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  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    California
    Posts
    6

    Post Going to Court for Metrolink Fare Evasion

    My question involves criminal law for the state of: California
    Hello All.
    I received a ticket for fare evasion back in March. I ride the Metrolink Commuter train every day from Ventura County to Los Angeles for about ten months. One morning I arrived at the station a few minutes before the train was pulling in and attempted to purchase a seven day pass. I was unable to do so before the train arrived, and as it was a matter of me losing my job (I was on my last warning for lateness, all of which were caused, ironically, by train delays) I got on the train with the intention of purchasing a seven day pass once I reached Union Station. Shortly before we reached the station, several sheriffs boarded the train and began asking for tickets. Long story short, when they asked for my ticket I could not present anything but my old, used passes for the weeks prior to the incident. I was written up for a ticket which says 640 (c) (1) PC-Fare Evasion. I accept that I am in the wrong and am prepared to pay the fine that the courts levy and to do my community service.

    The bottom of the original citation has a court date of 06/05/14 to appear at the Los Angeles Traffic Court at 8:30. I was prepared to do so and was glad and ready to have this put behind me. However, I recently received a notice in the mail from the Sheriff's Department-Metrolink Bureau that says there was an error on my initial citation and that my court date should NOT be on June 5th, but that it should now be on July 21st at the same time and the same courthouse. I am very worried about the change in date, and more than a little upset. I don't understand how the officer could have made an 'error' that I'm just now receiving 2 weeks before my court date. I also checked online using the LA Traffic Courts (they handle fare evasion, apparently) online system to see if the Citation was there and if I could pay it online, and every time it says there is an error.

    Granted, I am glad to have the additional time to secure the funds to pay the fine (I expect it to be somewhere between $800-$1500, based on some research I've done) but I'm worried that this court date will approach and then it will AGAIN be postponed and take up to a year to finish and settle.

    I want to move on with my life and put this behind me. I worry about EVERYTHING, and not a day goes by where I don't obsess over this. I am looking for a new job where the commute is not as intense, and I worry about this fine hanging over my head. I am concerned as to the change of date and am also wondering if I should just appear on the original date of 6/5/14 and plead guilty (as I was planning on doing) or if that would be a waste of my time and if I should just go on the 'new' date of 7/21/14 and plead guilty. The phone number for the court clerk is useless.

    Does anyone have any experience with this type of situation?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Officially across the country from where I've been all my life
    Posts
    4,494

    Default Re: Metrolink Fare Evasion and Changed Court Date

    Why did it take so long for you to get the amendment? Easy, because the Sheriff's Department and most LEO's don't submit their tickets to the court immediately for processing. They're done in batches and then they're reviewed by the court in batches and they have to be rejected by the courts in batches and the courts are behind. Each one of those tickets have to be reviewed by no less than 3 people and a computer scanner. If the third party agency finds something wrong with the ticket, they can't kick it back, they have to send it to the court who then has to review it and one of the clerical staff there has to reject it. There have been times at some courthouses when the rejection que had 1000 tickets in it. Those have to be gone through 1 by 1 and often only by one or two people.

    Your ticket won't be processed by 6/5 so there's nothing you can do on 6/5. The new date is the result of the court kicking it back and making the officer assign a new due date. So show up on 7/21, or whenever you see the ticket appear online and take care of it.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    California
    Posts
    6

    Default Re: Metrolink Fare Evasion and Changed Court Date

    CourtClerk,

    Thank you very much for the straightforward and clear-cut answer. I really appreciate that, and it makes sense as to why my court date was pushed back, especially if the courts rejected it for some strange reason or if the officer made a mistake. I was worried that it was something I PERSONALLY had done. I will keep checking the LA Traffic Courts website to see if I can pay the fine there as well.

    You have alleviated most of my fears regarding the change of date.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Officially across the country from where I've been all my life
    Posts
    4,494

    Default Re: Metrolink Fare Evasion and Changed Court Date

    The rejection comes from an error on the citation. Perhaps the code was wrong, the writing was illegible, a date, time, location or something was left off. It could be something as benign as his serial number was missing a digit or his description of the charge doesn't match the code he cited you for. Everything on the ticket has a place on the court's computer. If something is missing or can't be read, it has to be sent back for correction.

    It's never anything you did wrong, it's always something wrong on the part of the agency that issued the cite.

    The other reason why it could be pushed back is that the courts were backed up in processing tickets and they couldn't get it entered and processed in time for the due date. In that instance, the court changes the date and that has nothing to do with the agency.

  5. #5

    Default Re: Metrolink Fare Evasion and Changed Court Date

    Hello courtClerk,

    I am also in a similar situation. Is a $1100 fine normal for this type of violation? That is the fine I received. Also, am i suppose to pay the fine before my court date or after?

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