Courts Delay Tickets for Mideast Military
Military personnel stationed in the Middle East with outstanding citations for traffic violations or other misdemeanor crimes will not have to appear in court until they return from active duty, authorities said.
The Ventura County Superior and Municipal courts will allow families of the personnel to contact base representatives who will notify the court. Putting the cases on hold will avoid the cost and inconvenience involved in issuing arrest warrants, said Sheila Gonzalez, the courts’ executive officer.
Until families begin notifying officials, the court will not be able to calculate the actual number of people with outstanding citations, she said.
“We’re trying to accommodate them,” Gonzalez said. “We don’t want them to have to worry about their court cases at this time. It’s a courtesy.”
The program is patterned after a similar one in San Diego.
“They’re not matters of monumental significance,” said Municipal Judge Lee E. Cooper. “We’re talking primarily about traffic violations.”
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
