Silks

All,

I'm a Canadian citizen but I work and live in Atlanta, Georgia. While
visiting my parents in Ontario last weekend I got a pair of NASTY
speeding tickets (one for "Racing", and one for a 103km/h in a 50
km/h...yes it was complete idiocy on my part) that require a court
appearance.

If I still lived in Ontario I'd show up in court without a problem,
plead my case and pay my fine. However, since I live in Atlanta I'm
not going to fly all the way back up to Ontario just to make a court
appearance. And I don't want to skip the court appearance altogether
because I don't want something dumb happening like the judge issuing a
Province-wide arrest warrant.

Anybody out there know what I should do? I want to pay the fine and
be done with it.

jon

127 . 0 . 0 . 1

On 8 Feb 2004 12:36:13 -0800, (Silks) wrote:

    >All,
    >I'm a Canadian citizen but I work and live in Atlanta, Georgia. While
    >visiting my parents in Ontario last weekend I got a pair of NASTY
    >speeding tickets (one for "Racing", and one for a 103km/h in a 50
    >km/h...yes it was complete idiocy on my part) that require a court
    >appearance.
    >If I still lived in Ontario I'd show up in court without a problem,
    >plead my case and pay my fine. However, since I live in Atlanta I'm
    >not going to fly all the way back up to Ontario just to make a court
    >appearance. And I don't want to skip the court appearance altogether
    >because I don't want something dumb happening like the judge issuing a
    >Province-wide arrest warrant.
    >Anybody out there know what I should do? I want to pay the fine and
    >be done with it.

sounds like you need a local ontario attorney



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Dmw

Silks wrote:
    >
    > All,
    >
    > I'm a Canadian citizen but I work and live in Atlanta, Georgia. While
    > visiting my parents in Ontario last weekend I got a pair of NASTY
    > speeding tickets (one for "Racing", and one for a 103km/h in a 50
    > km/h...yes it was complete idiocy on my part) that require a court
    > appearance.
    >
    > If I still lived in Ontario I'd show up in court without a problem,
    > plead my case and pay my fine. However, since I live in Atlanta I'm
    > not going to fly all the way back up to Ontario just to make a court
    > appearance. And I don't want to skip the court appearance altogether
    > because I don't want something dumb happening like the judge issuing a
    > Province-wide arrest warrant.
    >
    > Anybody out there know what I should do? I want to pay the fine and
    > be done with it.

Contact a lawyer. I don't know what they're calling "racing" on your
ticket, but this is from the Ontario Highway Traffic Act:


Racing on highway

172. (1) No person shall drive a motor vehicle on a highway in a race or
on a bet or wager.

Penalty

(2) Every person who contravenes this section is guilty of an offence and
on conviction is liable to a fine of not less than $200 and not more than
$1,000 or to imprisonment for a term of not more than six months, or to
both, and in addition his or her licence may be suspended for a period of
not more than two years. R.S.O. 1990,
c. H.8, s. 172.


They may want you in court, if this or other similar section applies, as
jail time may be part of the possible penalty.


DMW

Dave Smith

Silks wrote:

    > All,
    > I'm a Canadian citizen but I work and live in Atlanta, Georgia. While
    > visiting my parents in Ontario last weekend I got a pair of NASTY
    > speeding tickets (one for "Racing", and one for a 103km/h in a 50
    > km/h...yes it was complete idiocy on my part) that require a court
    > appearance.
    > If I still lived in Ontario I'd show up in court without a problem,
    > plead my case and pay my fine. However, since I live in Atlanta I'm
    > not going to fly all the way back up to Ontario just to make a court
    > appearance. And I don't want to skip the court appearance altogether
    > because I don't want something dumb happening like the judge issuing a
    > Province-wide arrest warrant.
    > Anybody out there know what I should do? I want to pay the fine and
    > be done with it.

The first appearance on a summons (in Ontario) is just for the case to be
spoken to, not for a trial. The only way to dispose of it at that time is
to enter a guilty plea. Otherwuise, it will be put over to another day to
be spoken to or for trail (or trial in absentia. If both charges arose
from the same incident, there is a chance that they will be willing to
accept a plea on one and drop the other. You can get a paralegal to
appear on your behalf and to make the arrangements. I would suggest that
you contact one of the paralegal businesses like Points or ExCoppers and
have them talk to the prosecutor and arrange for a plea bargain on your
behalf.

