Be advised that if you do fight it, you'll likely have to wait several hours for your case to be heard. I tried to argue a ticket a few years ago, showing up on the court date on time and then sat for several hours - I got frustrated waiting and just paid the damn thing. But, you will hear some pretty good stories/excuses for the cases that go before you.

Call the court first before the date on the ticket, usually that date is not the correct court date. Mine turned out to be a week later than the date on the ticket. You'll get the option of day or night court as well.

Q: Am I getting screwed by the JC Parking Authority?

A: Yes. We all are.

The date on the ticket is the court date and time. You can NOT show up on the appointed day at an earlier time and expect to be heard. You will most likely be told to come back at your appointed time. You CAN, however, change the court date and time, provided you call at least a few days in advance. Should you change the court date, you will NOT be charged any additional court fees.

My advice is to take pictures of all signs on the street. If you do have a parking permit, take a picture of that as well. You should also take a few minutes and look up the parking code, so you can arm yourself with that as well.

take pictures and print them out. i beat a parking ticket for an illegal handicapped spot by shop rite & bj's this way. the judge made anyone who had cameras and cell phone cameras without printed photos adjourn their date until they had the proper evidence. the judge kept some of my photos. be prepared to give up a few of them.

Parking meters are in effect on Saturdays, zone parking is not. Take pictures of all parking signs on said block. Personally go to the J.C. Parking Authority on Central Ave. up in the Heights and find out the information you were looking for over the phone. The date on the ticket reflects the payment date if you decide to plead guilty. If not I believe you can show up any time before the court date for either morning, afternoon, or evening court. I would go to the J.C. Municipal court house on Summit Ave. go to parking violations and question their schedule. This way you can fight the ticket but do so before the date.

If you go to court you will almost certainly be able to have it dismissed, when I have been the judges are accomodating and dismiss the tickets of anyone with a half-decent explanation or excuse.

But can you spare the time?

Robin.

Hello all ... my last post was about my car getting broken into on Montgomery Street (right next to St. Peters between JFK and Westside), and this time it's the other way around with me getting a ticket on the same street that I feel is wrong.

Basically the ticket says the parking meter had run out of time on October 11th, a Saturday. The sign clearly reads

"Meter Parking, 9 am-7 pm, Monday through Friday, 4 hour max"

I have been parking my car here EVERY weekend since May with no problems (except for said break in), as it has seemed like a perfectly legal place to park my car. Well, out of no where I get a summons to court for saying that on 10 AM on Oct 11 (a Saturday, when meters are supposed to be non-operational) , I had gone over the meter time. And then in chicken scratch on the front page, it said that my reason for a summons was "Wasn't aware of parking permit" ... I don't even understand what that means, as I don't believe you need any type of permit to park in this area, and the ticket itself is $29 for the overtime meter.


Now, I don't mind paying the $29 if I am IN THE WRONG, however, since I continue to park here every weekend, I want to know if I am or not.

I called the JC Parking Authority and the woman on the phone told me to either pay it or show up in court. If I do go to court (BTW, is it possible to change a court time and date, cause at the current time I can't make) are there extra court fees?

Basically, I know it's easier to just accept that I got screwed and pay the $29, but can't Jersey City just keep doing this to me again and again? I asked the woman if I was doing anything wrong and she wasn't even able to help me (I said, don't you have records of what the rules are on each street).

Anyway, some advice please ...

1. Was it an overzelous meter maid who wrote me a ticket and their in the wrong?

2. Should I just bite the bullet, pay the $29, and keep parking there

3. Go through the hassle of setting up a new court date (possibly paying court fees), and trying to fight for principle (as well as my $29)

Thanks all for your help!!!!