speeding ticket w/o drivers license

[SHELLEY]

can you go to jail for not paying a speeding ticket?
what happens if you just ignore it?
i already owe a shitload of court costs that i don't pay, "state judgements" can't collect here in fla
does a speeding ticket count as a "state judgement"?
i already don't have a license and won't for several years so getting it re-suspended, oh well
i have a notice to appear for driving under suspended, that's the easy part,
i just show up and they give me court costs which again i don't pay ever

i've never been pulled over before, cept when they thought my truck was stolen (once)
i've definitely never gotten a speeding ticket before
i didn't even realize that you could get a speeding ticket w/o a DL
can you do traffic school? can you just not pay? can they throw you in jail?
what can you get away with?

[Dan K]

Hey Shel,

A speeding ticket may indeed turn to warrant should it go unpaid. I recommend paying that off asap. Things like this can lead to car searches and worse.. so really, it's not worth it.


Dan K.

[ItsLupus]

http://www.flhsmv.gov/ddl/help.html

i didn't even realize that you could get a speeding ticket w/o a DL




Shelley that cracked me up!Looks like you can order a driving report to see what all is on there and I would say the issue you'll have is the w/o a license part.You will probably have to call them and find out if you are even eligible to attend traffic school cause of the suspension.

Good luck girl...

[OxiContinKing]

Yes. I had the exact same thing happen to me.

Got a speeding ticket on my way to work, even tho I had no DL.

The cop cut me a break, and since when we finally pulled over, it was in the parking lot of my job, so instead of taking to me to jail for no DL, he only wrote me a ticket for no PROOF of a DL and a speeding ticket, and let me 'drive away.'

But, this was durring the time that my addiction was in full swing, in fact running overdrive, so me pay tickets? fuck that, i didnt have a liscence anyway.

I thought I had gotten away with it, until a little over a month ago (over a year from when I got the tickets) the cops come and knock on my door (front and back), and told me either I fork over the 600 bucks I owe them, or I can have a free ride to a free room and free rent/meals for the next 6 months...

So shelley, you might get away with it at first, but you cant run forever, and it will catch up to you, eventually.

They will usually let you set up some kind of payment plan, just go in there and talk to them. Most of them also take credit cards, so that might be an option for you, I dunno. Anyway, just be on the up and up with them, and they will leave you alone. They think that you've forgotten about them, or that you are trying to get over on them, and they will come bust your ass.

[buc]

Yep........An unpaid traffic ticket can/will become a warrent for your arrest.

Best to square all the crap away......now.........before it comes back to haunt you.

Good Luck

[WhyCatsPaint]

I thought I had gotten away with it, until a little over a month ago (over a year from when I got the tickets) the cops come and knock on my door (front and back), and told me either I fork over the 600 bucks I owe them, or I can have a free ride to a free room and free rent/meals for the next 6 months...



And........ Ack.. Now I'm sitting here wanting to know what happen and I feel like I'm sitting through a commercial break. So did you pay, go to jail.... or um something more dirty happen? :p

[OxiContinKing]

Well, the first time they came, I hauled ass out the back door.

Thats why when they came the second time, they made sure they had the property 'covered'.

But, luckily I had the extra cash. It was just in my bank account. I tell the officers that I 'PROMISE' to pay it by the end of the day, and all they keep saying is 'I know you will, beacuse I'm taking you down there myself'. FUCKERS. Wouldnt even let me go to the bank and pull the fuckin money out.

So I had to call trusty old pops, explain what was going on, and that I needed to borrow 600 bucks literally for 10 minutes. So he goes to his bank, pulls out the money, and heads over to my house, a process that takes about 20 minutes, and leaves me entertaining the police in my marijuana smelling house, with my plants outside, and god knows what kind of shit they could actually find if they just opened thier eyes and looked around...I just had a party the night before, and just got done kickin everyone out...so that was interesting...have cops just 'chillin' in your fuckin house...made me so nervous...

But yeah, all in all, pigs got thier money, and I kept my freedom....

[hovadagod]

it's tricky if you don't have a DL. I told a cop i didn't have my DL and didn't get a ticket because he couldn't find my DL in the computer but I didn't show him any id or anything so who would he have written the ticket to anyway. But a failure to appear can turn into a warrant for arrest in most states. Once you go to court it will become a state judgment but you have to get that far first. If you don't appear a default judgment may be entered but part of that judgment could be a warrant for your arrest rather than just money if you had appeared.

