Speeding ticket in the mail

[hollohas]

Question for our legal and LEO types...

The wife got a speeding ticket in the mail from Denver, 10mph over. I have heard that you don't have to pay any traffic fines for speeding unless you are personally served. Is that true? I read Colorado Revised Statutes 42-4-110.5 Part 2(a)(II) and I really can't decipher the language in the Statute. Does mailing it count as it being served?

The ticket says that if you don't pay it then a "Penalty Assessment Notice" will be personally served upon you with an additional fee of up to $59. I do see in the Statute it says they can't charge more than the actual usual costs of being served...

Secondly, in part (2)(d) it requires very specific requirements for posting a sign stating that they are clocking speed from one of these vans...I'd like to see Denver show proof that this sign was in place. I have seen these vans before and never seen a sign...

Should I press our luck and see if they actually serve her in 90 days out of my personal belief that traffic tickets should have to be given to you in person by a cop (<$99 dollars at risk) or should I just mail a check and be done with it ($40)?

[BushMasterBoy]

What a rip off our legal system is. Damn governor ought to be ashamed. You have a right to confront your accuser! How do you confront a machine? Get me a hammer!

[tonantius]

Peter Boyles says they are not legal. But I would talk to a lawyer about it.

[Sharpienads]

How can they even prove that you received the letter?

[sneakerd]

Just pay it and call it a day. If you don't, she may be stopped in the future and find she's driving on a suspended license. Don't arm-wrestle a guy bigger than you- you'll lose one way or the other.

[Ready Room]

Write the check...take photo of check...send photo of check...

I didn't know about the signs - sounds like something to look into as I have never seen one up either.

[Delfuego]

They have to physically serve you to force you to appear. This is done by a process server of the court. If you can dodge this person, then likely you are GTG. But if you are served, you will be responsible for the ticket and the cost of the process server. I am no LEO, but have done some research on this after I got one.

[roberth]

Don't pay it and deny you ever received it, of course it is too late to deny it since you opened this thread.

[TFOGGER]

Just pay it and call it a day. If you don't, she may be stopped in the future and find she's driving on a suspended license. Don't arm-wrestle a guy bigger than you- you'll lose one way or the other.

They can't suspend your license, these carry no points. Most counties will tell Denver to pound salt if asked to serve a summons based on one of these tickets. If the OP doesn't live in the City and County(People's Republik) of Denver, chances of getting actually served are bordering on zero. I may have been mailed one of these years ago, and may have summarily ignored it. I have been pulled over a number of times since they hypothetically sent me the stupid ticket, and no officer has made any mention. I have also renewed my driver's license since then.

[hollohas]

Just pay it and call it a day. If you don't, she may be stopped in the future and find she's driving on a suspended license. Don't arm-wrestle a guy bigger than you- you'll lose one way or the other.

From what I read in the law, Denver can't even report outstanding judgments or warrants from traffic violations detected by automatic identification systems to the DOT.