Metrolink Citation - More Updates

Hello all... As you may recall, I received a citation for riding on Metrolink without a valid ticket. For a review of my previous postings on the topic, check here and here and here. Have you read 'em? Good.

Since that point, I've been getting a rather large number of hits and comments on the topic. Many people want to know, well, what happened. I have been somewhat remiss about sharing the conclusion of this little tale, so, without further ado:

My court date, as I recall, was Jan. 17, two months after I received the citation. I had, as the good people at Metrolink had requested, sent in the missing $5 fare. I had also filed an appeal of the issuance of the citation. I do not know if these were put into the same file, different files, or ignored completely. However, I received a letter from Metrolink in late December letting me know that my appeal had been denied.

I don't recall the exact language in the letter, but it said something along the lines of "...if you believe there are further circumstances regarding this citation, you should speak to the court at your hearing." Basically, "tell it to the judge, sucker." The letter was CC'd to the court.

Though I don't remember the exact wording of the Metrolink letter, I can tell you with fairly great accuracy that my next words were "dirty f***ing bastards!" You see, I thought I had been screwed: I had paid the missing $5 fare, and I was STILL on the hook for the $250 fine. Great. Maybe the judge would reduce it to $245.

So, fuming, I sent my own letter to the court, including all of my correspondence with Metrolink, and, essentially, laying out my defense. I think I sent a copy to Metrolink as well.

And, then, nothing. Christmas came and went, as did New Years and the post-New Years' hangover. Then, two days prior to the date of my hearing, I got a letter from the court.

Case dismissed, the letter said.

Now, why? I don't know. It's possible that Metrolink denied my citation appeal, pro forma, but still, as I had been told before, asked the court to dismiss my ticket. It's also possible that the judge that would have heard my case (I didn't know the name of the judge...all my letters simply went to the courthouse division dealing with my case) decided I had a point and saved me the trouble of showing up.

Though I'd love to say I convinced the judge, through the wisdom of my words, to toss my case, my guess is that Metrolink requested the dismissal. I did what they requested - paid my missing fare - and they did what they said they'd do - request a dismissal if I had no priors. The appeal, goes my thinking, was a separate process on whether the citation should have been issued in the first place. They decided it had been issued properly, so no dismissal.

Whatever the case, I ALWAYS get my ticket validated now. I've missed a few trains b/c of it, but it's worth it. Next time, I'm guessing, I'll get that fine, so I'm trying to avoid that next time.

Good luck to all of yous in similar circumstances.