New York Traffic Ticket Scofflaws

For many New Yorkers, traffic tickets are a relatively low priority. It is not uncommon for drivers to miss their appearance date or forget about the ticket altogether. Unfortunately, forgetting about a minor traffic ticket may have drastic consequences.

Every traffic ticket will have an “appearance date“. Usually, this date does not actually require you to appear in court. It is just a deadline that the ticket has to be answered by. A ticket can be answered by mailing it in with a plea of “guilty” or “not guilty”. This answer must be submitted to the court by the date provided on the ticket.

If you fail to answer a traffic ticket, you will be deemed to be a “scofflaw”. As humorous as the term is, it is no laughing matter. This means the motorists will get their license suspended and will have to pay a subsequent $70 suspension termination fee for not answering their tickets. If you answer the ticket with a not guilty plea, get a court date from the court, fail to appear at the court, the court will treat the ticket as answered. You will then also be treated as a “scofflaw.” Thankfully, a 2020 law eased the financial penalties for scofflaws. In addition, this law also prevents suspension of licenses stemming from failure to pay fines.

Even with the new found leniency, drivers will still have to address their scofflaw status before their case can be resolved. Unaddressed traffic tickets will lead to serious consequences that will affect your finances and driving history. License suspensions appear on your driving record and almost always impacts insurance rates.

For all driving-related concerns, it is critical that a driver do their research. In many cases, such as scofflaws, a seemingly minor occurrence can develop into yearlong headaches. Driving history and insurance rates build on each other, usually to the detriment of the driver. It would be prudent to contact an experienced attorney in any traffic related situation to mitigate the harm experienced and money spent.

The Benjamin Goldman Law Office assists motorists that are deemed “scofflaws”. We are a New York State traffic ticket defense firm. Our team helps suspended and scoffed motorists on the daily. The Benjamin Goldman Law Office helps clients across the state. We handle cases in Upstate New York, North County, Western New York, Long Island, New York City, Mohawk Valley, Southern Tier, Catskill Mountains, Thousand Islands, Hudson Valley, Central New York, and Finger Lakes. Contact us at your convenience.