Assemblyman Ronald S. Dancer announced today that he will draft legislation establishing a statute of limitations for minor motor vehicle offenses after a Cream Ridge man was issued a warrant for an unpaid ticket for an overdue car inspection issued 40 years ago.
“A minor motor vehicle offense should not outlast the life of a car four times over,” Dancer, R-Ocean,Burlington, Middlesex and Monmouth said. “What’s next, a school district trying to collect from senior citizens for the milk they spilled in kindergarten?”
Dancer is crafting legislation to establish a statute of limitations for minor motor vehicle offenses after the media reported on the warrant issued for the arrest Cream Ridge’s Mike Hammerstone. The warrant notice was for an overdue car inspection ticket issued July 21, 1973 inSayreville.
| Offense | Statute of Limitations |
| Disorderly persons | 1 year |
| Most felonies | 5 years |
| Official misconduct | 7 years |
| Muder/manslaughter | None |
| Warrant for 40-year-old ticket | None!!! |
“There are time limits on many serious crimes, however I don’t think an outdated inspection sticker, especially one 40 years old, rises to the level of murder as a grave offense against humanity that has no expiration,” Dancer said. “I encourage all citizens to pay for their mistakes, but if a municipality has failed to collect for four decades, it’s time to move on.
“Combing through the ancient archives is no way for a town to solve its budget challenges,” Dancer added. TLS.
SOMETHING DOESN’T ADD UP! If you ignore a traffic summons, it eventually is adjudicated as a guilty plea. His warrant was issued for his blatant contempt of court = NON PAYMENT. (not for, not answering a traffic summons).
I THINK THIS LAWMAKER SHOULD LEARN THE LAW. this uneducated lawmaker is basically attempting to proposition that warrants are to come with expiration dates. yaaa ok buddy.
They should let you pay for the ticket on the spot
Is there really a need for more Laws with all the computers????
#1 it doesnt matter what it was, or what he did, there is no excuse to go after a person for traffic ticket issued 40 years after it was issued, yes warrants for traffic tickets should come with expiration dates, end of story
To Mr. Conservative
I met Mr. Ron Dancer at a few events and I take strong offense to your ignorant post.
Ron Dancer is an educated compassionate Lawmaker. He is full of heart and brains.
Quite frankly, I am sick and tired of some of your misguided diatribe. It is people such as your self that are the direct reason why President Obama got re-elected again.
What you “conservatives” fail to understand is that when dealing with issues you must always see the forest and the trees.
You conservatives are the same as the liberals.
Knee Jerk.
Why can’t you think? Just stop following in lock-step.
As a person that never voted for a democrat, I can’t for the life of me understand why you only see the trees. All you see is the narrow issue.
Why can’t you see the big picture for G-d’s sake.
Here is the million dollar question:
Should someone have a warrant for a 40 year old inspection summons?
Absolutely not!!!
G-d bless you Assemblyman Dancer We miss you in Lakewood since redistricting.
This is a result of the bad economy, the clerks in the offices are looking to make money for their towns, you can expect more of these types of events as the towns are looking for ANY way to make money.
This seems sensible to the public but statute of limitations (SOL) are tolled once an action is filed. Their purpose is to protect people from defending against accusations too distant in the past for them to fairly defend. However, once a party is issued summons, they are put on notice to preserve their evidence and be prepared to answer the charges. Although long delays may be a violation of due process, but when a defendant does not answer a summons, there is no violation. The 5 years listed for most felonies are also tolled when court procedures start, although a defendant has the constituional right of a fair and speedy trial.
Of course, if anyone read my paper on the Common Law and Halacha, the law today is full of logical anomalies mostly because the proliferation of statutory law. So putting a SOL for traffic summons will be another act of the legislature that flies in the face of the common law.
well I once payed for it on the spot and he charged me double but he just didn’t write it and there was no points
number 8 thats called a bribe
Pay tickets on the spot? Without a judge or process? A police officer is not an officer of the court. Would you have the prosecutor become the judge without judicial review?
don’t be so sure that the ticket wasn’t paid 40 years ago. new jersey has lost other ticket payments and went after people 17 and 19 years later. bottom line is save proof of any ticket payments FOREVER!