Paterson False Warrents

[northnj]

Have 2 questions about a matter. I received a traffic ticket which a have a good reason to fight. So I called for a court date. I first receive a letter stating I missed my first court date have have to pay $20 more. So I call and they say its and mistake. So I finally get a date. I think its the court date and I'm ready with with a map of intersection and a video of the light. This light lasts 2.3 sec and the intersection is 95 feet you can't make it though the intersection in that amount of time unless your speeding. Turns out this court date is just to plead guilty or not guilty. They do try the usual thing of pleading to a lesser charge. In this case its pretty much blackmail because the lessor charge actually has a higher fine but no points. So the Judge says a date and say I'll get a letter in the mail. So now receive another letter stating that I didn't show up and court and there's a warrant for my arrest. Had to call 4 different people to straighten it out.

Question. Is how bad things typical work?
Question. Can I sue Paterson for constantly issuing false arrest warrants?

[Eagle]

Paterson City Governemnt is full of imcompetent retarded imbeciles. Did you receive notice of a court date and not show up, or did you never get any notice at all? If they issue warrants for you and they never sent you a court date, then you could probably sue them for negligence. I'll try to look into the law and let you know more. Also, you should record all phone conversations with those idiots if you have a recorder. And get names of people you spoke to - write them down.

[northnj]

I showed up. And they issued a warrant for not showing up. I really wish I recorded recorded the calls. Not only was it amazing how incompetent they are it also was funny. I had a hard time not laughing. First person sounded like they were drunk. The next person said "it was what the computer was telling them and all they know is what the computer tells them". Next person transfered me to someone else I got disconnected. There was a name on the ticket called the court administrator so I called asked for this person. She didn't seen to really know anything at all. She transfered me to someone else. It was an answering machine I left a message which of course was not returned. I called back to get the guys name and title and her phone just keeps ringing. The court administrator must have went to get tennis balls cause there was no way she was in charge of a municipal court. After it rings a while I get the operator back and ask for the court again to tell them "I guess Ill go get arrested and then sue them". This person could do something besides what the computer tells her. She puts the phone down. I can hear her get up, now I hear ladies gossiping for about 10 minutes. She says she cant find my file and call back tomorrow. This person is not there next day and the person asks why I need this specific person. I tell her the whole story for the 5 th time. This person finds my info and says they didn't enter that I was in court that day. Turns out they automatically generate that you weren't in court unless they enter that you were . At least thats how I seemed from talking to her. She tells me Ill have a different court date then the one the Judge gave me. She says the warrant is gone now and if I have any problems say her name. I tell a friend of mine he tells me check out the online thing to pay tickets njmcdirect.com. It will have if there's any warrants or any other tickets also. Despite the great confidence I have in the Paterson court and that if I get arrested I can drop the clerk name, I check right away. At least the arrest warrant was gone but the court date was still the same one I first got. Seeing this was about 6 days later and the court date was in about a week. And Knowing that they will automatically create arrest warrants. I call them again. The person says I'll get a court date in the mail. I tell her I'm gonna show up on this date anyway just in case. That was yesterday I showed up asked the clerk in the court room and said it wasn't my day. He said he'd check for my date. he sent me to a window right outside the court. they said Id get a date in the mail. So I check online its still says the count date is yesterday but at least doesn't have a another false warrant. Seems like I'm getting somewhere.


Paterson City Governemnt is full of imcompetent retarded imbeciles. Did you receive notice of a court date and not show up, or did you never get any notice at all? If they issue warrants for you and they never sent you a court date, then you could probably sue them for negligence. I'll try to look into the law and let you know more. Also, you should record all phone conversations with those idiots if you have a recorder. And get names of people you spoke to - write them down.

[Eagle]

You may have a lawsuit here. First, however, you would have to give the city 90 notice that you will file a lawsuit. This notice is required by the New Jersey Tort Claims act. You can read about the act here http://www.wongfleming.com/displaypublications.php?id=&pubid=40. The judge would have to be convinced that the City's conduct was "willful misconduct" or "reckless" in order to get any worthwile damages. Even if you could not do this you could still sue based on ordianry negligence, but in such case your damage could not include "pain & suffering. Only your actual losses would be recoverable i.e. cost of phone calls, travel time, gas expense etc.

In any case, damages are iffy here and therefore you may have a tough (but not impossible) time finding a lawyer to take the case. But I would shop the case around and see what you come up with.

[northnj]

Man your comment was really true. "Paterson City Government is full of incompetent retarded imbeciles" I finally got a court date in October last week. This week I received a letter from the warrant squad. Saying this is a final notice and that detectives will arrest me in the early morning and my name is going out in the national crime information data base. So I try calling the warrant squad they never answer their phone you just get a machine. So now I try calling the State Government. Got a person in the Judiciary Department that says that there is no warrant and the 2nd one that they incorrectly issued was recalled on August 8. The person I got on the phone seemed very interested and asks me how could the warrant squad send a letter 4 weeks after a warrant was recalled. I try not to laugh. I say that pretty much why I'm calling you cause no one In Paterson seems to know and the warrant squad doesn't answer their phone or return phone calls. The person seemed to act like she was gonna try to find something out she asked me to fax the letter to them. She also gave me a number of someone in the Attorney Generals office. It seems to never end

[Eagle]

I'm glad you contacted the Judiciary & the AG. I know for a fact that people with long criminal records have been hired the the City of Paterson. It is a total disgrace. Also, I would shop your case around to some lawyers. I think you may have a case and the bastards deserve to be sued.