Ask The Parking Ticket Geek
Hi Geek,
I recently received and paid a $50 fine for overstaying a Chicago meter.
That $25 box of chocolates I bought for my date, actually cost me $75 big ones! Ouch!
And not even a kiss! But I digress.
When on-line I noticed a now 13-year old ticket for “rush hour parking” issued to my plates (I think that was my tag back then but sometimes I have trouble remembering last week!) but the car listed as a Buick.
I honestly have never owned a Buick. This citation shows up under my Illinois drivers license search of the Chicago ticket database so it seems forever attached to me.
What ‘s your advice for resolving this after all these years. Apparently I am too late by 12 yrs and 8 months to appeal?
KSP
Dear Mr. KSP-
A $75 box of chocolates huh? Ouch is right!
And not even a kiss? Double ouch!!
First, if you keep your nose clean and don’t allow yourself to have one more ticket over a year old, you will never become boot eligible. So, as long as you do that, don’t feel a rush to pay this potentially erroneous ticket.
This is a long shot, but I would first try contacting the DOR by phone or in person to try to resolve this.
See if you can present evidence that you never had a Buick.
You might want to try contacting the Secretary of State to see if you can get historical data on the vehicles you’ve owned over the years. You may have to file a freedom of information request.
But if you can prove you didn’t own a Buick, you might be able to convince them the ticket should not be attached to your record.
Like I said, your chances of success are low, as the DOR will normally remain unmoved, even when presented with overwhelming facts and evidence to the contrary.
But it’s worth a shot.
Good luck with your ticket and good luck next time you got out on a date.
The Geek
Dear Geek,
I got a ticket for not having a city sticker on 4/19/10.
I know there is a grace period of 30 days for people moving to Chicago.
I changed my vehicle registration to the new address in Chicago on 4/4/10 and I have the registration identification card showing this date and the new address. I also have the old vehicle registration card with my old address in Oak Park and a lease agreement showing my start date at my new address as of April 16 2010. I bought the city sticker on 05/04/10.
Do you think I can contest this ticket?
Thanks for your help,
Claudia
Claudia,
Do I think you should contest this ticket?!?
Yes.
No, wait, let me be clear.
HELL YES!!!
Because you bought your city sticker within 30 days of moving to the city you are completely off the hook.
Plus, you have a buttload of corroborating documentation. You’re set Claudia.
Just bring all your documentation to your hearing or make copies of all your documentation and send them with your contest letter.
PLEASE! I beg you. Fight this ticket and save yourself the $120 bucks.
The Geek
Dear Geek,
I recently got a $50 parking ticket for parking in a 2-Hour parking zone (for more than 2 hours).
I heard from some people that if I contested it I could possibly get the ticket price lowered. Long story short, I have a hearing in 2 weeks and I was hoping you might have some ideas on what I could say to the judge to convince him to lower the cost or possibly even drop the ticket all together.
Thanks,
Lee
Dear Lee,
Reduce your fine?
Huh? What?
Dude, how long you lived in Chicago? And who are these goofs giving you this erroneous info?
There’s no way in hell, if your ticket is upheld, that the hearing officer will reduce the fine. It may be legally impossible.
Even if it was legally possible, there’s no way any City of Chicago employee is going to reduce a fine–unless Mayor Daley orders them to do it.
The only fine “reduction” the hearing officer can help you with is if you have evidence to prove the parking ticket should be dismissed. Then, the fine is reduced to $0.
Work on building a case to fight your ticket effectively. That’s the best way not have to pay your tickets and reduce your fines to zero.
The Geek
Ask The Parking Ticket Geek is a semi-regular parking ticket advice column.
If you have a question for The Parking Ticket Geek, please e-mail the Geek with your query at:askthegeek@theexpiredmeter.com
Claudia:
If you are just getting around to noticing the ticket (via a Mailed Notice of Determination) or you are just getting around to asking for advice; Let me point out One Important Fact.
You have seven (7) days from the date of issuance to contest a ticket. If nothing is received, you are then sent a Notice of Violation allowing you fourteen (14) days to request a hearing. Still if no response is received, a Notice of Determination is sent notifying you that you have been found liable by default and must appear in person to petition to set the default aside. This option must be exercised within twenty-one (21) days of the date of the Determination. Once the twenty-one (21) days have lapsed, your opportunity to contest has expired. A Notice of Final Determination is mailed informing you that your options to challenge the ticket, both administratively and judicially, have been forfeited.
In other words:
You are given 42 days to inform the city of your desire to contest via Hearing your ticket.
As of June 22nd, you were Stuck with the Ticket, and need to pay it before it doubles.
From :
http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/rev/supp_info/challenging_tickets/contesting_by_mail.html
Dear Geek,
Several months ago my Dad received a parking ticket listed as occurred in 1997. The ticket states it is for a MerZ (Which the city said was Mercedes Benz) I have never owned a Merz, but I own a Mercury now but just got it new in 2008.
I filed the notorized “declaration of non-ownership” as advised by the city. Now 2 months later, they send me another letter. I called again and now they want a “tags and registration history” from the DMV.
I am wondering if I pay to get that if they will renig again and say I still owe it.
There is no way it is my ticket.
I dont want to give in to fraud, because I think they will just do it again. They prey on old folks, my dad is 82.
Advise on what to do is welcome,
thanks,
Rob
Rob,
Is your dad still driving? I’m getting confused as to why your car ownership affects his (or presumed his). If he’s no longer driving, why bother?
Dear Geek,
Recently I received a letter from MSB (a collection agency) at my fathers address (where I have not lived for almost 20 years) sent to my maiden name (married for 12 years) regarding a debt owed to the county courthouse. Obviously taken all this into consideration I was very suspicious that this was a scam. Just to make sure that someone was not stealing my identity I decided to contact the courthouse. They informed me that this debt was for late payments on parking tickets, that had been paid, from 1995. Seriously? First of all, I have no idea if I even owned the said vehicle at the time of the tickets nor do I have bank statments from 16 years ago to prove if I have or have not paid the fines. They are telling me that I made a partial payment (on a $12 fine, really?) why would I only send a partial payment on a fine that small…let alone do this 9 times? When I asked why this has never shown up anywhere (credit report, drivers license) in 16 years their explanation was that they were just getting around to sending the fines to collections because previously their system was too old to track unpaid debt. Im sorry, but how can they expect me to be able to provide any evidence to contest these charges after 16 years? I feel like they are taking advantage of that fact. Apparently they do not have my proper name, address, social security number or my drivers license number because I have been able to secure many loans and register many vehicles with the DMV over the past 16 years. Have you ever heard of this before and do you have any ideas on what my next step should be?
p.s. I am in Oregon….lol. Just noticed your site is for Chicago but maybe you have an idea or two.
I received a ticket for improper display of state sticker.My sticker was left of where it is supposed to be displayed, I got upset after it was stolen and had to be replaced and I just placed it on my plate, not knowing that I was going to be ticketed. I am a law abiding citizen and I think it was unfair to be ticketed since my sticker was in plain sight where the officer could view it.. Please advise….
Pam,
I don’t understand.
Did you have your plate sticker, but it was stuck to the plate on the wrong side?
Please elaborate.