There are lots of reasons why you might not pay a traffic ticket. Maybe your life feels too crazy to remember all the things on your to-do list. Maybe you feel that the ticket was unfair and you shouldn’t have to pay? Did you lose your ticket? Do you not have the money to pay? Or maybe you think a ticket is no big deal so you just ignore it?

No matter what your excuse, you definitely shouldn’t neglect handling a traffic ticket. Ignoring the problem will just make your life more complicated down the road.

In this article, we’ll look at the penalties that an unpaid traffic ticket can bring as well as your options when you are unwilling or unable to pay a ticket.

Penalties for Unpaid Tickets

If you don’t pay a traffic ticket on time in the state of New York, you could face the following penalties:

• Suspension of your license – if you fail to answer your ticket, your license might be suspended as an indication that you failed to pay the ticket. However, if you continue to ignore the ticket after your license is suspended, you might be convicted of the charge you were ticketed for. This is called a “default conviction,” according to the New York DMV. If this happens, you’ll have to pay the ticket, the mandatory surcharge, and suspension termination fees.
• Higher insurance rates (if your license is suspended).
• You might receive traffic violation points that can stay on your record for up to 18 months.
• If you drive while your license is suspended, you could be subject to an Aggravated Unlicensed Operation misdemeanor which will take you to criminal court. Driving while suspended could result in jail time, thousands of dollars, and losing your driving privileges.
• The price of the ticket will increase:
  • For Parking Tickets:
    • After 30 days, your fine increases by $10.
    • After 60 days, the fine increases by $20 in addition to the initial increase.
    • After 90 days, your fine increases by $30 on top of both initial increases, equalling $60 in penalties.
    • After around 100 days, the case will enter into judgment, and 9% interest per year is added to the total amount due until the debt is paid in full.

• For Camera Tickets:
  • After 30 days, your fine will increase by $10.
  • After 60 days, your fine increases by $20 in addition to the initial increase.
  • After 90 days, your fine increases by $30 on top of both initial increases, equalling $60 in penalty fines.
  • After around 100 days, the case is entered into judgment. 9% interest per year will be added to the total amount due until the debt is paid.
  • To make your debt worse, vehicles registered in your name may be subject to towing or booting once your total debt eclipses $350. You’ll have to pay additional fees for the tow or boot, plus any storage fees.

What To Do If You Didn’t Pay Your Ticket

You have until the ticket’s 15-day deadline to respond with either the payment or a request for a hearing. Whether you forgot to pay, are unable to pay, or you want to dispute your ticket – there are options available to you.

• Pay the ticket (including any additional fines). It may seem unfair and frustrating, but it could save you more headaches and more fines down the road.
• If you truly believe your ticket is unjust and if you have not yet had your license suspended, you can enter a plea. You can plead not guilty to a traffic ticket. You’ll be given a notice for a court hearing and you might need to pay a suspension fee. This can be a complicated process, so it’s best to work with a qualified attorney.
• If you have already had your license suspended you will want to work with an attorney. In this situation, you can’t just pay the fines and be done with it. A license suspension is serious and you will need legal assistance.
• Pleading guilty to a ticket could result in license revocation depending on if you have alcohol-related driving points on your driving record. Consult an attorney before pleading guilty to a violation that results in 5 or more points.
• If you truly don’t have money to pay a ticket, you can ask a judge about options such as a payment deadline extension, community service, or attending traffic school.

For your New York traffic violation problems, Darren DeUrso can help you find solutions!  As a criminal defense attorney specializing in traffic law (including DWI/DUI law), Darren DeUrso is here to help you get back on the road with a clear conscience and hassle-free future! Contact our White Plains office at 914.772.8614 or online.

 

Darren DeUrso, Attorney at Law

188 East Post Road, Suite 300

White Plains, NY 10601

Phone: 914.772.8614

Fax: 914-833-9788

If you’re facing criminal charges, a criminal defense attorney will argue for your best interests. But in many cases, there’s more to discuss than just how to have your criminal charges reduced or dropped. Unfortunately, racial profiling is the cause of many unjust traffic stops, arrests, and criminal charges in White Plains, New York.

If you believe you were pulled over, issued a ticket, or arrested because of racial profiling, you could have a strong defense for your case. Part of a criminal defense case is gathering evidence that proves that your charges were unfair, and racial profiling can definitely be a strong argument in your favor.

What is Racial Profiling?

ACLU defines racial profiling as “the discriminatory practice by law enforcement officials of targeting individuals for suspicion of crime based on the individual’s race, ethnicity, religion or national origin.”

NBC reports findings from a study that suggests that police definitely do engage in racial profiling when deciding who to pull over and which cars to search for illegal drugs.

Racial profiling is illegal, and yet it is a “tactic” used by police at alarming rates.

What To Do If You Suspect Racial Profiling

Contact a criminal defense attorney ASAP and explain your suspicions that you’re a victim of racial profiling. Darren DeUrso is a criminal defense attorney working to get justice for his clients in White Plains, NY. He has three decades of legal experience and holds the BV® Peer Review Rating™ by Martindale-Hubbell® – which is bestowed to only a fraction of America’s lawyers.

Possible Defenses To Combat Racial Profiling

If you’re being charged with a crime and you believe racial profiling had something to do with you being stopped or arrested, a criminal defense attorney can help you use the following potential defenses:

1. Motion to Suppress: If incriminating evidence was seized during an improper search based on racial profiling, you can ask for a “motion to suppress.” Evidence of your crime cannot be used in court if it was gathered with illegal motives such as racial profiling. A criminal defense attorney can help you apply this  “exclusionary rule” to your case. If you can prove to New York courts that evidence was seized during a police search that police conducted based on your race, the evidence can be excluded from consideration in your case because the search violated your Equal Protection rights under the U.S. Constitution.
2. Lawsuit: Another option is to pursue monetary damages for the violation of your rights. You might have the option to sue the officer, the department, and/or the municipality responsible for the conduct that violated your civil rights.

If you’re facing criminal charges after being stopped or arrested because of your race, it’s time to get justice! Don’t let unconstitutional racial profiling determine your future – get help from an experienced criminal defense attorney who truly cares!

Call 914.772.8614 today for a free consultation.

 

Darren DeUrso, Attorney at Law

188 East Post Road, Suite 300

White Plains, NY 10601

Phone: 914.772.8614

Fax: 914-833-9788