What to do when a traffic ticket has the wrong fine amount

[Sinisterniik]

So I was ticketed in CT for driving with a cell phone.

Yes, yes… Boo, hiss, and shame on me.

It was my first offense, and I was ticketed for $150.

However, upon further inspection, the fine is intended to be $125 according to the CT Department of Justice website:

(h) Any person who violates this section shall be fined one hundred twenty-five dollars for a first violation, two hundred fifty dollars for a second violation and four hundred dollars for a third or subsequent violation.

(i) An operator of a motor vehicle who commits a moving violation, as defined in subsection (a) of section 14-111g, while engaged in any activity prohibited by this section shall be fined in accordance with subsection (h) of this section, in addition to any penalty or fine imposed for the moving violation.

What do I do? Pay the $150? Pay $125? Plead not guilty and pay $125?

If I have to actually go to court, to save $25, I won’t. Not because I don’t think it’s morally outrageous for police to charge whatever they want for an offense, but because I’m busy and the courthouse isn’t anywhere nearby.

[Loach]

Call the court clerk of the jurisdiction it will be heard at. I can’t say for sure but there may be a processing fee attached to the fine.

[Colibri]

Legal advice is best suited to IMHO.

Colibri
General Questions Moderator

[gnoitall]

That’s the language of the current statute, possibly, but the Connecticut Violations and Infractions Schedule (Page 13) has the pentalty as $150:

14-296aa(b1st 150.00 (1st offense) Operation of a motor vehicle while using a hand-held mobile telephone to engage in a call or while using a mobile electronic device (An operator of a motor vehicle who types, sends, or reads a text message with a hand-held mobile phone or mobile electronic device while operating a motor vehicle shall have violated this section)

I don’t understand the nature of the discrepancy between the written statute and the schedule document, but at least the number you have matches at least ONE official document.

[kanicbird]

Once I pleaded guilty by mail for a traffic infraction IIRC it was $25 or $35 (actually what they are worth, but anyway), I got a letter stating that thought they accept my guilty plea by mail they will not accept the payment I have made and they insisted that I pay $15 (and returned my check) and requested, quite politely, would I please submit the $15 at my earliest convenience. I would have much rather them accepted my payment and refunded me my money then the other, but anyway that’s how it played out.

[Sinisterniik]

Thank you, gnoitall.

It used to be $100, so I guess they decided to raise it a couple of times.

[Sinisterniik]

I thought that might just be what would happen if I overpaid, kanicbird.