Should US homes be seized over $5 tickets?

Foreclose homes and seize cars over less than $20 in parking tickets?

That's the proposal in Brooksville, Florida, where any motorist who believes a parking ticket may have been improperly issued must first pay a $250 "appeal fee" within seven days to have the case heard by a contract employee of the city. This employee will determine whether the city should keep the appeal fee, plus the cost of the ticket and late fees, or find the motorist not guilty. Council members postponed a decision on whether to reduce this appeal fee until final adoption of the measure which is expected in the first week of April. How fair is that?


http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/16/1664...

Sounds like a violation of due process to me. They need to raise the parking fines to cover the cost of appeals (at least the first level of appeal).

There's no violation of due process at all. Report It

I love lawyers... I really do.

Point is that a $250 "hearing fee" for a $5 parking ticket puts up barriers to justice. If you are accused of a crime, you should be allowed to tell your side of the story. This is a basic liberty and should not "cost extra." Report It

Sounds like Brooksville citizens need to replace it's city council & any other elected official that supports this proposal.

The law will get struck down in court. It places way too much burden on the defense, and the penalties are out of line and unenforceable. You can't seize one guys Mercedes and another guys piece of crap for the same misdemeanor violation.

1. Florida has a constitutional homestead provision so tickets and code violations can't be used to sell your house if its your homestead.

2. I think if you had to pay a $250 appeal fee for a $20 ticket, that would seem to be an unconstitutional "tax". I mean small claims court only costs what $25?

Sounds like a government scam that probably will get struck down.

Why not just pay your tickets , it would be cheaper , This is a good way to get people to pay their tickets, after all if you were in the wrong by parking illegally , you should step up ,and face the music . so you can either pay your tickets or give up the crib, I have to pay my tickets , I have a three page driving record , all speeding tickets , no more than 15 mph over posted limits , I am guilty , and I know I was in the wrong , so I pay my fine sometimes on the spot, and believe me it is not getting cheaper , I do not even get frequent flyer miles nor preferred customer discounts which sux if you are going to break the law , you can pay now or pay later.... so how fair is it to break the law , and not pay the price ?? , and be polite to the employee that holds the bull by the bawlz , they may not be gentle the next time around ....

It is seemingly over due for the citizens of this fair city to rise up and redo city government !! Government is no place for the "demigods" of society--- one's who would RULE YOU as opposed to administer business for you !! In this one issue -- there is enough said about this crew of lunatics to fill one in about a host of what MUST be going on that DOESN'T meet the eye in this particular town !! And, if nothing is done to reel these Lords of Florida Law in--- God only knows what their next prime decision will entail---- speeders being shot at sunrise ???
There should be a public outcry that rattled the rafters in this town so deeply that the city hall would have to be remodeled before "business as usual " could continue with the New Officals elections !!!

First, they will not seize houses. They will put a lien against the home, which is perfectly legal and legitimate and something any creditor would do. Second, parking tickets are so rarely given improperly that it makes sense to force people to pay for a review.