Should I Pay the Fine Or Contest this Fare Evasion Charge?

Parent Cafe
1

<p>This semester, I am taking a few courses at the University of Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL). UMSL allows students who have paid the student activity fee to get a semester Metro-link pass. (This pass lets students use freely St. Louis’s public transportation)</p>

<p>This semester, I have been using the Metro-link to get to and from UMSL. Here’s what an UMSL metro pass looks like: <a href=“http://cmt-stl.org/wp-content/upload...loyee-Pass.jpg[/url]”>http://cmt-stl.org/wp-content/upload...loyee-Pass.jpg&lt;/a&gt; (But this one isn’t mine)</p>

<p>As you can see, the pass requires a school ID. One day, however, I forgot (or thought I forgot) my UMSL ID. That was the day that an officer was on the bus and asked to see my ticket. When I showed him my UMSL pass, he also asked for my school ID. </p>

<p>I told him that I didn’t have my student ID, but that I could prove that I was an UMSL student (I had a copy of my schedule with me, my book-bag, and I had just departed from the UMSL North Metro-link station). He asked me to step out of the train and wrote me up.</p>

<p>The court date is set for early December. The officer told me that, once I find my ID, I can show it to the judge, and the judge would decide whether to dismiss the case. I asked the officer if it was likely that the judge would dismiss the charge, and he said that he couldn’t say for sure. He simply told me to show my student ID to the judge and that the judge would make a determination. </p>

<p>When I called the courthouse in which my court is scheduled, the county clerk told me the same thing as the officer. She said that I could show my ID and schedule to the judge and that he would make a decision. I asked her if it was likely that the judge would rule in my favor, and she said that she didn’t know. She also said that I could forgo going to court by paying the $82.50, and that there would be no record of the matter.</p>

<p>The sad irony is that my student ID was in my book-bag the entire time. When I came home, I started looking through my book-bag and found it. I had it with me on the train and didn’t even know it. It seems likely that it fell out of my wallet. </p>

<p>My mother thinks that I should just pay the $82.50 and put this thing behind me. She believes that there are a lot of mean-spirited judges and that I shouldn’t bank on getting a reasonable or kind-hearted judge. She also thinks that the judge could extend the case or try to charge me with something else. My mother also worries that, with finals and Xmas fast approaching, something might happen that could derail me from arriving to court on time. </p>

<p>I have little money, and that $82.50 means a lot to me. Secondly, I think that I might actually have a case. That’s why I’m considering going to court.</p>

<p>What do you think? What have your experiences with such judges been like, and what advice would you give to someone in my position? </p>

<p>Feel free to PM me.</p>

2

<p>I have no idea what your judge in your state will do. However, this is the type of offense that is typically dismissed once you prove that you were legal and not evading the fare. So I would recommend you go to court with your ID.</p>

3

<p>I think there is a good chance that the fine will be dismissed if you show up to court on time with your school id and all other pertinent paperwork. It is just that the only person that can actually make that decision is the judge and she/he is the only one you haven’t asked yet. Your chance to ask him/her is at your court date. </p>

<p>And only you can decide if your time is worth $82.50. Most people would say that yes, their time is worth that and go ask the judge.</p>

4

<p>I agree with NJres.</p>

5

<p>Also, you don’t want to give the judge a bad impression. Dress nicely - no tee shirts - and be respectfull and on time.</p>

6

<p>If it’s worth the effort for you to try to save the $82.50, which it sounds as if it is, then you should definitely give it a shot. No one knows what the judge will do (and which judge is hearing your case that day probably isn’t known by the people you asked either) but I wouldn’t be surprised at all if he/she tossed it out altogether or at least reduced the fine once you prove you’re a college student with the ID and were on your way to/from school at the time. I don’t think most judges are ‘mean-spirited’ on things like this.</p>

7

<p>I would fight it. The transit cops target students or student-aged people to ticket because a lot of them DO try to scam their way onto buses and trains. They will write you up rather than give you the benefit of the doubt as a matter of course. A very similar thing happened to a couple of youth my church works with and the judge apologized to THEM for wasting their time. If you were had a valid pass, you should not have to pay. And of course, be respectful and dress well. But you stand a good chance of getting it tossed.</p>

8

<p>Often times just making the effort to show up results in a reduced or dropped charge.
I would make the effort.</p>

9

<p>I would make the effort. Not the same situation but when my son was 16 he got a “noise” ticket from a policeman for having his stereo too loud. The fine was $300. He decided he wanted to go to court. He dressed nicely, I dressed nicely and went along. He explained to the judge that perhaps his stereo had been too loud but that $300 was a lot when you are working as a busboy to earn college money. The judge asked what type of music he had been playing. He told him “alternative rock, Sir.” The judge mentioned that perhaps the police prefer jazz and reduced the fine by half.
A bit of “sir” and “your honor” goes a long way in these situations. I have a feeling the judge will dismiss the charge or at least reduce it.</p>

10

<p>Fight it. You never know when it might matter some time in the future when someone does some search on your record. It’s worth the gamble to see if you can get it dismissed.</p>

11

<p>I think there is a very good chance it gets dismissed. Go for it.</p>

12

<p>Fight it. I find it hard to believe that it will not be dismissed. You don’t want this showing up on your “permanent record” down the line. Besides that, it is a matter of principal.</p>

13

<p>Another poster, same opinion - go and fight it. My friend got a jaywalking ticket for crossing the road using a legal crosswalk. The crosswalk had a “do not cross -construction” sign; however, the sign was not facing her, it was facing a motorcycle cop who was driving towards her. There was absolutely no way she would have known the crosswalk was closed, there were zero signs of construction activity. She thought it was a matter of principle and fought it; her $40 ticket was dismissed by the judge.</p>

14

<p>There is something that wasn’t mentioned in this thread, and it’s kind of important. I didn’t mention it because it might ruffle some feathers, but it partly explains my mother’s paranoia.</p>

<p>What I didn’t mention is that I’m black (dark-skinned) and somewhat overweight. That’s why my mother is so worried about the judge being biased.</p>

15

<p>I have been to court a few times, and it is very time consuming unless you are there with a lawyer then you could jump the line. I would pay $82 and save 4+ hours of my time. If the fine was in hundreds then I would fight it.</p>

16

<p>GreenNSerene, I have a better understanding of your concerns. It is more important than ever to dress nicely (as if you were going for a job interview) and be respectful. This seems very cut and dry. I have had a ticket for failing to show ID while driving, and it was treated as a “fix it” ticket. I showed up to court and it was dismissed. When asked why you didn’t have your ID at the time, simply explain that it was not found in your bag when the officer asked for it and apologize for the inconvenience. The price of the ticket will not increase if the judge decides to “throw the book at you”.
Good luck with this!</p>

17

<p>Principle, not principal. ARGH! Fare evasion is not a traffic ticket, it is theft. Fight it.</p>

18

<p>If it is going to be on your record for theft then I would fight it, but if it time vs money then I would just pay.</p>

19

<p>My son got the same type of ticket (in a different state). He went to court and had it tossed.</p>

<p>He is white, so he has white privilege, but I believe a judge would likely throw out your ticket too.</p>

20

<p>If you show your school id, what does Mom think the judge would do because you are Black? He or she still has policy to follow. Add to that, the officer seems to have presented the info fairly.
You weren’t stealing services, you were unable to immediately present the back-up id. I am sorry Mom has experienced summary prejudice, it exists. IMO, go to court.</p>