Shawn \"Me\" Hearn

In article <>,
(Silks) wrote:

    > All,
    >
    > I'm a Canadian citizen but I work and live in Atlanta, Georgia. While
    > visiting my parents in Ontario last weekend I got a pair of NASTY
    > speeding tickets (one for "Racing", and one for a 103km/h in a 50
    > km/h...yes it was complete idiocy on my part) that require a court
    > appearance.
    >
    > If I still lived in Ontario I'd show up in court without a problem,
    > plead my case and pay my fine. However, since I live in Atlanta I'm
    > not going to fly all the way back up to Ontario just to make a court
    > appearance. And I don't want to skip the court appearance altogether
    > because I don't want something dumb happening like the judge issuing a
    > Province-wide arrest warrant.
    >
    > Anybody out there know what I should do? I want to pay the fine and
    > be done with it.

For starters, call the court where you are supposed to appear. I don't
know how it works in Canada, but in most jurisdictions in the United
States, they will let people plead their case in writing, sometimes
with a notarized form attached. Perhaps the same is true of the
Canadian jurisdiction where you were cited for speeding.

Bob McNabb

With the close links forged between the two governments' data bases, I
would also expect that those citations, once adjudicated, would appear
on your GA driving record (and ultimately impact your auto insurance
premiums as well as acceptability). All the better reason to have
somebody appear for you in court.

As you know, Canada is also screening drivers passing through from USA,
and there could be a big problem waiting for you next time.

Bob McNabb

Charles Hawtrey

(Silks), while facing east, summoned the
courage to declaim:

    >All,
    >I'm a Canadian citizen but I work and live in Atlanta, Georgia. While
    >visiting my parents in Ontario last weekend I got a pair of NASTY
    >speeding tickets (one for "Racing", and one for a 103km/h in a 50
    >km/h...yes it was complete idiocy on my part) that require a court
    >appearance.

This seems quite a bit more serious than your standard 10-over ticket.
I'd strongly recommend consulting a lawyer -- probably much cheaper in
the long run than flying by the seat of your pants, going by whatever
you hear on Usenet.

Silks

I'm talking to X-Coppers right now. Who knows how much it will cost
me, but like anything else you pay for your own stupidity. This case
is no different.

Thanks for the help guys!

jon

(Charles Hawtrey) wrote in message news:<>...
    > (Silks), while facing east, summoned the
    > courage to declaim:
    >
    > >All,
    > >
    > >I'm a Canadian citizen but I work and live in Atlanta, Georgia. While
    > >visiting my parents in Ontario last weekend I got a pair of NASTY
    > >speeding tickets (one for "Racing", and one for a 103km/h in a 50
    > >km/h...yes it was complete idiocy on my part) that require a court
    > >appearance.
    >
    > This seems quite a bit more serious than your standard 10-over ticket.
    > I'd strongly recommend consulting a lawyer -- probably much cheaper in
    > the long run than flying by the seat of your pants, going by whatever
    > you hear on Usenet.

Dave Smith

Shawn \"Me\" Hearn wrote:

    > For starters, call the court where you are supposed to appear. I don't
    > know how it works in Canada, but in most jurisdictions in the United
    > States, they will let people plead their case in writing, sometimes
    > with a notarized form attached. Perhaps the same is true of the
    > Canadian jurisdiction where you were cited for speeding.

If you get a ticket with a pay out fine amount you can just sign it with a
guilty plea and send a cheque or money order in Canadian fines, but if you
get a summons it has to go to court. You cannot call the court and pleas
guilty. If no one appears it will be set for trial in absentia. The officer
will give the evidence and without anything to contradict that evidence
there will be a conviction. Considering the fine for a speed like that, he
is looking at big money. Lawyers are expensive and like to drive up their
fees by getting several adjournments to get more court days (and a fee for
each appearance. Paralegals tend to dispose of traffic matters more quickly
and cheaply for people.