35 percent increase tied to Jan. 1 traffic law change
Courtney Gagne ran a stop sign last January in Annapolis - or at least that is what a police officer thought.
Believing she did nothing wrong and wanting to take the ticket to court, the 24-year-old nanny went home that night expecting to get a trial date in the mail. That's what happened last year when she was cited for running a stop light on her way home from work, she explained.
Instead, Gagne received a letter five weeks later from the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration. The state had suspended her driver's license for failing to comply with a law that changed - effective Jan. 1 - how the courts handle traffic tickets.
The state no longer assigns court dates in all traffic cases. Drivers must now specifically request trials within 30 days of getting a ticket - or risk the MVA suspending their licenses.
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Believing she did nothing wrong and wanting to take the ticket to court, the 24-year-old nanny went home that night expecting to get a trial date in the mail. That's what happened last year when she was cited for running a stop light on her way home from work, she explained.
Instead, Gagne received a letter five weeks later from the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration. The state had suspended her driver's license for failing to comply with a law that changed - effective Jan. 1 - how the courts handle traffic tickets.
The state no longer assigns court dates in all traffic cases. Drivers must now specifically request trials within 30 days of getting a ticket - or risk the MVA suspending their licenses.
More
6 comments:
another money making scheme by the state....
M O N E Y. The state knew EXACTLY what they were doing. A citizen gets charged with a crime and must ASK for a trial or be AUTOMTICALLY CONVICTED? Boy, THAT'S a sweet deal for a ever growing police state. Next, they'll bypass THAT process and give you 72 hours to pay or you get arrested and held until you DO pay. Don't laugh. A few years ago, having to REQUEST a trial was laughable, too. Welcome to the machine, baby.....
It's not a big secret. Read the news here at Salisbury news. I remember when it was posted. Bet she reads the DT. LOL.
How hard is it to sign and date the white copy you receive and mail it in the envolope provided back to MVA in order to request a court date?
This was done to save money. too many people paying at last minute after the court date was generated. that had the officers showing up and getting paid overtime for someone who wasnt evern in court. just read the back of the ticket, it tells you clearly what your options are.
all you have to do is read the directions. And I would think more than likely the officer indicated that if she wanted it in court, she had to mail it in. people can't take care of themselces and expect their hand to be held all the time. What did she think would happen? How long would she have waited if she hadn't read the susension letter?
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