Appealing a Parking Ticket

[glen-highland.livejournal.com]

My appeal of a bogus parking ticket was denied. 311 just told me that there is no other way to appeal it further and that it would need to go to the court system. Is this really true? (I have previously read posts on this forum where people suggest "you should appeal it again", etc..)
Thanks, Glen

Comments

[violet-helix.livejournal.com]

Last winter, I contested a ticket in writing and I did get the fee waived.

However, they made a point of saying that the ticket had not been issued in error. They were just being really swell and dismissing the fine.

I don't know if this is standard procedure, but I remember thinking it was kinda weird.

[ilai]

I don't remember the details, but one of my roommates went through the exact same thing. She felt both relieved and insulted that the fine was dismissed in that manner.

[closetalker11.livejournal.com]

This kind of thing makes you wonder if the employees have their pay docked for overturns, doesn't it? Otherwise, how ridiculous!

[qwrrty.livejournal.com]

I expect this is standard procedure in most places.

About a year ago I got a parking ticket in Arlington for overstaying a 2-hour parking space on Mass Ave, on a block where there are no posted parking restrictions. I took photos and submitted them with my appeal.

My appeal was rejected twice: once on the grounds that I had an outstanding parking ticket from the previous autumn, and once because "there is no overnight street parking in Arlington." This was for a ticket that was issued at about 2:30 in the afternoon.

I eventually got the citation dismissed but I had to speak directly to the Arlington parking clerk to get it done, and he made it clear that he considered this to be a favor he was doing me because my appeal was improperly rejected, not that he considered anything wrong with the original citation.

Anyway, it's anecdotal experience (and yes, I know I'm talking about Arlington and not Somerville) but it suggests to me that it is common for a town not to acknowledge any kind of error in issuing the original citation even when the case is open-and-shut.