If you have received a parking ticket and you did not pay it, at some point it may convert to a parking violation summons. A summons is an official court order to appear in person and deal with the consequences of the ticket or address the charges that were made in the ticket. If you have received a parking ticket and have not received an official summons, but believe that one may have been issued, you will want to find out for sure if a summons was issued for the ticket. There are a variety of ways to go about finding out whether a summons has been issued for a parking ticket.
In many larger cities and metropolitan areas, there are websites available that will show you either pending court cases, or whether traffic or parking summons have been issued that are outstanding. These are often searchable by the name of the individual who received the summons, or by the license plate or vehicle registration number associated with the summons. Searching one of these databases will help you determine whether there is a summons or other outstanding court order regarding your ticket.
You may also wish to call the court of record in the area where your ticket was issued. By doing so, you can speak with an officer of the court who will be able to check whether or not you have an outstanding summons listed in your name for the violations that you were cited for in the ticket. You may also visit the court in person, as they often have searchable databases or a court employee can tell you whether or not you have a summons. In any case, you will want to determine whether or not a summons has been issued before it turns into something more serious, like a fine or an arrest warrant for the unpaid violation.
If you find yourself uncertain as to whether a summons has been issued, you may wish to consult with a qualified attorney. Your lawyer can not only help you find out whether a summons has been issued, but can also help you to decide on your best course of action if you are indeed facing a parking violation summons.