RedLightning
Apr 9th, 2009, 12:48 AM
Quick question. I've done some Googling and found a lot of information on fighting tickets, but nothing that really pertains to my particular situation here.
A family member received a ticket ($150 + victim charge = $180) for doing a rolling right on a red light. Things are sort of tight financially, so we'd like to explore at least the option of getting the fine reduced.
Now, here's the twist - we (as a family) are leaving Canada semi-permanently (probably for 3+ years) starting July. While the usual advice seems to be to fight the ticket no matter what, we won't even be in the country after a few months, which sort of puts a wrench in those plans.
Because we're leaving the country, the ticket showing up on the insurance isn't as much of a concern. At this point we'd be happy if can get the fine reduced to something in the $80-100 range, but how possible is that given the circumstances? All the advice I've seem says to go in and schedule a court date, then when the trial date comes plead non-guilty in court and it will either get thrown out, you get convicted anyway, or you get offered to plead guilty to a lower fine.
What happens when you can't wait that long? Is the trial date the earliest time where a plea bargain is possible? Hell, is there a better way of dealing with the entire situation in the first place?
A family member received a ticket ($150 + victim charge = $180) for doing a rolling right on a red light. Things are sort of tight financially, so we'd like to explore at least the option of getting the fine reduced.
Now, here's the twist - we (as a family) are leaving Canada semi-permanently (probably for 3+ years) starting July. While the usual advice seems to be to fight the ticket no matter what, we won't even be in the country after a few months, which sort of puts a wrench in those plans.
Because we're leaving the country, the ticket showing up on the insurance isn't as much of a concern. At this point we'd be happy if can get the fine reduced to something in the $80-100 range, but how possible is that given the circumstances? All the advice I've seem says to go in and schedule a court date, then when the trial date comes plead non-guilty in court and it will either get thrown out, you get convicted anyway, or you get offered to plead guilty to a lower fine.
What happens when you can't wait that long? Is the trial date the earliest time where a plea bargain is possible? Hell, is there a better way of dealing with the entire situation in the first place?