Legal Question in Traffic Law in New Jersey

Erroneous Parking Ticket

I received a ticket for an overtime meter. However, there are several problems. First, the meter *wasn't* overtime. (Yes I took pictures, but without a time stamp on the meter to prove I didn't put money in after the fact, who can say that's valid?) Second, the car described in the ticket is a gray Volvo and the license number is my car's minus one digit. I drive a silver Volkswagon with a license plate the same as the one on the ticket plus one digit.

I want to know if I should even bother paying it? Since I didn't run the meter out in the first place, I didn't deserve the ticket. Furthermore, since the ticket is a legal document that describes a car other than mine, can't I assert that legally it wasn't *my* car that committed the violation (it just happens to have similar license plates)? If I send a letter to the town saying the ticket left on my car was not my violation, can someone (a judge or city clerk) decide that it *was* my car and the ticketing officer just made a mistake? If I don't pay the ticket, can they trace the incomplete license plate number to me? Would I then get nailed for failure to pay it if they say it *was* my car?


Asked on 6/22/07, 2:52 pm

2 Answers from Attorneys
Jef Henninger, Esq Law Offices of Jef Henninger, Esq.

Re: Erroneous Parking Ticket

You are making a mountain out of a molehill. Either pay the ticket or fight the ticket. No one on this site is going to tell you to just blow off a ticket.

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Answered on 6/22/07, 2:56 pm
Daniel Cevallos Cevallos & Wong, LLP

Re: Erroneous Parking Ticket

You have spent more time writing about your feelings about this ticket than actually dealing with it. Either pay it or go to court to fight it. Plus, your "legal theory" on the "different car": if you are prepared to go to court and argue to someone that it wasn't your car, then that's on you. And if you think that you can just wrap this up with a letter to the City telling them that they are wrong, then I answer you with another question: what do you think would happen if the courts allowed people to just not pay tickets and write letters why instead? Pay the ticket, or go to parking court with the rest of the masses and fight it. Between you, me, and other attorney who answered this message, that's way more time and energy than would have been expended if you just paid it.

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Answered on 6/22/07, 3:06 pm


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