QUESTION:
I received a parking ticket but received no courtesy notice. I understand that I still have to pay it. However, I am curious as to how this works. Suppose that someone removed the citation off my windshield or it flew off. I would have never known about the ticket and would not have paid it. What happens in this case?
ANSWER:
If I recall, lack of notice was one of the reasons Los Angeles moved away from using red light cameras. Unfortunately, I’m not aware of those same legal underpinnings ever defeating a parking ticket – which historically have not been delivered with process servers or by certified mail. But you raise an interesting question. If a late penalty was assessed before the DMV could truly ensure that you were aware of the ticket (let’s say when the registration came due) you might have grounds to challenge the increased penalty. Would it ever be practical to pursue such a strategy? Probably not …
