Re: Traffic summons DISMISSED??????
Date: June 18, 2008 09:35AM
Carl Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If the officer checked the box that say's, "you
> may avoid coming to court and prepay", but then
> said, "oh, wait, you need to come to court", and
> circled the "you must appear in court", isn't that
> contradictory?
>
> Is this grounds for the case being dismissed?
No way. It merely means he marked the wrong box, and then corrected himself. Any moving violation more serious than minor speeding of up to 19 over (i.e. reckless, passing a school bus, failure to stop for a school bus) will require a presence in court. Don't think that just because it's not a dwi and you weren't taken into custody, that you don't have to appear in court. If it says you have to show up, do it. You will not get it dismissed simply for that, trust me. I had a friend who had the male version of her name on the ticket and the wrong charge/code, and still didn't get it dismissed. What they do is ammend the ticket/charge when court starts, and then pass it over until later in the docket.
BTW, if you don't go, you will either be tried in absentia or an FTA (failure to appear) warrant will be issued, in which case, you will be arrested.