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Difference between revisions of "Traffic Tickets"
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==1. Summons or Appearance Notice for more serious offences== | ==1. Summons or Appearance Notice for more serious offences== | ||
If you are charged with a more serious traffic offence, such as careless driving or hit and run, you will get written notice of the offence in the form of a Summons or an Appearance Notice. A Summons is mailed to you or personally delivered to you. An Appearance Notice is given to you by a police officer at the time of offence. These documents describe the offences you are charged with. They also tell you when you have to appear in court. If you receive a Summons or Appearance Notice, | If you are charged with a more serious traffic offence, such as careless driving or hit and run, you will get written notice of the offence in the form of a Summons or an Appearance Notice. A Summons is mailed to you or personally delivered to you. An Appearance Notice is given to you by a police officer at the time of offence. These documents describe the offences you are charged with. They also tell you when you have to appear in court. | ||
If you receive a Summons or Appearance Notice, talk to a lawyer for some initial advice. Then decide whether to hire a lawyer. Send the prosecutor (or crown counsel) a written request for the police report on your case. Or ask for it at your first court appearance. | |||
===First court appearance=== | ===First court appearance=== | ||
At your first appearance in court, you will be asked to plead guilty or not guilty, or if you need more time to decide what to do. Ask the crown prosecutor for a copy of the police report before deciding what to do | At your first appearance in court, you will be asked to plead guilty or not guilty, or if you need more time to decide what to do. Ask the crown prosecutor for a copy of the police report before deciding what to do. If you plead not guilty, you will get a trial date. At the trial, witnesses and police officers will tell the judge what they think happened. You will get a chance to do the same, by giving evidence. The judge will then decide whether you are guilty. | ||
You must attend the court hearing. If the Summons or Appearance Notice was personally given to you and you don’t attend the hearing, the court will issue a bench warrant for your arrest. | You must attend the court hearing. If the Summons or Appearance Notice was personally given to you and you don’t attend the hearing, the court will issue a bench warrant for your arrest. | ||
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===If you want to fight the ticket=== | ===If you want to fight the ticket=== | ||
If you want to fight the Violation Ticket, tell the government office shown on the ticket in person or by mail, before the due date on the ticket. Say that you want to have a trial. You will be notified by mail of the trial date and location, and can fight the ticket at trial. | If you want to fight the Violation Ticket, tell the government office shown on the ticket in person or by mail, before the due date on the ticket. Say that you want to have a trial. You will be notified by mail of the trial date and location, and can fight the ticket at trial(there is no first court appearance). Well before the trial, send the police a written request for their report on your case. The police (not a crown counsel) prosecute these cases. | ||
===Trial=== | ===Trial=== | ||
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=For more information= | =For more information= | ||
Check script [[The Points System and ICBC (Script 187)|187]], called “The Points System and ICBC” and the following | Check script [[The Points System and ICBC (Script 187)|187]], called “The Points System and ICBC” and the following 3 websites: | ||
* | * [http://www.icbc.com/driver-licensing/tickets/Pages/default.aspx ICBC] explains how to dispute and pay fines. It also has a chart showing fines and penalty points for different offences. | ||
*The | * The [http://www.ag.gov.bc.ca/courts/tickets/index.htm Ministry of Attorney General]. | ||
* You can get an email of your [http://www.icbc.com/driver-licensing/getting-licensed/Pages/Your-driving-record.aspx driving record and your insurance and claim history record], immediately, by email from ICBC. | |||
[updated | [updated May 2016] | ||
