The Parking Ticket - Resolution

As a followup to my "The Parking Ticket" entry...

Today I returned to the "court house" (actually a regular Manhattan office building) to contest my parking ticket. This time I brought along additional evidence. That is, as the judge had suggested, photographs of the layout of the entire street from end to end. The key was including the Duane Street sign which would prove this was the street that the ticket said I was parked. I was concerned that some of the legal rules revealed at my prior appearance might have discounted my "misled by the signs" defense, although I insist that I made a reasonable effort to understand the postings.

This time, I did not have a friendly cordial interested male judge. The judge was a stern disinterested cold woman judge. She had me raise my hand and swear I would tell the truth and sign my name on the electronic pad to indicate I was there.

I explained my confusion in reading the parking signs. I laid out the pictures on her desk, as I did with the first judge two weeks prior. She said several times, if there is even ONE SIGN on the block, then that covers the whole street. THAT IS THE LAW. She looked at the photos disinterestedly. "These don't show the side", she said. I reached into my pocket for yet another shot. Her questioning and insistence put me on the defensive.

I honestly wasn't in this to save the $95 (they had again offered me $20 off if I decided to not see the judge). I just wanted to see how this would play out. Perhaps I would get a reduction that might pay the $5 I spent on the photos? As things progressed though, it seemed clear that my argument was not being considered.

She left the room, 5 minutes passed, 10 minutes passed... I contemplated my sentence and found another relevant picture in my jacket pocket. She finally came back. I showed her this picture. She looked but didn't seem to care. She then spoke, "I am dismissing this case." I was stunned. She printed out a receipt, "This will be proof of the decision". I had won!

As I walked out, I concealed my grin, and walked out across the street. I took out my camera and took a picture of the court office building there at 66 John Street. No parking in front of that building, it was clear from the pictures. No standing either.