Parking Ticket Inspires Lawsuit

When Gillespie, 43, an Easthampton resident, returned to his car he found a parking officer writing a ticket.

In the course of protesting the ticket, Gillespie learned both that the city has a law saying that only marked spaces are allowed for parking and that to appeal beyond the parking clerk would cost him $275.

"Since that filing fee is more than 18 times the amount of the $15 ticket, he is effectively denied judicial review. Most people won't take such a gamble," Gillespie wrote in his suit.
Gillespie is hoping others will join him so his suit can become a class-action lawsuit. He may be contacted at moltenplastic@yahoo.com or by writing him at P.O. Box 741, Northampton, MA 01061.

It's been many years since anyone actually filed an appeal, and that one was denied, Foley said. That person had the fee waived, because he was determined to be indigent.

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