Should excessive court fees be illegal??

[zanemoseley]

My wife went to court today for a speeding ticket for going 79 in a 70 by a state trooper. She was driving back from Knoxville TN to our house which is right between Knoxville and Nashville. She went to court so that she could elect to go to traffic school instead of the ticket going on her record. She went to court in a pretty small county where the ticket was given and they tagged everyone there for $260 worth of court fees plus whatever the driving school ends up costing. There were about 50 people there one of which she said was going something stupid like 45 in a 40 and some higher then her. So they made about $13k in probably a bit over an hour. I call it fucking extortion. Court fees should cover expenses of running the court at max, lets not get taxes into the mix. Both times I've had a ticket in our county I went to court to get signed up for traffic school and never remember even paying court fees. And they wonder why everyone hates the fucking government. My wife said there was a Hispanic girl there crying over how much it cost. Hell $260 is a lot to me but I can't imagine earning $8/hr and paying that.

 

[Humpy]

What would have been the total cost of just paying the ticket and having the record?

 

[boomhower]

They are getting ridiculous. Here they are $188 for most traffic offenses. It is less for seatbelt and child restraint tickets. They raise it about every two to three years. It is excessive. $25 speeding ticket but $188 court costs is insane. You have to pay court costs even if you just pay the ticket and don't go to court.

 

[lozina]

When one source of revenue dries up they will find other channels. The government always gets your money - one way or another.

 

[Squeetard]

I call it fucking extortion.

So do I.

 

[Arkaign]

When one source of revenue dries up they will find other channels. The government always gets your money - one way or another.

Truth.

If you want to really have your head spin, check out some of the toll road penalties.

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/11/...g-for-toll-road-fines-until-hes-87-years-old/

“There are no injured parties here,” Bourcier explained. “There are people who get convicted for DUI crashes, and they don’t face this.”

His $40,000 settlement with the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) will require him to pay $150 a month until he’s 87 years old.

USA! USA! USA!

Welcome to Tyranny, and it's just good old Fascism at it's best. Corporate and Government interests align for a perfect new world order of absolute power and absolute corruption.

 

[Train]

Don't get me started. Now Michigan has an unconstitutional tax they have to call a "driver responsibility fee" to exort anyone who has ever had a ticket. Total scam.

 

[highland145]

Where the heck is Zane Johnson?


OP, the crappy side is that, unless you know someone, pay it. Don't speed, 1 mph, ever.

Might makes right.

 

[Capt Caveman]

In MA, it's only $35 to go to court to fight a traffic ticket. If you get denied and want to take it to the next level, I think it's $100.

 

[lxskllr]

I've heard a lot about driving school around here. I never heard of that for routine tickets. In my early 20s I got a notice that I had to go to driver school. I have no idea why I got it. I've never had more than two points on my license at any one time. I ended up going because fighting it would have cost me more time and money than the class. That was the biggest joke in the world. The final question of the class should be "Did you learn anything?". If the answer's yes, your license should be permanently revoked cause you're just about too stupid to breathe.

 

[gorcorps]

I'm flabbergasted... An admittance of breaking the law in the OP and not a post about "if you don't want to pay then don't speed"? What the hell is going on in this place?

 

[BladeVenom]

Yes, it's extortion. The whole legal system is. It's a system set up by lawyers for the benefit of the lawyers.

 

[Jumpem]

The entire point of them is to make money for the municipality.

 

[Brovane]

Court fees have been a easy way to make money. Since raising taxes isn't popular however raising fines on speeders is perfectly ok.

 

[pcgeek11]

Don't want to pay... don't break the fuckin law!

And get off my lawn.

 

[Via]

Truth.

If you want to really have your head spin, check out some of the toll road penalties.

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/11/...g-for-toll-road-fines-until-hes-87-years-old/

“There are no injured parties here,” Bourcier explained. “There are people who get convicted for DUI crashes, and they don’t face this.”

His $40,000 settlement with the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) will require him to pay $150 a month until he’s 87 years old.

USA! USA! USA!

Welcome to Tyranny, and it's just good old Fascism at it's best. Corporate and Government interests align for a perfect new world order of absolute power and absolute corruption.

To be fair - that guy is a major idiot.

 

[Newbian]

What would have been the total cost of just paying the ticket and having the record?

This as it looks like as more and more people go to fight it like this they have to increase the prices for court to make it up somehow.

 

[Markbnj]

To be fair - that guy is a major idiot.

I think you're being more than fair.

 

[PowerEngineer]

To be fair - that guy is a major idiot.

"Major idiot" is an understatement.

He told USA Today that within a month, he received a bill for $1,200 in administrative fees and $50 in delinquent tolls, but refused to pay after officials offered an $800 settlement.

According to USA Today, Bourcier racked up 335 violations over the course of the next three-and-a-half years.

He clearly has to know that he needs to pay the toll, but continues not to do so for another three-and-a-half years.

And we're supposed to somehow feel he's the victim of a tyrannical government?

Come on!

And I don't have a problem with reasonable (actual) court costs being paid by guilty defendants rather than by the (mostly) innocent tax payers.

 

[alkemyst]

My wife went to court today for a speeding ticket for going 79 in a 70 by a state trooper. She was driving back from Knoxville TN to our house which is right between Knoxville and Nashville. She went to court so that she could elect to go to traffic school instead of the ticket going on her record. She went to court in a pretty small county where the ticket was given and they tagged everyone there for $260 worth of court fees plus whatever the driving school ends up costing. There were about 50 people there one of which she said was going something stupid like 45 in a 40 and some higher then her. So they made about $13k in probably a bit over an hour. I call it fucking extortion. Court fees should cover expenses of running the court at max, lets not get taxes into the mix. Both times I've had a ticket in our county I went to court to get signed up for traffic school and never remember even paying court fees. And they wonder why everyone hates the fucking government. My wife said there was a Hispanic girl there crying over how much it cost. Hell $260 is a lot to me but I can't imagine earning $8/hr and paying that.

My take away is Hispanic girls are only capable of $8/hr.

Next time pay your ticket if you don't know how the Kangaroo Court works.

I don't agree with it, but these are the laws we have.

I would suggest if you ever get the option to board a yacht going into international waters don't try to fuck with the Captain or your experience could be much worse.

 

[Sho'Nuff]

Yes, it's extortion. The whole legal system is. It's a system set up by lawyers for the benefit of the lawyers.

Lawyers in no way benefit from excessive court fees.

 

[Rebel44]

If you don't want to pay, then don't speed....

Also, many drivers are morons - just 2 hours ago I drove slightly under 30mph (speed limit in this city) on road covered by snow only to be blinded by headlights of moron who wanted to go +-50mph.

I hope he will end in some ditch....

 

[KeithP]

Truth.

If you want to really have your head spin, check out some of the toll road penalties.

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/11/...g-for-toll-road-fines-until-hes-87-years-old/

Wow...bad example. The idiot deserved what he got.

-KeithP

 

[PenguinPower]

Your wife got a ticket for 9 over on I-40? That's shitty luck. I make the trip between Nashville and Knoxville once a week and consistently go 78-80, even past troopers. Never been pulled over.

 

[NesuD]

Don't get me started. Now Michigan has an unconstitutional tax they have to call a "driver responsibility fee" to exort anyone who has ever had a ticket. Total scam.

Umm no. It applies to major offenses like reckless driving, dui, and if you have 7 or more points on your driving record. Your statement is completely false.