That being the cite,Consult with an Attorney ! GUNLAWYER on this site can give you the correct info you want and protections if required !
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I had multiple summary violations for my dog running at large while in college. My roommates would open a window and the SOB would make his escape. That didn't cause any ill effects on my becoming a Trooper. Mostly, a summary offense is no different than a traffic citation. It's a criminal conviction only in that it was written in regards to a criminal statute as opposed to Title 75 which is the vehicle code.
There are some caveats to that. Retail theft if small enough is a summary offense but you will be fingerprinted and another conviction will be a misdemeanor regardless of dollar amount. As far as a "rap sheet" goes, at least when I retired, no fingerprints meant nothing on your criminal history. Searching your name under the Unified Judicial System will bring up all summary offenses if that's what the searcher is looking for. But, like all things, circumstances matter. If you're doing something dishonest, that will be viewed more negatively than a citation for a failure to follow rules.
Knowing what I know, I would pay the fine and get on with my life as opposed to throwing more money at it.
FYI, penalties are always spelled out in the relevant code. They may not be in the particular section, sometimes they may be elsewhere in the chapter.
Thank you unclejumbo for your post above. It's certainly helped to put my mind at ease. I think I will plead guilty, pay the fine, and chalk it up under one of life's lessons.
From what I've learned on-line, your PGC summary citation won't amount to anything serious unless it's followed up by another somewhere down the line. The higher the number of offenses, the higher the fines will go.
That's been my understanding as well, that the booking info is what gets sent to the PSP and to the FBI, and is the core of your "record".
Big picture, the Op would lose before a DJ, and probably on appeal as well. There were no exigent circumstances, so all you've got is the argument that it was a de minimus violation, that shooting at a paper target over the backboard instead of directly at the backboard makes no measurable difference to the damage done to backboards in normal shooting. I wouldn't bet the house on a de minimus argument succeeding.
You know what .... the fine is $198.25.
I think they would want you to keep that ...... they are so loaded with cash , some of which they didn't even know they had ....... and can't be bothered to make sure they get the royalties they are owed from the energy companies ................ how could they possible be bothered or even know if they are missing your $198.25?
https://fox43.com/2019/05/30/auditor...ease-revenues/
He fined you because he knows that as a PA resident you will pay the fine. They gotta justify their jobs and make money for the PGC. The out of state folks would just trashcan the fine and laugh all the way back to NY/NJ.
If I understand correctly then, pleading guilty to this charge essentially amounts to nil as far as an actual criminal record goes?
I was thinking of the same argument if I went before a judge, but the argument would be a weak one based on semantics. I'm pretty sure the judge would have sided with the game commission. Thank you nonetheless for your input and wisdom. It's very much appreciated.