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From: jfh@rpp386.cactus.org (John F. Haugh II)
Newsgroups: comp.org.eff.talk
Subject: Re: crime confusion
Message-ID: <18699@rpp386.cactus.org>
Date: 6 Nov 90 13:21:12 GMT
References: <4576@rsiatl.UUCP> <15810@letni.UUCP> <1990Nov2.202722.13748@ico.isc.com> <16038@letni.UUCP> <39194@ut-emx.uucp>
Reply-To: jfh@rpp386.cactus.org (John F. Haugh II)
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In article <39194@ut-emx.uucp> clouds@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (Kathy Strong) writes:
>In several articles, either doug@letni.UUCP (Doug Davis) or rcd@ico.isc.com 
>(Dick Dunn) writes:
>>          I quote the lines "Signature of arrested person:" from one
>>of mine.  At least in LA, TX, OK, and CA, they have all said the same
>>or similer things.  

Well, I just checked an old LA speeding ticket and it says

	"I understand the terms and conditions of this citation and
	 promise to appear at the time and place shown above.  Failure
	 to appear will be cause for the suspension of my driving
	 privileges and the imposition of an additional fine by the
	 Louisiana Department of Public Safety

	 Signed By:  _____________________________________________
		      THIS SIGNATURE IS NOT AN ADMISSION OF GUILT "

Hmmm.

>>Most won't.  You'll have to pay a fine, but you won't go to
>>jail.  You'll have a traffic-violation record, but that's not a criminal
>>record.  Best to keep the two straight.

I'd go get my USN enlistment crap, but it is buried under a ton of
other crap.  Trust me, it's a criminal record.

>It looks to me as though the person who said "if you pay a ticket, technically
>you were arrested and convicted" is wrong--at least in Austin, Texas.  From
>that, I extrapolate (uh-oh, look out!) that a traffic-violation record is
>not a criminal record. Hope that's correct--I'd hate to be broke AND a crook.

I know this doesn't count as a legal opinion, but read an employment
application sometime - most ask you to "list any criminal convictions,
excluding traffic offenses" or something to that effect.  Others just
ask for felony convictions, and traffic offenses are misdemeanors.  I
tried calling the Austin police, but they must still be asleep ...
-- 
John F. Haugh II                             UUCP: ...!cs.utexas.edu!rpp386!jfh
Ma Bell: (512) 832-8832                           Domain: jfh@rpp386.cactus.org
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