All of us have dealt with parking tickets at some point in our lives. Most of the time, we simply grit our teeth, pay the connected fine and promise ourselves that next time, we’ll do a better job of making it back to our vehicle before the meter runs out.
But what about those times when the parking ticket simply doesn’t seem fair? Is it possible to fight a California parking ticket?
The answer is yes, you can fight a California parking ticket. Whether you win that particular fight depends on the exact circumstances surrounding the ticket.
What you don’t want to do is get into an argument with the officer who is issuing the ticket. More often than not, this argument will result in you doing or saying something that will get you into more trouble than the parking ticket is worth.
The first thing you need to do is gather the data you’ll use to fight the parking ticket. The best way to accomplish this is by pulling out your cell phone and snapping pictures of everything you think is relevant to your case.
Instead of paying the fine connected to the parking ticket, read over the ticket and follow the instructions for requesting a hearing. Most jurisdictions are set up so that fighting a parking ticket involves submitting a dispute letter which you mail to the parking ticket office. This letter should include some of the pertinent letters you took of the scene, any witness statements you collected and an explanation about why you don’t think you should have to pay the California parking ticket. You will want to submit your intention of not paying the parking ticket to the parking ticket office within 30 days of receiving the parking ticket.
Look over the parking ticket for mistakes. A single mistake on the parking ticket is often the difference between you winning and losing the hearing. Pay particular attention to the date and time posted on the ticket.
You will receive information that includes the time and location of your hearing. Bring all of your evidence to this trial and make sure you present it to the judge in a clear, calm and concise manner. If you miss this hearing, you will have no choice but to pay for the parking ticket.
Good luck!