[OxiContinKing]

I am not sure if its a state or federal law, but driving down here with no DL = trip to jail. period.

but somehow, I've gotten pulled 3 times, all 3 times with no DL, and never been taken to jail (knocks on wood.) I think I am in the low percentage of the extremely lucky though, as I have heard stories like this, but few and far between. I'd say if you are driving without a DL, and get pulled, 9 times out of 10 you will be going to jail.

I dont know how Ive gotten so lucky, and that about as far as my luck goes, period. But, of all times luck was needed, Ill def. take it in that situation.

Drive safely guys, and watch out for all those idiots on the road. It isnt my driving I worry about, its the rest of this fuckin retarded world that somehow managed to get a DL that I worry about.

[hovadagod]

I am not sure if its a state or federal law, but driving down here with no DL = trip to jail. period.

but somehow, I've gotten pulled 3 times, all 3 times with no DL, and never been taken to jail (knocks on wood.) I think I am in the low percentage of the extremely lucky though, as I have heard stories like this, but few and far between. I'd say if you are driving without a DL, and get pulled, 9 times out of 10 you will be going to jail.

I dont know how Ive gotten so lucky, and that about as far as my luck goes, period. But, of all times luck was needed, Ill def. take it in that situation.

Drive safely guys, and watch out for all those idiots on the road. It isnt my driving I worry about, its the rest of this fuckin retarded world that somehow managed to get a DL that I worry about.

There is no federal driving law in the US. States have the power to police unless the subject matter involves or affects interstate commerce. If you don't have a DL the cop has to identify you some other way. It is a huge headache to write someone up who has no ID. Practically, it is just really hard for a cop to tie a person to a traffic ticket without an ID card. Try it. Some states have laws that require you to present an ID and others do not. I think in Connecticut there is nothing the cop can do to force you to show ID so if you have balls, this could be a good way out of a speeding ticket. Worked for SWIM once but he isn't saying this is a good idea.

[losangeleslifer]

i've never been pulled over before, cept when they thought my truck was stolen (once) ?
i've definitely never gotten a speeding ticket before
i didn't even realize that you could get a speeding ticket w/o a DL ??


No, for gawd's sake, you don't have to pay tickets.

There are merely nothing more than suggestions.

This is why driving is a priviledge.

[OxiContinKing]

There is no federal driving law in the US. States have the power to police unless the subject matter involves or affects interstate commerce. If you don't have a DL the cop has to identify you some other way. It is a huge headache to write someone up who has no ID. Practically, it is just really hard for a cop to tie a person to a traffic ticket without an ID card. Try it. Some states have laws that require you to present an ID and others do not. I think in Connecticut there is nothing the cop can do to force you to show ID so if you have balls, this could be a good way out of a speeding ticket. Worked for SWIM once but he isn't saying this is a good idea.

In SC, if you are over 18 and do not have an ID, and they ask you for one, your ass is going to jail aswell.

Also, down here, the only way you can get a state ID is if your DL is suspended, or you flat out just dont have one. So if you get pulled, and show a state ID, your fucked. Down here anyways. Thats why all 3 times Ive gotten pulled, even though I had a state ID on me (this was previous to me gettin my DL), I never showed it. Maybe that helped keep me outta the slammer.

[hovadagod]

In SC, if you are over 18 and do not have an ID, and they ask you for one, your ass is going to jail aswell.

Also, down here, the only way you can get a state ID is if your DL is suspended, or you flat out just dont have one. So if you get pulled, and show a state ID, your fucked. Down here anyways. Thats why all 3 times Ive gotten pulled, even though I had a state ID on me (this was previous to me gettin my DL), I never showed it. Maybe that helped keep me outta the slammer.

I bet it was key that you didn't show your ID. It makes the paper-work side of things VERY hard for them.

[Patches]

Good morning Y'all....Seems like Shelley has some legit concerns,but yeah it varies all over the U.S.....Florida isnt bad compared to others.....now Tejas for instance? Do NOT pass go,do NOT collect $200.00,anybody with an outstanding ticket gets taken directly to jail.Had many overnight and weeks-long visits there.If you have no coin,they credit you like $9.00 a day untill your square with them,prob more these days.Sure theres worse states but they gotta be among them!

