ladies those 100dollar tickets- their buspasses expired, they were about 80</p>
<p>yes wise use of resources</p>
<p>and while all those city employees were harrassing 2 senior citizens, you can bet some gang bangers were doing something in Hunters Point</p>
<p>what a waste of manpower for police officers to ticket bus scafflows</p>
<p>pay the ticket. She broke the law and ignorance is not a defense. Our town is handing out tickets to drivers who do not yeild to pedestrians in crosswalks. It amazing how residents driving habits have changed. The only ones now ticketed are unsuspecting nonresidents.</p>
<p>With the way data bases are now days it is likely that LA will track her down and perhaps threaten to suspend her drivers license. The she will have to pay the fine with hefty penatlies attached. That happened to our son this summer. He got a parking ticket which he ignored and we got a letter from LA a few weeks later(he was using my car). Fortunately they caught up to him in time so that no penalties were assessed.</p>
<p>originaloog (and other who didn’t read my update): We DID pay the ticket. And protested. And the court agreed and dropped the ticket and will be issuing a refund.</p>
<p>A number of years ago, my sister (who always thought rules did not apply ot her) got a ticket for jaywalking or something in Westwood by UCLA. She ignored the ticket. A year or two passed and she needed a visa to go somewhere. In order to get the visa, she needed a police clearance. When she went downtown to the police station, she was told to go to the courthouse and pay the ticket, which had then “gone to warrant.” She went to the courthouse but was short some amount of the fine. The judge (a commissioner) immediately took her into custody, had her handcuffed to a prostitute and sent her on one of those black and white buses to Sybil Brand, the womens’ jail. Fortunately, she called me and we got a criminal lawyer down there. He somehow got things in motion and she was taken out of line right before the “delousing” and strip search. In other words, don’t mess around. In my sister’s case, she learned a vital and necessary lesson, especially since the visa was for a trip to a country with fewer civil rights than our own. Had she not understood about obeying laws/rules here, she might still be locked up in a small central American country.</p>
<p>Hmmm. My D and fourteen friends had an informal HS graduation celebration. They built a fire on what they thought was state park land. That would have been legal, but it turns out they built the fire twenty feet outside park grounds. $94 ticket … each.</p>
<p>My D asked for advice. I went through the options, including pros and cons of each, and told her it was her decision what to do. That approach worked well for our family. (Your mileage may vary.)</p>