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I Received a MA Criminal Citation by Mail, What Should I Do?
Criminal citations in the mail look similar those that you would get for a speeding ticket, but they are very different with much more serious ramifications. If, on the front of the citation, there is a marked box that says “Criminal Application,” you have only 4 days to sign the ticket and send it in to the Clerk-Magistrate. On the back of the citation, it will indicate where you need to sign and date it. You must send it to the court directly and not to the PO box. You can either bring it to the court in person or you can mail it. If you choose to mail it, however, it has to arrive within 4 days. Criminal citations cannot be paid through the mail, Internet or telephone, and you will not be able to appeal a criminal citation by checking the second box. Often, these criminal citations also include civil citations. These cannot be paid in advance of the court hearing. The attorneys at Altman & Altman can handle both the criminal and civil aspects for you.
Sometimes a criminal citation by mail will call you to a clerk-magistrate’s hearing. This is an informal hearing where the clerk will determine whether there is probable cause to issue the criminal complaint. Just because this comes in the mail and there is no formal arrest, many people do not grasp the seriousness of the hearing. These hearings are important and you should have a lawyer present because it is a great opportunity to get the case thrown out.
Call the Experienced Criminal Defense Attorneys of Altman & Altman LLP Today at 617.492.3000 or 800.481.6199.
If you have received a criminal citation by mail, call a lawyer now. At Altman & Altman LLP, a firm in Cambridge, we have a team of expert criminal lawyers who can tell you how to proceed and what your options are. At our firm, we have many years (more than four decades) of experience, and we are well-recognized of some of the best defense attorneys in Massachusetts. Call Altman & Altman LLP at 617.492.3000 or 800.481.6199. We are available to answer your questions 24 hours per day and 7 days per week. Do not hesitate because the sooner you call a lawyer, the better off you’ll be.