And Texas is relentless. I was booked in 86 for possesion of a handgun (in my car)...back then,they did not even issue permits,nobody but LE and judges could carry.I was imposed a $300.00 fine,paid part and left the state couple yrs later,never to return.Can ya believe they started hounding me 3 months ago? They want thier bread,which is now up to over $700!!!! (Interest),seems cause I made a payment that started the interest machine!!Threats to come-an-git-me, the whole schmeal!! Guess I gotta settle up,too old for a cross-country tour in da chains....

Sorry I got off subject a bit,just the ramblings of a demented mind. Patches:)

[hovadagod]

There is a statute of limitations patches. No way can they arrest you for something over 10 years ago. The judgment is void now. Debts that are 7 years old are no longer valid. everything expires except like torture charges or something crazy.

[fassbinder]

There are a lot of variables here. I worked in the legal field for a while (I was basically the modern day version of a court reporter - no weird typewriter or anything, but I did get to see a lot of crazy interesting stuff - lots of awesome stories) and the short answer is yes, you can go to jail if you don't pay.

You wont be able to go to traffic school if your license was not valid at the time you were speeding. The courts are separated in most states, and if you were to go to court for a more serious offense, they might not look to see if you owe money for a traffic offense. I'm not sure why your drivers license is suspended, but failure to pay fines/court costs can surely be the cause of this, and it sounds like in your case it probably is. It may sound crazy, but failure to appear for a speeding case does not always result in a warrant. In many cases they will just suspend your license, HOWEVER, since you do not have a license to suspend (or is already suspended) they will just issue a warrant.

Legal advice is a tricky and scary thing to me, but one option you have to possibly absolve the fines/court costs is to have the court date for your speeding charge moved to the same court date as your suspended license charge. It is more likely that the judge and/or prosecution will drop the speeding to focus on the suspended license charge. I'm not an attorney though and I don't know all of the specifics of all of your charges/driving history/criminal record, so I really cannot feel good about giving anymore advice.

The reason you can go to jail, even in Florida, for not paying money you owe the court; Florida constitution prohibits jailing people for money they owe the state, BUT it does not prohibit the jailing of individuals that disobey court orders. When the judge gives you a fine to pay, that is a court order, and by not paying it you are disobeying. If you are on probation, having outstanding fines/costs can also revoke your probationary status, landing you right back in jail.

I know you probably hate lawyers, most of us do - but if you want to stay out of jail and can't pay all of the money you owe then I'd consider hiring one. Even the crappiest of defense attorneys can handle traffic cases - It's unlikely that they can make the fines and costs disappear - if you are on a fixed income (disability, SSI) then taking proof of that to court may have an affect on your judge. You could also do community service instead of paying. It has to be approved by the court though, so don't go "volunteer" someplace and just expect it to count.

Sorry to be so dry about it Shelly. I don't agree with the way that all of it works, but the state wants money.

[Restharrow]

In NC it takes a LONG time to catch up with you.

I have a sibling who got arrested 5 times in 6 months for upaid traffic tickets. He would pay 1 ticket, they would let him out -- OR -- The jail would get over crowded and he would sign a "promise to pay" and be released. It was bizarre the way it was handled. Some of the tickets were 10 years old.

The police were always in such a hurry, that when they arrested him, they just wrote 1 of the tickets on the court docket (assuming he had the brains to take pay all the tickets and not get arrested for each ticket -- WRONG). He ALWAYS assumed he was smarter and luckier than the government, turning 5 tickets into 5 arrests and $1,200 problems. At each $1,200 problem, he could have cleared up the whole mess with $300 more. My parents told me the total was over $10,000 for fines, bail, attorneys, etc.

I have another friend who is 55 y.o. and he has about 20 tickets left over from his teens and early 20's. He never paid a one, never heard from the law and still gets his license renewed each year.

EDIT: At some point, odds are you will want / need / have to take care of this. Why not pay a little each month towards the smallest ticket and clear them up 1 at a time? Whats the upside to NOT taking care of it at your convenience?

