Being in a Park After Hours

[Caroline90]

My question involves criminal law for the state of: New York

I am from New Jersey and I was visiting my boyfriend in New York. We were sitting in his car in a parking lot of a park after dark, not realizing that the park had a sign that said it closed at 10pm. We were there around 1:30am and a police car drove by and saw us sitting there. They stopped by and came to talk to us, eventually issuing us each a ticket for being in the park after hours. The officer said it is a civil issue, not criminal, but we need to go to court. Does anyone know if it is possible for me, being that I live fairly far from where this happened, to pay a fine for this without having to appear in court? The ticket did not list a fine, just a court date. Also, if I do need to go to court, can someone give me an idea as to what is going to happen there? I have never been to court before, and I know this is not a major issue, but I do not know what to expect.

[LawResearcherMissy]

You may be able to have an attorney appear on your behalf. Alternatively, check with the Clerk of Courts in the county in which you were ticketed, to see what procedures there are - if any - to simply pay the fine without having to appear.

If neither of those is an option, court it is. You appear at the specified date and time, and wait for your case to be called. Your charges will be read, you may or may not be asked to explain what you were doing there. Your fine will be pronounced, and you'll be instructed to leave.

That's all. Your case will be done in about 10 minutes, though you may wait a while for it to be called if the docket is packed.

[Caroline90]

I spoke with the court clerk and she told me that I could write a letter to the judge explaining the situation, and include the ticket, and he might allow the case to be resolved through paying a fine sent through the mail. Could you give me an idea as to what to write in such a letter?