Court Summons For Speeding

[TT205 42]

Today my wife got a court summons for doing 36 in a 30 limit last June

 

Weird thing is that they claim they notified her last June and reminded in July thus have now sent a summons as they have heard nothing from her

 

We have received NO previous paperwork so are rather gobsmacked. The offense was sufficiently away from where we live that she remembers making such a journey and so is very likely to be guilty

 

- and no we haven't moved house etc so they will always have had our correct address

 

If we had received the original offense she would have taken it on the chin - but what now? - is it hobsons choice and plead guilty by mail and wait for the judgement? - anyone have experience of this?

 

Are there any options other than it automatically going to court?

 

Cheers

 

Dave

 

PS - she's not trying to wriggle out of this, just very concerned that the first 'received' communication is a summons which sounds both serious and expensive!

[24seven 104]

Get in touch with them, you might be able to just pay it and avoid a court appearance. I had a court summons with a week's notice for not paying a parking fine (they'd fined me twice in 2 days, told me I'd only have to pay once since the car hadn't been moved at all but 9 months later a court summons arrived) but they let me pay it over the phone there and then - I was told I could have paid any time up to 48 hours before the hearing and it would be called off.

[GilesW 41]

Been here with a court summons for failing to declare a SORN.

They first off offered me a fine (I never recieved), then reminded me (never recieved), then a CCJ for non payment of fine (did receive!).

 

You can basically turn back the clock and get it to start over again - which will mean she will get the origional fine etc.

 

To do this you need to contact your the court mentioned and they will tell you what you need to do. You will also need to contact the DVLA for the details of what they sent out and when.

Go to court at a date agreed with thr court, fill a form out, swear in front of a judge and give the reasons why you are appealing, and then (if they believe you - they usually do as DVLA often cocks up) then it's like it starts all over again.

 

I went from having a CC'j for non-payment of fine (!!!), to paying £80 for failing to declare SORN.

 

[Baz 421]

I've been in a similar situation, they don't send anything recorded delivery, ask them to prove you received the initial notification and outlay the issue, they can't prove it and should revert it back to the initial fine, but it might take some time/fight!

[cRaig 273 1 Cars]

The exact same thing happened to my girlfriend over the summer- the first notification which arrived was the summons.

We got a letter sent from royal mail which stated that there had been issues at the sorting office (which was true, they were restructuring the sorting office at the time, so post was crap) although I got the impression that they werent fussed and would simply send out the standard letter if you asked them to.

 

Took the letter to court and explained no previous correspondence had been recieved, and they struck off the points/fine for not contacting/declaring who was driving, and only had the SP30/speeding to deal with.

 

Dont worry, I think this sort of thing happens more often you would think, so the courts werent too worried about the NIP being lost in the post!

 

Hope that helps,

Craig

[Henry Yorke 269 3 Cars]

I had a court summons once for a speeding fine and was terrified. I pleaded guilty by proxy and anticipated a huge additional fine and increased points etc. All I got was the original fine and the points.

 

It almost makes it worth trying it on as you have nothing to lose I am not surprise there is little respect for the law in this country if it allows that to happen (not that I was complaining in my situation!).

[calvinhorse 870]

I had a court summons once for a speeding fine and was terrified. I pleaded guilty by proxy and anticipated a huge additional fine and increased points etc. All I got was the original fine and the points.

 

It almost makes it worth trying it on as you have nothing to lose I am not surprise there is little respect for the law in this country if it allows that to happen (not that I was complaining in my situation!).

Henrys only crime is being so handsome

[TT205 42]

Cheers guys

 

So she turns up at court ASAP to discuss it?

 

It may revert to original fine and points

 

But - worst case scenario is there may be more fine and more points for not notifying the driver even though she didn't receive a letter