What happens to your baby if you get locked up? Are the police going to wait on your parents to pick her up, or call the child protective agency and let them sort out the child care arrangements? I am asking all these questions because I have siblings who have tested every avenue of handling tickets (except mailing a check).


Good luck with it!
Will

[Uncle Wiggly]

I'm not much for the legal system but I do have a bit of experience with this type of thing. FB put it very well when he said it varies from state to state and his post was quite comprehensive. You may have what's called a bench warrant issued on you. That basically means the cops aren't going to come knocking but if you get pulled over and show ID they'll see you have paper on you and haul you away.

If you don't have ID they'll take you in, fingerprint you, and you get a free room while they check your prints. Then, after they find you in the system you'll have to pay the fine or stick around until you work it off.

[Patches]

There is a statute of limitations patches. No way can they arrest you for something over 10 years ago. The judgment is void now. Debts that are 7 years old are no longer valid. everything expires except like torture charges or something crazy.

Hmmmmmm.....I dont know my man,I got 3 letters so far,but actually they have been through a collection agency,they tell me get the bucks to the county court ...or else!But like Wigs had clarified,my deal is indeed a "bench warrant" which works exactly like Wigs explained.....so,I think as long as I keep my bony ass out of the Lone Star State,Im good.I used to watch those commercials they ran there in the 80's "Dont mess with Texas"......I think the judge in my case came up with dat slogan:p

[hovadagod]

They can ask for money even if the statute of limitations is passed; doesn't mean you owe it. I can't say I know for sure because this is a bench warrant but if you had a lawyer dealing with this I have a feeling it would disappear pretty quickly. But clearly the answer to this one is staying out of Texas so it don't matter. Weird that the collection agency is asking you to pay the court. You'd think the collection agency purchased the debt b/c it is so old. Weird for the state to be collecting on such an old debt. Collection agencies will say anything to collect the money so if you really cared to deal with this debt maybe you could call the court and see if there is really a bench warrant anymore or if they sold the debt in which case the collection agency would have to stop collecting on the debt if you can show that the statute of limitations expired. Also would mean the collection agency is lying which violates fair debt collection practices act (FDCPA).

Maybe you could even get some cash out of it by suing the collection agency under the FDCPA if the debt is really that old or if the CA lied about it. You'd get a quick 1K. There are tons of lawyers looking to get fast cash filing cases against collection agencies (which inevitably settle out of court). Just an idea because they'd do it on contingency and maybe they would help you deal with the debt if they can make money by suing the Collection agency...and you could go back to texas? Idk. Maybe the debt is totally legit and for some reason you still owe it b/c you made a payment recently or something. Just giving you some options b/c I've been through tons of shit with collection agencies.

[longduckdong]

We've all fucked up before, and I am no exception, but this thread is a "what the fuck" moment for me.
One reason why human breeding should be privilege.

[hovadagod]

Hmmmmmm.....I dont know my man,I got 3 letters so far,but actually they have been through a collection agency,they tell me get the bucks to the county court ...or else!But like Wigs had clarified,my deal is indeed a "bench warrant" which works exactly like Wigs explained.....so,I think as long as I keep my bony ass out of the Lone Star State,Im good.I used to watch those commercials they ran there in the 80's "Dont mess with Texas"......I think the judge in my case came up with dat slogan:p

If those 3 letters have a statement on them that "if you don't respond within 30 days, the CA will assume the debt is valid", you probably should respond in writing. You can do this by sending a letter asking for proof that the ALLEGED debt is valid. This way they cannot assume that the debt is valid based on your lack of response. This would really help if you ever end up in front of a judge re. this thing but you never know.

[Duckfeet]

I didn't think so, and I had a bench warrant for a speeding ticket over in Louisiana, and got picked up in another parish, and had to sit 3 days in a cell in New Iberia, and then they sent me to Thibideaux, and the judge gave me 30 fucking days, the bitch...and I had to do every one of them....most states take their bench warrants fairly seriously: your ace in the hole is your baby, and I'd be a little proactive on it, and see legal aid and you can probably get a compassionate probation or something...try to look like a mama and tell'em you've seen the error of your ways...in other words, don't be yourself ;)

can you go to jail for not paying a speeding ticket?
what happens if you just ignore it?
i already owe a shitload of court costs that i don't pay, "state judgements" can't collect here in fla
does a speeding ticket count as a "state judgement"?
i already don't have a license and won't for several years so getting it re-suspended, oh well
i have a notice to appear for driving under suspended, that's the easy part,
i just show up and they give me court costs which again i don't pay ever

i've never been pulled over before, cept when they thought my truck was stolen (once)
i've definitely never gotten a speeding ticket before
i didn't even realize that you could get a speeding ticket w/o a DL
can you do traffic school? can you just not pay? can they throw you in jail?
what can you get away with?

