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Old 01-23-2012, 01:14 AM
 
3 posts, read 27,416 times
Reputation: 13

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I was visiting your wonderful city and got a speeding ticket from a highway patrol officer. My offense was driving at 46mph where the speed limit was 35mph. Anyways I came back home (Dubai, United Arab Emirates) and don't know what to do with the ticket.
Does anyone know of relatives/friends who got tickets while visiting and their course of action?
As per my citation, the violation is 'speeding 10% or more above posted speed limit' and am asked to appear before 31-Jan-2012 in a court in Fort Bend, Katy, TX 77494. Please help with any advice. Thanks!

Last edited by pokenose; 01-23-2012 at 01:23 AM..
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Old 01-23-2012, 01:59 AM
 
Location: Houston, TX
17,029 posts, read 30,773,910 times
Reputation: 16264
Quote:
Originally Posted by pokenose View Post
I was visiting your wonderful city and got a speeding ticket from a highway patrol officer. My offense was driving at 46mph where the speed limit was 35mph. Anyways I came back home (Dubai, United Arab Emirates) and don't know what to do with the ticket.
Does anyone know of relatives/friends who got tickets while visiting and their course of action?
As per my citation, the violation is 'speeding 10% or more above posted speed limit' and am asked to appear before 31-Jan-2012 in a court in Fort Bend, Katy, TX 77494. Please help with any advice. Thanks!
Mail in the fine. Unless you never plan to come back to the US.
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Old 01-23-2012, 01:59 AM
 
7,532 posts, read 11,507,153 times
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you might be able to just pay it online and be done with it
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Old 01-23-2012, 04:34 AM
 
Location: Downtown Area
168 posts, read 468,019 times
Reputation: 195
Quote:
Originally Posted by pokenose View Post
I was visiting your wonderful city and got a speeding ticket from a highway patrol officer. My offense was driving at 46mph where the speed limit was 35mph. Anyways I came back home (Dubai, United Arab Emirates) and don't know what to do with the ticket.
Does anyone know of relatives/friends who got tickets while visiting and their course of action?
As per my citation, the violation is 'speeding 10% or more above posted speed limit' and am asked to appear before 31-Jan-2012 in a court in Fort Bend, Katy, TX 77494. Please help with any advice. Thanks!
You need to look at the ticket closely, especially the back of it. It should have instructions about how to contest it in court or pay the fine directly, subsequently pleading no contest. It would be best to just pay it and be done with it. If you ever come back to Houston, Harris County specifically, then you may have a warrant out for your arrest which would make for an unpleasant visit. However, if you go to say Austin or Dallas or anywhere else in the U.S. then you will not be arrested.
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Old 01-23-2012, 06:57 AM
 
3 posts, read 27,416 times
Reputation: 13
Thanks for your responses. How can I know how much is the fine? it doesnt say anything on the ticket about the amount or how to pay the fine. It just tells me to present myself in court before the 31st of Jan 2012.
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Old 01-23-2012, 08:40 AM
 
Location: Pearland, TX
3,333 posts, read 9,129,919 times
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Call the court, have your citation number at hand, tell them you live outside the country and can you petition for deferred adjudication.

Ronnie
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Old 01-23-2012, 11:44 PM
 
5,976 posts, read 15,188,330 times
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Default Yes...

Quote:
Originally Posted by HoustonRonnie View Post
Call the court, have your citation number at hand, tell them you live outside the country and can you petition for deferred adjudication.

Ronnie
What HoustonRonnie said.

Although, the city is hurting for money, don't be surprised if they demand payment anyway. If they don't grant you Deferred Adjudication, then ask them if they can cut the fine since you don't live in the US. At least this way they know they will get something, many foreigners to the south laugh at tickets and they never seem to be in trouble.
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Old 01-24-2012, 12:01 AM
 
3 posts, read 27,416 times
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I called the court office that was mentioned on my ticket. Was told that since I do not have a texas license, i cannot request for a defensive driving course. So i have to pay the full $180!! which is a hell lot comparing to what a local resident could get it discounted to. Now the address on the ticket is not mine, the cop took the address from the insurance on the car that i was driving and put it on there. How would one of you tackle this?
Would you just let it go? I have been told that post 31st Jan 2012, the court will issue an arrest warrant in my name to the address that is there on the ticket. I do not intend to come to the USA for a long time, say even if i do in the next 3-5 years, would i be arrested on arrival?
Are traffic violations connected to the immigration/customs authority?
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Old 01-24-2012, 09:44 AM
 
235 posts, read 799,434 times
Reputation: 186
Quote:
Originally Posted by pokenose View Post
I do not intend to come to the USA for a long time, say even if i do in the next 3-5 years, would i be arrested on arrival?
Are traffic violations connected to the immigration/customs authority?
The question is... do you plan to return specifically to Texas? If you do then there will likely be a warrant out for your arrest but that would only come up if you get arrested again. If you are going to another state, no worries. I had a ticket in Louisiana that I never paid but I never go there anymore or if I do I don't drive.
I can't say for certain but I doubt traffic violations are tied into the same database as immigration/customs.
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Old 01-24-2012, 04:49 PM
 
5,976 posts, read 15,188,330 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Yonkers View Post
The question is... do you plan to return specifically to Texas? If you do then there will likely be a warrant out for your arrest but that would only come up if you get arrested again. If you are going to another state, no worries. I had a ticket in Louisiana that I never paid but I never go there anymore or if I do I don't drive.
I can't say for certain but I doubt traffic violations are tied into the same database as immigration/customs.
You won't be denied entry as Yonkers noted, this information has nothing to do with someone's ability to exit, or enter the USA; we've more important reasons to keep people out than traffic fines. The US is not Oman, Qatar, UAE, etc. When you live there and leave those countries, they are required to print your name in the papers and see if anyone has any claims against you. If so, you must take care of it, else you don't leave the country. Simply things people take for granted here and have no clue what other countries do. Saudi Arabia, forget it, a book could be written about the hypocrasy of that country. I know someone who was kicked out of Oman a few months ago because he flipped off a local. The local reported him, and the authorities made him leave Muscat. Anyway, sorry for veering off topic. You will not be denied entry to the US.
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