You Just Got an NYC Parking Violation, What Next?

Last Updated on February 28, 2020 by Lawrence Berezin

A parking violation can be beaten

Parking violation defense. If the NY Jets scored 24 unanswered points in the first quarter of a football game, we know they can still be beaten, but it will be more difficult (I hope).

Likewise, if you get a parking ticket and collect the proper proof before you leave the scene of the offense, it will be it will significantly increase your prospects to beat the ticket. Remember, the Evil Empire considers photos that were taken closest to the time of the violation, more credible and persuasive.

For example, If you claim your ticket should be dismissed because of an omitted registration expiration month and year sticker on your out-of-state vehicle and you present a photo of your plate at the scene of the violation shortly after the parking ticket was issued, a judge will be significantly more inclined to dismiss your evil parking ticket.

Think about what’s next before driving away in anger.

Carefully examine the front of the parking violation

After you finish cursing, of course.

Recover the parking ticket from the back seat of your chariot and uncrumple it. Here’s a brief checklist:

• What parking violation were you charged with? [Fire Hydrant]
• Where was the place of occurrence? [Front, 123 ABC Street in Brooklyn]

What Next?

• Take a photo of your car in front of the place of occurrence
• If there is a street number on the building, make sure it shows up in one of your photos
• A judge has to see that the parking space entered on the ticket corresponds with the parking space in the photo
• Take a photo showing the distance from your car to the nearest fire hydrant
• If you have access to a tape measure, extend it from your front bumper to the fire hydrant
• Take a photo showing the tape measure extended
• Take a series of photos showing the numbers on the tape measure extended
• If the distance is not more than 15 feet, we gotta come up with a different defense

What if the ticket was a no standing violation?

Let’s go back to our brief checklist

• What parking violation were you charged with? [No standing, anytime]
• Where was the place of occurrence? [567 DEF Boulevard in Queens]

What Next?

• Take a photo of your car in front of the place of occurrence
• Take one or more photos showing the location of the parking sign(s) pole closest to the front of your car
• Take one or more photos showing the location of the parking sign(s) pole closest to the rear of your car
• Check the arrow(s) on the parking sign(s) on the parking pole closest to the front and rear of your vehicle
• If any of the arrow(s) point to your car, the rule displayed on the parking sign(s) regulate your parking space in front of the place of occurrence
• Check to make sure that the rule and days and hours entered on your parking ticket match the rule, and days and hours entered on the parking ticket

What if the parking violation was an expired registration?

What questions would we ask in our checklist?

• Was the registration expiration date entered correctly on the ticket?
• If so, we gotta find another winning defense
• Was the registration expiration date omitted?
• Many states require the owner of a car to affix a sticker on the plate showing the month and year the registration expired. Many Cops and Warriors enter “NS” or “NA” on the ticket instead of the registration expiration month and year
• If so, we win, we must persuade a judge that the registration expiration date stickers were attached to the plate or the windshield on the date and time the parking ticket was issued

I strongly recommend you take some photos of the front, rear, and a close up of the plate bearing the registration expiration stickers of your car while it is parked at the place of occurrence entered on the ticket. This is more persuasive because it confirms your testimony that the photos were taken immediately after getting the ticket.

A time/date photo wouldn’t hurt!

Commentary

The Evil Empire recommends when necessary you should take photos of the front and back of every parking sign on the block and the street sign at the corner to identify the street. “When necessary” would be when your defense is a misdescribed rule. Or misdescribed days.

But, is it always necessary to take a photo (front and back) of every parking sign on the block? Nope!

A place of occurrence is regulated by the closest sign(s) to your parking space when the arrow(s) on a sign(s) points to the front and/or rear of your chariot.

In other words, the closest sign to the front potentially regulates your parking space if the arrow points to the front of your car. Likewise, the closest sign to the rear of your car regulates your parking space if the arrow on the sign points to your car.

If the arrow on the parking signs to the front and rear of your car BOTH point to your parking space, the stricter rule wins. For example, if one rule is no parking 7A-4P and the other rule is no parking anytime, the no parking anytime rule wins. Move along!

Park safely and carry a tape measure in your glove compartment.