# I got a ticket for open container, am I guilty of a criminal offense?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-ticket-for-open-container-am-i-guilty-of-a-criminal-offense/110153>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 21, 2002, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-ticket-for-open-container-am-i-guilty-of-a-criminal-offense/110153 "2002-05-21T19:10:08Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Neptune](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5a626/32.png) [@Neptune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neptune)\
**Post date:** [May 23, 2002, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-ticket-for-open-container-am-i-guilty-of-a-criminal-offense/110153/21 "2002-05-23T19:51:57Z")

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Sometimes questionaires have questions that are designed to see how honestly you are answering.

I have never stolen anything. T / F

I always tell the truth. T / F

Answering True indicates that you might be more worried about what people will think than giving correct answers.

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**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\
**Post date:** [May 24, 2002, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-ticket-for-open-container-am-i-guilty-of-a-criminal-offense/110153/22 "2002-05-24T12:56:32Z")

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Sorry for the continued hijack, but in answer to wring’s question -

Yes, in many, if not most, Virginia localities, zoning violations are considered Class One misdemeanors and carry the possibility of jail time. Granted, I’ve never heard of a judge actually send someone to the pokey for it, but the possibility makes enforcement much easier. I did manage to get a $10,000 fine levied against a property-owner for running an illegal rooming house. There were significant safety issues involved, and the case had gone on and on and on and I believe the judge was making an example of the owner.

Long story short - at least in Virginia (I missed the NY reference in the OP), a violation of the local Code (which contains the ZO in VA) is a criminal offense. There isn’t a gradation as there appears to be in other jurisdictions (enfraction, violation, crime, etc.).

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