have to go to court

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A few weeks ago I took the lightrail in my city to get to an appointment, which I never usually do because I live within a few blocks of both school and work and I hardly ever go anywhere else. The fare is $1.50 which I had ready to pay until I saw both of the fare machines had Out of Order signs on them. Then I saw the train was coming, I didn't want to be late and I was only going a few stops so I got on without paying. Well, when I got off security was checking transfers. So I (along with a few others because the fare machines at 2 stations were out of order) were pulled aside, lectured and given tickets. I was really upset having been pulled aside in a crowded station with everyone passing looking at me. Luckily the officer noticed I was trembling and cut his speech short so I could go on my way. When I got home I looked at the ticket and it turns out I have to go to court over this! I'm hoping that they'll be so flooded with cases like mine that the judge will just let it go. Assuming that I'll be able to actually get some coherent words out of my mouth, does anyone have any suggestions for what I should say?

I once got a ticket for having a montly pass but no GoCard (student discount) on the SkyTrain (rapid transit). I never had to go to court; I was able to send in a written form saying why I shouldn't pay the whole fine. I ended up only paying $50 instead of $200+ by saying I was low income (may or may not be true depending on your definition).

The whole thing - getting pulled aside and written up - was really embarrassing. I don't think I've ever been more embarassed or nervous or upset in my whole life! It was awful, truly awful, but it's in the past now.

Just tell the truth, the machines were out of order so you couldn't pay.

Forgot to mention that there was a way to pay without using the fare machines, walk to the front car of the train and pay inside. I just didn't do it because I was hurrying.

My son got a 2nd speeding ticket within a year.In our State if you go to court and the cop who gave you the ticket is a no show, then you won your case. My son didn't know this and felt the first ticket was unjustified, when he went trafic school,or whatever you call it to clear his record, his teacher told him he should have fought the ticket. Too late, so when he got his second ticket he went to court, the cop was there but told the judge that he had such a good attitude that he recommended my son go to Traffic school again. Usually you can't when you get a ticket that soon. The judge went with the recommendation, and Travis (My Son) paid a fine, went to school, and cleared his record. When you go to court, just be honest, who knows, maybe the judge will have some mercy on you.

If you're expected to say something to a judge, just apologize, admit you made a mistake, give a very brief explanation of what happened (was in a hurry, fare machines out of order), and promise to pay at the front of the train if you need to again.

Would it make you less nervous if you wrote it down?

Where I live, a court date can be satisfied by going to the court clerk before that date and paying a fine specified on the back of the ticket. Can you do that?

Thanks, probably what I'll do.




I can't afford to pay $130.

Wow. Lame. $130. That seems pretty steep for a ticket like that. So does that mean you could pay and not go to court if you had the money? If so, that's not good. Because when you get to court you could be found guilty no matter what you say and more than likely be given the option to either pay the $130 right then or do community service. You're not going to like community service.

How long til your court date?

Yeah I could pay instead of going to court, but $130 is a lot for me and it would be hard for me to afford that. I just went this morning and scheduled my date for November 26. That was the earliest date they had.

I don't guarantee my advice will get you out of anything, although it may. It's just the right thing to do.

dude there getting rediculous with these fines nowdays, in public here if you get caught sleeping in your car or somewhere on the street not in an established "living area" you can be slapped down for up to $10,000! its absolutley rediculous, but goodluck

Just say the truth...that would be the best. I had meltdowns in court before, over traffic tickets and once I ended up in big trouble, so please just be calm when you go and don't have a tantrum, like I did. I swear on G-d, I am not a drama queen, but for some reason, they just guessed about me that I was sensitive and they rode me hard...none of those imbecilles could imagine that maybe I was autistic. Recently, I went to the chief in my town, I really respect him and I visit him from time to time and with tears in my eyes, I told him that I have Asperger and so does my daughter. He was very kind and he didn't say anything. I know that he will read or ask a little about it.
Last trouble I had, very recently, was at the post office, some as*hole there, a supervisor, threw a package at me and I got so startled that I almost climbed the counter and give him what he needed.

I have to go pick up my daughter...I didn't realize what time is...I will write more when I get on the computer again...

Chin up, you will do OK with the ticket, you will probably have to pay instalments...

Well, at least you have time. Hope everything goes well.
; )

I hope that things go well for you, in court.

