You wrote:Get a lawyer! ....Perhaps you missed the part where the OP said he cannot afford a lawyer.But as noted elsewhere, AANR or some more local similar group might be willing to help.
Exactly. As I posted above, this is why NAC exists. They will review your case, advise, provide names of local lawyers who are educated on the issues, and defray if not completely cover the cost. The OP is already going to spend at least $500 on the fine, why not spend it on a lawyer? NAC will advise on probability of winning/losing based on the facts and what was actually charged, actual law, case law, etc. It doesn't hurt to get legitimate advice. They may also be able to get it reduced to something innocuous (a conservation charge with a $50 fine). The issuing officer is presenting things from his view (which may or may not be well informed, and may or may not be in the OPs best interest). In my case cited above two of the main factors in winning were no valid complainant who was "offended" and Hawaii case law that says the complainant cannot be the police themselves. Another was that the specific beach was well known for skinny dipping for decades, and the original cited complaint that the police used to raid the beach was more than a year old, and was for lewd activity, not simple nudity. I don't know what the law (written or case) is in Florida, but NAC will. Get legitimate advise from someone who can actually give legitimate advise before making any rash decisions.
John aka cobeachbum
If you do go to court, I would ask who is the victim? Anybody? A trail camera? The FWC officer? I don't believe either the camera or officer have "standing" in this case as it applies to a victim. Just a thought. Sorry to hear they are using game cameras to ticket nudists.
Thanks everyone for the input and suggestions. As mentioned earlier I can't really afford a lawyer right now unless it costs less than the ticket. So I've reached out to AANR and will hope they have a solution that covers all of my concerns, before I just go ahead and pay the fine.
I do believe the officer was correct in saying that because this is a federal court ticket, it is not likely to make it onto my record as long as it is paid on time. I specifically asked if it would be on my record if I paid it, and he said typically it has to make it into state court before that happens.
I'll post again once I hear from AANR and make a final decision. Thanks again!
Thanks everyone for the input and suggestions. As mentioned earlier I can't really afford a lawyer right now unless it costs less than the ticket. So I've reached out to AANR and will hope they have a solution that covers all of my concerns, before I just go ahead and pay the fine.I do believe the officer was correct in saying that because this is a federal court ticket, it is not likely to make it onto my record as long as it is paid on time. I specifically asked if it would be on my record if I paid it, and he said typically it has to make it into state court before that happens.I'll post again once I hear from AANR and make a final decision. Thanks again!
Did you consider that the whole thing is a scam and someone saw your car and you nude near it and is trying to get some easy cash from you?
Did you consider that the whole thing is a scam and someone saw your car and you nude near it and is trying to get some easy cash from you?
For any legitimate citation, it will come in the mail. Any payment will be made to the courthouse of an official government agency. After the above comment, I am concerned that the "conservation officer" called you. That is highly unusual. If you don't get anything in the mail, ignore it. If you are concerned, most jurisdictions have the ability to check on-line or by calling a number. I would make sure it's legitimate before making any payment and check the address it is being sent to. Under no circumstances make payment by untraceable means.
There should also be some method of free legal advice in your area. Call the public defenders office in either your jurisdiction or where the citation was allegedly written, and they should be able to check the legitimacy of the charge.
John aka cobeachbum
cobeachbum wrote:Did you consider that the whole thing is a scam and someone saw your car and you nude near it and is trying to get some easy cash from you?(snip)John aka cobeachbum
On page two, the OP wrote: "Here's the code on the ticket..." so, I presume that means he physically has the ticket in hand, and that would mean it was likely mailed to him.
Correct. I received the citation already. It is a US District Court Violation Notice. The officer was legit, after the camera incident I sat in my car for about 15 minutes searching the map for another destination. A ranger/officer with federal markings was pulling into the lot as I was leaving, and I stopped and chatted with him for a minute about the trails (I was dressed). At the time he even confirmed that I was likely the only person to enter the park the entire day. This was the same officer that called me several days later.
I've spoken with AANR and they are working on figuring out what the options are, I'll post an update once a decision is made. Thanks again for all of the input.
In the Advocacy section of the August AANR Bulletin I saw a brief reference that must be related to this case. It said the AANR had intervened in a case of a nude hiker cited in a remote area on land that was managed by the US Fish & Wildlife Service. It said the AANR had contacted the US Attorneys Office and expected to have the case dismissed or charges reduced. Any updates on the status of this case?
There are no nudity laws that apply to federal land BUT the national government allows the local laws to apply to the federal land. So if nudity is against the law in the state where the federal land is, it's illegal on that federal land. Some areas don't enforce it, some do.
Actions
Back to TopicsReply to TopicShare this topic
Get paid just by sending us users/traffic.
Signup takes seconds, start now!
Signup as an affiliate!