Fix it Tickets in New York

If you are a commercial driver, or the owner of a commercial company with a fleet of vehicles, you have probably run into a “fix-it ticket” at some point. While these tickets can also be given to non-commercial drivers and operators, it is commercial vehicles that usually run the risk of needing maintenance due to their frequent use. More importantly, commercial vehicles in general have a lot of equipment, so there are more things to go wrong.

A “fix-it ticket” is pretty much what it sounds like. An officer will pull you over for some type of problem with your vehicle- this can range from an unsatisfactory license plate and cracked windshield to significant mechanical problems that are obvious. The purpose of these tickets is to ensure that every vehicle is roadworthy and does not present a danger to other drivers. A fix-it ticket is a non-criminal violation that is meant to facilitate any necessary repairs. Once proof of the repair is presented the ticket is usually dismissed.

Because of their relative leniency, some drivers do not take them seriously. Some motorists send in some information to the court indicating that it was fixed and forget about it. However, for a court to dismiss a fix-it ticket, the paperwork must be proper. Some make the mistake of pleading guilty and assuming it will still be dismissed with proof of correction. This is a fatal error. Once you plead guilty nothing can be done about the ticket.

Failure to respond to any ticket, including fix-it tickets, typically results in suspension. This means a harmless ticket may turn into an arrest and criminal charge down the road. This is why it is imperative that the ticket be handled properly.

In general, you do not need an attorney to help with your equipment violation. However, first you need to confirm that your ticket does not have points and will not appear on your record (most do not). Once you confirm as much it means you are dealing with something that for all practical purposes amounts to a parking ticket. It does not make economic sense to hire an attorney for a parking ticket because the attorney’s fee is typically greater than the total cost of the ticket.

The main exception is New York City and Long Island. In these jurisdictions, equipment tickets are often issued to the corporation that owns the truck instead of the driver. Such tickets are actually summons’ and are returnable to criminal court. While nobody is really at risk of going to jail, it has to be handled by an attorney. Any matter involving a corporation must be handled by an attorney.

The attorneys at the Benjamin Goldman Law Office help numerous companies with their equipment violation tickets. We cover the entire NYC and Long Island, from Staten Island to Shelter Island. Our attorneys are dogged in pursuit of dismissal of all the charges. Feel free to contact us at your convenience. We offer free consultations to motorists or representatives of corporations.