A city man has filed a pro se civil action against the Philadelphia Traffic Court and one of its administrators over allegations that he was denied the opportunity for an administrative hearing regarding past motor vehicle citations.
Allen Carroll filed suit on behalf of himself on April 22 at the federal court in Philadelphia against the city’s Traffic Court and John Lynch, identified as the supervisor of the court’s appeals unit.
According to the complaint, Carroll showed up to the Philadelphia Traffic Court on Dec. 9 to clear up several traffic tickets that had been previously issued to him.
The court then, “by presumption,” charged Carroll with a criminal charge, although the suit doesn’t specify exactly what type of criminal charge was leveled against the plaintiff.
Carroll subsequently made several verbal attempts to Lynch to receive an administrative hearing, and he also attempted, through U.S. mail, to obtain a final order, decree, determination or ruling on the matter, but never received a response, the suit states.
“Petitioner has attempted to get an administrative hearing on appeal on several traffic tickets in question but was denied due process of law,” the complaint reads.
The suit goes on to say that Carroll was charged criminally without knowledge of the court’s “authority or cause.”
Carroll seeks to be reimbursed for the filing of the lawsuit, a return of the money he paid toward traffic tickets, a dismissal of all criminal charges pending against him, and, in the alternative, an administrative ruling on the issues.
The federal case number is 2:13-cv-02141-TJS.
Man sues Phila. Traffic Court for alleged due process violations