I said I would post again, when I had time...what happened to me is a classic example of how people don't know about autism and also an example how a "normal" thing (for NT's it might be normal to go to court and act like nothing happened when under pressure), so an example how my court hearing went bad.
I went to court for some dumb ticket that ended up being $560.00. I was a single mother and I did not have the money, plus I kept on going because I didn't think I deserved the ticket. It was a ticket for "not stopping for a school bus with red lights flashing/in a construction zone". Wow!! ! I am a mother, at the time my daughter was 6 years old and she was using school buses, too. I am a very responsible person, I am compassionate etc. The police car was right behind me and it was a very long line of cars moving very slow on both narrowed lanes of the road. I saw the police car, I was looking everywhere at my heart's content, because we were going very slow etc. How in a million years I would do what the police officer said I did? Anyway, at the last court hearing, I was treated by the prosecutor (that's how it is in my state, the city attorney acts like a prosecutor for traffic tickets), so the city attorney was being really disrespectful, saying that I don't have respect for the officer's time etc. I got really nervous, because she was sending those vibes of hate and she was using language that showed blatant disrespect...all I did was tell the judge that I would appreciate if the city attorney would be less hostile towards me, so I can explain my case (of course I didn't have a lawyer, I could ot afford the fine, how could I afford the lawyer?). When the city attorney heard "hostile" she became insane. She had a vein popping on her forehead...I just was afraid that she was going to have a vascular accident right there...I am a foreigner and I know that she acted out of her "superiority" (an NT with a humongous EGO), also, like: "who the hell does this dirty foreigner think she is?" (I get this kind of treatment a lot, despite the fact that I am not dirty and I have 8 years of college under my belt AND A CONTRIBUTING MEMBER TO THE aMERICAN SOCIETY) My fate was sealed, I got the whole fine and I got out of there quikly, because my senses were so bad, that I just wanted to dissapear...in a whole and scream or something. So I went to the counter to pay whatever I had on me that day. While I was at the counter, a court clerk came and asked me to go back in the court room. I was really confused about it, I was like: Oh, somebody got some sense in there and maybe they will minimize the fine etc. I was still terrified, but I went back. When I got in , I got a bad feeling...the judge said that on my way out I was heard saying "b***h" and I was to do an aditonal 100 hours of community work. The city attorney had two veins popping on her forehead now. I tried to explain that this is not my class and behaviour, to call someone a "b***h", but they would not have it. Some police officers were laughing, they were the ones that told the Magistrate that I said "b***h"...that was their "smart" way of helping their fellow officer for me "dragging" him to court for the ticket more than once. To this day, I never called that woman a b***h (I don't know how they figured out that I called the city attorney a b***h...they must have thought that she was the only b***h there? get the idea?)...Anyway, that summer I could hardly work, I could hardly feed my daughter, because I had to complete the service in time. And guess what? My supervisor at the community service was very nice, helped me with day care for my daughter, feed us, because it was a food bank, but...she was a lesbian and I had to endure sexual harassment...you guys might think it was funny (now I think it was hillarious and I am proud that a lesbian actually finds me attractive, I must be?), but I am straight and it was really confusing, given my innability to read social cues. She ended up looking in my eyes one day and telling me: "I could lick right into you!". It took me a couple of days to realize what she said to me...that's how clueless I am...I actually think I have selective hearing, when I am told something shocking I just don't hear it...I don't know if it makes sense... Anyway, that's my court hearing story gone bad...
Wouldn't it be nice if everybody would have respect for everybody, regardless of their sex, disability, citizenship etc... I know that's an utopic world. But I live in it. I have respect for everybody!! !
I also want to say that foreigners are not all bad (terrorists, stupid, dirty, idiots, drug dealers etc), like I have been treated so many times, like I am automatically a bad person, just because I have a thick accent...

I am sorry that you have to deal with that ticket. Please try to take an advocate with you (a b-friend, aunt etc. would do), if you can. If you can't, just remember, be calm and don't talk unless you are asked (and they have no idea that you are autistic/AS or maybe even if they would know, it would be hard for them to understand the terror of being in court for an autistic or AS person). They are very sensitive about that, talking without being asked, or moving too much, strange looks of fear on the face etc. One of my best friends, who is a lawyer, G-d bless him, had to coach me daily so I didn't freak out at the last dumb court appearance I had...it worked. I just sat there and I hummed a mantra in my head (I guess that's called stimming, usually I rock my body, but now I know that's kind of weird to do at my age, it is comforting, but it's not appropriate anymore) and just kept calm!! ! I KNOW HOW TERRIBLE IT IS TO BE IN A COURT ROOM!! ! But we are smart people, we can figure it out.

I thank you for reading my ranting. I hope that everybody is having a good day! And many to come!

Love, Elena.