Can't go to my court date, what happens? | GTAMotorcycle.com

Can't go to my court date, what happens?

Corsara

Corsara

Well-known member
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Hello, just remembered I've got a court date coming up in a couple of days for taking a forbidden left turn. I had totally forgotten about it and the calendar just spat out the reminder, so my question is what happens if I don't go? On the court appointment notice (which I got about a year ago) it says "total payable: $80.00". If I don't go, I guess I'll be deemed guilty and convicted, but are there any more $ charges other than the 80 bucks?

Thanks in advance.
 
You can apply to have the case re-opened. If it's anything like parking tickets you'll be hit with additional fees if you don't show up.
 
They will hold a TIA (Trial in Abstentia) sometimes happens that day, sometimes they put it over. They inspect the ticket face, crown presents its case. If JP agrees the offence was committed you are convicted. The crown makes summations as to penalty based on your driving record and you get notice in the mail.

You can go to the courthouse after the fact and fill out the forms to reopen the case. The JP who reviews it may/may not deem the reason you did not go to be reasonable.
 
Ok, another question then: if the notice says the trial will be held at 10:30am, does that mean it will really be at that time, or I'll have to wait in line of many people scheduled for the same time?
 
As they can't be sure what the length of each trial will be, they schedule a bunch of them over a block of time. Yours could come up any time during that period.
 
^What Rob said. I've noticed a tendency to be called up in alphabetical order by last name but not always.
 
AF4iK said:
^What Rob said. I've noticed a tendency to be called up in alphabetical order by last name but not always.
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I have no defense prepared, quite frankly I was quite guilty of making the wrong turn. The reason I didn't pay and wanted trial was to have the opportunity to get some practice in court :D As it turns out, it will cost me a lot more if I want to make it to the court on that date, so I should have just paid it when it was due...

I hope the penalties won't be too high for not showing up.. :(
 
Corsara said:
I have no defense prepared, quite frankly I was quite guilty of making the wrong turn. The reason I didn't pay and wanted trial was to have the opportunity to get some practice in court :D As it turns out, it will cost me a lot more if I want to make it to the court on that date, so I should have just paid it when it was due...

I hope the penalties won't be too high for not showing up.. :(
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I've been convicted in absentia before (issue with the paralegal's front office staff losing my trial notice and not telling me). No extra fees after the fact, you usually get 21 days to pay from the date of conviction. You can re-open the case and once that process starts there's no need to pay the fine.
 
Macs said:
I've been convicted in absentia before (issue with the paralegal's front office staff losing my trial notice and not telling me). No extra fees after the fact, you usually get 21 days to pay from the date of conviction. You can re-open the case and once that process starts there's no need to pay the fine.
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I assume they'll notify me of the verdict, right?
 
The verdict of a trial-in-absentia for matters of this type will ALWAYS be "guilty" ...

On the odd time when I've gone to traffic court, probably 75% of the defendants didn't show up for court. No idea what they were thinking by doing that.
 
Something similar happened to me about 20 years ago. Weird doesn't describe it well. Got a speeding ticket, no points, paid the fine and about a year and a half later I received notice for a bench warrant for my arrest for not showing up for court. A trial I didn't ask for nor want. Real nuisance dealing with all the administrative BS after that.
 
Corsara said:
Ok, another question then: if the notice says the trial will be held at 10:30am, does that mean it will really be at that time, or I'll have to wait in line of many people scheduled for the same time?
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It means you'll walk into court at 10:30 am with 20-50 other people lol. When the crown walks up, it's first come first serve, so sit right up front and talk to him/her first to see what they offer.

If you still want to fight it, you'll have to wait for everyone to enter their pleas before you're heard (if there's time).
 
Well I didn't go. A week later I got a notice in the mail for pretty much the original ticket fine, which I paid online. Case closed :)
 
Corsara said:
Well I didn't go. A week later I got a notice in the mail for pretty much the original ticket fine, which I paid online. Case closed :)
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It's usually more economical to just pay the set fine rather than take the day off to sit in court :p
 
Mr.Azim said:
It's usually more economical to just pay the set fine rather than take the day off to sit in court :p
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Depends on your insurance situation lol. I'm too young for even one minor to be on my record. Spent $275 to get off a $359 ticket...money well spent, suspension avoided.
 
Macs said:
Depends on your insurance situation lol. I'm too young for even one minor to be on my record. Spent $275 to get off a $359 ticket...money well spent, suspension avoided.
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This. The OP's "forbidden left turn" conviction might come back as an insurance nightmare in the very near future ;) Was for sure very well worth fighting it, unless this is the only ticket on his record and the only one he plans to get convicted of for the next three years.

-Jamie M.
 
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