Speeding Ticket Help!
 

So I got a ticket for speeding back in Feburary and everytime I would try to take care of it over the phone the automated system kept saying my ticket information couldn't be processed. So I finally decided to call the court and speak to a real person and it turns out my ticket wasn't processed because the cop put my drivers lisence number down wrong and the court sent my ticket back to the CHP. So my question is if the CHP doesn't try to get in contact with me to fix the mistake does my ticket just get dropped?

Nope. The ticket still needs to be paid, but instead it gets sent to Florida. PM me for the address.

Seems legit

Totally.

But seriousness - ask the court about your responsibility. The clerk should be helpful and point you in the right direction. Everybody looses in bureaucracy, but due diligence (calling and asking about this) prevents pain you wouldn't have already had to suffer, even if it means you don't get off. You don't want somebody to forget to call you or have the wrong number, and then one day find out you owe more and/or jail time. But I don't know California laws.

Granted, they probably have your tag info correct, and can get that information from there, or track somebody down who can find you and get you to correct the information for you.

in Canada this would get thrown out


a long time ago I actually went to pay a minor speeding ticket only to have the clerk tell me that it's invalid because the officer got the date wrong (put month in day and day in month), huzzah.


:0

I would also document every communication you make with them. That way if they come back later and say you just never paid, you can show them your documentation showing what date and time you called, with whom you spoke, what you were told, etc.

CYA

CYA. The most important 3 letters in bureaucracy. That and a big ol' paper-trail.

I had a similar situation with my last speeding ticket. I had some connections to speak with an attorney. The lawyer called up the court clerk and they couldn't find my ticket. His advice was to show up to court, wait for your name to be called, then if they don't call it, poker face, get outside, and call him immediately.

Didn't quite work out like that, they ended up finding my ticket, and I then got it reduced. Also, they just made everybody get in a line in court. No calling of names. Don't know how it will work in your neck of the woods.

But yeah, if you know of a lawyer who would be willing to give some free/low cost legal advice, could be worth it depending on the severity of the speeding ticket. Of course, if it's not too bad of a penalty, just show up and ask about it. If they don't find it, awesome! If they find it, whatever you were prepared for that anyway.

But above all, like Chattanooga FR-S said: Cover Your Ass!
Good luck!

On a related note... it never hurts to try and negotiate it down. Traffic tickets are all about revenue generation for municipalities and counties (even police officers will admit this on occasion). As such, if your ticket is from a city policeman or county sheriff, you'll likely have to pay the full fine, but they might allow a plea to a different charge which would allow there to be no points on your license. If the ticket is from a state policeman, they will sometimes agree to just dismiss the whole thing - especially if your driving record is clean - as they're not as concerned about revenue.