[SHELLEY]

technically they should have taken me to jail for driving under suspension
but i spit some game and just got the ticket and a NTA
ticket is payed off, just wondered if they could do anything besides suspend the license
apparently they can, so yeah, its just 141 stupid bucks anyway
thanks y'all

[Patches]

[QUOTE=Duckfeet;378296]I didn't think so, and I had a bench warrant for a speeding ticket over in Louisiana, and got picked up in another parish, and had to sit 3 days in a cell in New Iberia, and then they sent me to Thibideaux, and the judge gave me 30 fucking days, the bitch...and I had to do every one of them....


Sorry Duckfeet but you made me LMAO with that 30 day deal......Remember that song "30 days in the hole?"......funny song,it popped in my head the way you wrote that....I know though man,there is NOTHING worse then 10-20-30 days in a small town southern jailhouse,in the summer,no AC,no rec time, 24-7 on a steel rack,your tshirt for your pillow and bedding:(........been there....but hey,hopefully were all past that crap right? Patches

[Badly Drawn Girl]

As you've heard, yes it can lead to trouble. I was hauled out my car, handcuffed, had my car searched (must to my dismay), and spent a night in jail because of an ignored ticket. Pay it off and be safe :)

[Duckfeet]

Yeah, I had a friend bring me some books and some money so I could get candybars and shit: parish prisons (county jails in Louisiana) weren't all that bad, really: most of the hassle is really sitting in the stupid holding cells in the *next* parish waiting on them to come get you...it was part of the deal, and I sure hope it's behind me...but then, everybody always thinks it's behind them...until it isn't, and we go "whoops..." Jails are about like kicking: you never *really* get used to them, tho, of course, some are better than others...in my jaded opinion, state time is usually better than county jail time, and county jail is better than city time, and city is usually the pits...and you might think that places w/more money would take better care of their bad boys, but I found the reverse was true: worst jail for me, was Newport Beach, Cali, and best was actually the old Iberia Parish jail in Louisiana...and old jail had no a.c. and stone crazy guards, but still, it was alright, and lots of bean and rice and sausage once in a while...and I actually had almost a good time when I did a couple months in Orange County Jail up Santa Ana, since I knew most of the aces up there...

I can't believe I'm getting so fucking old I'm actually reminiscing about the jails I've been in: that's what you kiddies got to look forward to when you get old and grey and tired like me...ah, the good old days: 3 hots and a cot and pretty young boys and taco night......hahaha....all time best jail song for me is Delia, by Johnny Cash:

"Jailer...oh Jailer, jailer I can't sleep...cuz all around my cell, I hear the patter of Delia's feet.

Delia, Oh Delia, Delia all my life: if I hadna' shot poor Delia, I'da took her for my wife..."

We could probably start a whole new thread just on jailhouse songs...but I'd just as soon hijack Shelly's thread anyway ;)




Sorry Duckfeet but you made me LMAO with that 30 day deal......Remember that song "30 days in the hole?"......funny song,it popped in my head the way you wrote that....I know though man,there is NOTHING worse then 10-20-30 days in a small town southern jailhouse,in the summer,no AC,no rec time, 24-7 on a steel rack,your tshirt for your pillow and bedding:(........been there....but hey,hopefully were all past that crap right? Patches

[longduckdong]

technically they should have taken me to jail for driving under suspension
but i spit some game and just got the ticket and a NTA
ticket is payed off, just wondered if they could do anything besides suspend the license
apparently they can, so yeah, its just 141 stupid bucks anyway
thanks y'all

Taking a person to jail for a suspended license is usually pretty rare. I know you're a "hustler" and all (LOL) but I really doubted you had to spit game. As a matter of fact, I'd bet almost all girls caught for DOSL get let off with warning/citation. Every chick I've known didnt go to jail for it.