Q: If my court date has come and gone, court was cancelled and the officer never filed the ticket...am I in legal purgatory
I received my ticket for speeding on 11/15 for 69 in a 55. Initial court date set for today, 12/18. Saw two days ago (12/16) that court was cancelled. Contacted court clerk's office via telephone (12/16) to confirm. When asked for my ticket number, they had no record of it. Officer hasn't filed ticket yet. I informed them I would still attend in person to verify court was not in session. I went to court. Docket was still printed, clerk's office open, though court was cancelled due to Covid. I was not on the docket. Spoke in person with clerk at this point. She notifies me that my ticket has still not been filed by the officer. Then proceeds to tell me that even though SHE CALLED THE OFFICER TO REMIND HIM TO FILE THE TICKET after she spoke with me on the phone two days ago, he still hasn't filed it. Say they will mail me a new court date. How long does this get to hang over my head? There is no time limit I can find...am I lost in some grey fog of legal world?
A: You have already wasted more time and effort on this than you should have. Just hire a local traffic attorney, have this reduced to a non-moving violation that will not affect your license and insurance and be done with it. If the address on your ticket is correct, you will likely be getting a crap ton of letters from traffic attorneys. You do not need F. Lee Bailey for minor infraction of 69/55 so just pick the cheapest one and roll with that. Or you can keep wasting your time going to canceled court dates. Best of luck.
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