Legal Question in Civil Litigation in Pennsylvania
restitution
i received a citation for abandoning a vehicle in 2004. it was towed from the side of the road to a truck rental place. when they called and said to pick it up i said that it doesn't work that's why i left it and that they may keep it and do what they want w/ it. it is now 2 years later and i received the citation stating that i owe $196 in restitution. is there a grace/time period where it takes a couple of years to start filing the documents for the citation? if this was 2 years ago am i still guilty and have to pay this restitution?
1 Answer from Attorneys
Re: restitution
First I need you to go find someone to read the next sentence.
Hello,
The person who just got you to read this sentence is an idiot: please slap him/her in the back of the head hard enough to knock some sense into it. This should be repeated as necessary.
Now back to you. What the hell are you thinking. A car isn't disposible. Just because you don't want it doesn't mean you can just toss it away as so much trash. Someone had to pay for the car to be removed, stored until they realized you had abandoned it and then paid for it to be towed to a scarp yard where they may have even had to pay for disposal.
Essentially, you left your trash for someone else to pick up. You probably drop your cigarette butts on the ground and leave them there for the maintanence staff to clean up. Well guess what, we are the maintanence staff. Clean up after yourself. Now, be an adult, pay the fine and be thankful that the fine isn't much larger as, in my opinion, it should be.
As to the legal reasoning, the car was yours until title passed. This could only be done by divestiture or forfieture. The first would be the affirmative step of you getting off your lazy ass and disposing of the car properly by signing over the title. Such as having it towed yourself. The latter is what happened. Whoever caused it to be towed realized that you are a worthless, good for nothing that expects society to do everything but wipe your bottom. Guess what, your mother doesn't work here and you shold pick up after yourself.
So my answer to your questions is YES, you are still responsible.
Usually, I wish the person asking the question regards and good luck. But I think you need a kind of help that I just don't offer.
R