Ticketed Mass. Motorists will have to pay money to the state Guilty or not
Massachusetts: Supreme Court Approves Charging Innocent Ticket Recipients
Motorists issued a traffic ticket in Massachusetts will have to pay money to the state whether or not they committed the alleged crime. According to a state supreme court ruling handed down yesterday, fees are to be imposed even on those found completely innocent. The high court saw no injustice in collecting $70 from Ralph C. Sullivan after he successfully fought a $100 ticket for failure to stay within a marked lane.
Bay State drivers given speeding tickets and other moving violations have twenty days either to pay up or make a non-refundable $20 payment to appeal to a clerk-magistrate. After that, further challenge to a district court judge can be had for a non-refundable payment of $50. Sullivan argued that motorists were being forced to pay "fees" not assessed on other types of violations, including drug possession. He argued this was a violation of the Constitution's Equal Protection clause, but the high court justices found this to be reasonable.
"We conclude that there is a rational basis for requiring those cited for a noncriminal motor vehicle infraction alone to pay a filing fee and not requiring a filing fee for those contesting other types of civil violations," Justice Ralph D. Gants wrote for the court. "Where the legislature provides greater process that imposes greater demands on the resources of the District Court, it is rational for the legislature to impose filing fees, waivable where a litigant is indigent, to offset part of the additional cost of these judicial proceedings."
The court insisted that allowing a hearing before a clerk-magistrate instead of an assistant clerk, as well as allowing a de novo hearing before a judge constituted benefits that justified the cost. http://www.thenewspaper.com/
Motorists issued a traffic ticket in Massachusetts will have to pay money to the state whether or not they committed the alleged crime. According to a state supreme court ruling handed down yesterday, fees are to be imposed even on those found completely innocent. The high court saw no injustice in collecting $70 from Ralph C. Sullivan after he successfully fought a $100 ticket for failure to stay within a marked lane.Bay State drivers given speeding tickets and other moving violations have twenty days either to pay up or make a non-refundable $20 payment to appeal to a clerk-magistrate. After that, further challenge to a district court judge can be had for a non-refundable payment of $50. Sullivan argued that motorists were being forced to pay "fees" not assessed on other types of violations, including drug possession. He argued this was a violation of the Constitution's Equal Protection clause, but the high court justices found this to be reasonable.
"We conclude that there is a rational basis for requiring those cited for a noncriminal motor vehicle infraction alone to pay a filing fee and not requiring a filing fee for those contesting other types of civil violations," Justice Ralph D. Gants wrote for the court. "Where the legislature provides greater process that imposes greater demands on the resources of the District Court, it is rational for the legislature to impose filing fees, waivable where a litigant is indigent, to offset part of the additional cost of these judicial proceedings."
The court insisted that allowing a hearing before a clerk-magistrate instead of an assistant clerk, as well as allowing a de novo hearing before a judge constituted benefits that justified the cost. http://www.thenewspaper.com/
Comment
-
Comment by Andy Anduer on September 25, 2011 at 11:09am
-
I just can't do the subject justice! enforced shots, enforced fine, right or wrong, all rights forfeited by the courts.. There is no law in Massachusetts any more. When are people going to do something about their rights? Mass. used to be the cultural center of the country, but it has been poisoned.
-
Comment by Misteri on September 23, 2011 at 9:00pm
-
Damn don't want to get a ticket in this state. No sight seeing for me in Massachusetts. I tend to be a little heavy on the gas. Really, do they think they can make more money from tickets than from tourism. Well, let me see if i were to go, I would need a place to sleep, a place to eat, and some entertainment. But since i am not going now at any time in the near future, I wont need to worry about that and the state of Massachusetts wont have to worry about the fine or the revenue and all the book keeping that goes along with that, or the time it takes the book keeper to record any of it. Such a smart decision, you should be so proud.
-
Comment by youhavetoforgiveme on September 23, 2011 at 7:04am
-
When all else fails, beat the peasants. It was THEIR fault that we looted their money from the government coffers anyway.
"Destroying the New World Order"
THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE SITE!
Latest Activity
- Top News
- Everything
The Alvin II Encounter: Was There A Living Dinosaur Involved?
The year is 1965 in the Caribbean islands at a 5-thousand-foot depth in the dark Atlantic waters.…See More
All In The Family | Mike Meets Archie For The First Time | The Norman Lear Effect
Gloria (Sally Struthers) has a new boyfriend called Michael (Rob Reiner) and she is very excited to introduce him to her parents (Carroll O'Connor and Jean S...
entitlement
Congress makes Social Security that we paid in our whole lives into to some government giveaway and…
Death Threats for Assisting ICE?
An Idaho Bar Helped ICE And Faced This Sick Backlash From DemocratsDecember 10, 20254 minute read…See More
'They’re Waiting for Us to Die': Area 51 Veterans Plead for Trump’s Help | Elizabeth Vargas Reports
Congress quietly killed the one fix that could have helped America’s “Area 51 veterans” prove where they served — and get the care they say they’ve earned.WA...
"Hope you enjoyed your thanksgiving day. I've often thought it'll good if I could send…"
I joined Facebook after 5 years of suspension!!! It went as expected.
"Thats a mighty attempt lionhearted. The true art of perseverance so thumbs up!"
Who Were the Silver Ghosts and Fork Tailed Devils Over Germany in WWII?
The year is 1943 and the Germans are punishing the US Eighth Air Force during their daylight…See More
THE GREAT FLOOD Official Trailer (2026) Netflix | Global Disaster Movies 4K
🌊 A world pushed past the breaking point.In THE GREAT FLOOD (2026), rising oceans, collapsing cities, and unstoppable storms trigger a global disaster unlik...
© 2025 Created by truth.
Powered by
You need to be a member of 12160 Social Network to add comments!
Join 12160 Social Network