Q: Can I claim that I cannot afford to pay a traffic ticket due to the fact that it will deprive me of my livelihood?
If I am found responsible for a traffic ticket in court, can I request alternative forms of punishment rather than a hefty fine? I have medical proof from a doctor that I am paying out of pocket for medically necessary treatments. By paying a traffic ticket I am thereby arguing that my livelihood would be deprived because I could no longer afford to pay for my life saving medical treatments from my doctor. Also I would argue that suspending my license would also deprive me of my ability to see my doctor and receive treatment since they are located very far away. How successful would this Excessive Fines argument hold up if I could prove all of the above is accurate and true?
A:
Best case scenario: you get a sympathetic judge who will wish you well while assessing minimal fines and costs. Worst case scenario, you'll get a judge that will ask and then lecture you about what medical condition causes you to break the law and place others at risk by your actions.
There is no other alternative form of punishment for traffic citations. Your argument about it being medically necessary to have a license is certain to fail if it comes down to it.
Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.
The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.
Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.
