Last Updated on November 29, 2014 by Lawrence Berezin
Here are some graduate school tips to help you beat a NYC parking ticket
Yesterdays post focused on mistakes we all make trying to beat a NYC parking ticket. I hate negativity, but mistakes, like car accidents, attract a crowd.
I prefer accentuating the positive. So here are three things you can do to significantly increase your chances of winning the parking ticket fight against the Evil Empire.
1. Let the judge know from the start the defenses you are raising
You’ve got about the same amount of time to grab a parking ticket judge’s attention as you do to make a decision whether it is safe to park… 3-5 seconds.
You are toast if you take that approach.
I start off every defense certification with:
“I plead not guilty because…” For example, I plead not guilty because the TEA misdescribed the body type, or the place of occurrence, or omitted the expiration date.
Don’t keep any secrets from the judge. If you’re going to raise more than one defense, begin by stating, I plead not guilty because:
- The TEA misdescribed the place of occurrence
- I stopped temporarily to drop off my Aunt Tilly and immediately left the no standing zone
2. Tell your story
After you share your defense with the judge, tell him a story. You don’t have to start with “one upon a time…” Rather, regale him with you parking adventure. For example, I had plans to meet a friend on [blank] street. He was taking a bus from Queens to the Bronx to meet me. As I drove up to _________, I spotted my friend, James standing at the curb. I pulled up, he opened the door, and got into the passenger seat. I was waiting to re-enter the travel lane of the roadway when a TEA placed a parking ticket under my windshield. I never saw it coming….
A story is important when you present a substantive defense. A much briefer narrative will carry the day when your defense is a misdescribed body type.
3. Exhibits are a parking ticket fighter’s best friend
Shock and awe the judge with fabulous exhibits. Let your pictures and captions tell your story to the judge.
Make sure you connect the place of occurrence with the parking sign you claim displayed a different rule than entered by the TEA on your parking ticket.
Use the tools that are available to persuade a judge to dismiss your parking ticket.
I always prepare my exhibits first. It forces me to organize my “story board.”
Trust me, spend the extra time thinking and preparing your exhibits.
Commentary
When you’re right-FIGHT! But, take the time to present the proper proof properly to vanquish the evil parking ticket.
Hey I just got 2 tickets in 2 days for parking 13 feet away from a fire hydrant (though the officer claimed I was only 8 feet away). Either way I was looking at the tickets for mistakes and I noticed that the officer put down an expiration date of 07/14 on both tickets which is not true (and it never was true as 07/14 wasn’t even my old expiration date). My car is registered in Maryland with Maryland plates just so you know. Does this mean I will win if I contest the tickets?
Mike,
Good afternoon.
You are a winner, Mike!
If the registration expiration date is displayed on a plate or windshield, a warrior is required to enter the correct month and year. If not, you win subject to application.
The proper proof entails:
1. Submitting a copy of your registration
2. A photograph of your car showing the plate from a distance
3. A close-up of either your plate or windshield showing the registration month/year of expiration
4. Certifying that the image is a true and accurate picture of how your car existed on the date/time the ticket was issued.
Let us know the outcome.
Good luck, Maryland Mike.
Best
NYC Larry