Question about my ticket

[MrsSkittles]

I've was just moving from New Mexico to California...on one trip between the two places I was stopped for speeding. IN ARIZONA.
Not a big deal yet. I don't live there...but there's only the option to appear or sign guilty. So I sign it and think ok...when I get home I'll send the check.
Well once I get home...I notice that I can barely read where I'm to appear or send a check or for what amount. So I call the number and they say that my ticket is late so there is an additional fee. (up to 365.00 at this point) Yikes.
I don't have the money right away and I tell the lady this.
So I send a check in...and it gets returned saying that I've already been served a warrant for my arrest for Failure to appear and the cost is 465 if I want to plead guilty to Failure to appear...before a certain day. (Guess what. that's the next day) No info on how to Plea my case guilty or not guilty. If I do nothing it gets jacked up to 908.00.
Problem is...with the mail and moving...I wasn't getting properly served any papers telling me that I was late, or failure to appear or an arrest warrant. So My question is...
Is there anyway to get out of all the extra fees and warrants if I wasn't getting the information?
and if I were to drive back down there for ($250 in gas) to plea not guilty in front of a judge...will I be able to get rid of the fees or will I pay it all anyways?

[Creeker]

I've was just moving from New Mexico to California...on one trip between the two places I was stopped for speeding. IN ARIZONA.
Not a big deal yet. I don't live there...but there's only the option to appear or sign guilty. So I sign it and think ok...when I get home I'll send the check.
Well once I get home...I notice that I can barely read where I'm to appear or send a check or for what amount. So I call the number and they say that my ticket is late so there is an additional fee. (up to 365.00 at this point) Yikes.
I don't have the money right away and I tell the lady this.
So I send a check in...and it gets returned saying that I've already been served a warrant for my arrest for Failure to appear and the cost is 465 if I want to plead guilty to Failure to appear...before a certain day. (Guess what. that's the next day) No info on how to Plea my case guilty or not guilty. If I do nothing it gets jacked up to 908.00.
Problem is...with the mail and moving...I wasn't getting properly served any papers telling me that I was late, or failure to appear or an arrest warrant. So My question is...
Is there anyway to get out of all the extra fees and warrants if I wasn't getting the information?
and if I were to drive back down there for ($250 in gas) to plea not guilty in front of a judge...will I be able to get rid of the fees or will I pay it all anyways?

Someone from AZ will be along in awhile, but I think I should advise you that if you don't pay these fees, etc, the liklihood of AZ being in a Traffic Compact with California is nearly assured and your license can probably be Suspended. In that case your costs can become far greater than $908 and can consist of extradition and Jail time, just as the Service of that Arrest Warrant will do.

As it is, they've only issued a Warrant. If it had been Served, you'd have known it and been in Jail by now.

Also, apparently you sat around on this ticket for awhile. I've never known Traffic Court to be set for anything short of a minimum of 10 days... but that may be just how we do it here.

[Cat_Doc]

Send a certified letter to the court in question, documenting in chronological order, with supporting evidence, indicating the chain of events that caused your delay in addressing the citation. Or, you can contact an attorney, who will contact the prosecuting attorney and work out a deal.

Otherwise, as mentioned by Creeker, your driver's license will be suspended (may already have been done) and you will have to pay all fines, plus a reinstatement fee, to get everything back in order.

Since you sent in a check, this should work in your favor instead of someone who just blows the whole thing off.

If I were you, I would contact an attorney who might be able to work this out in your favor with a letter or short phone call.

[MrsSkittles]

Thanks Guys. I ended up writing a letter pleading guilty on both charges and another check for the new amount. I just wanna get this thing over with.
As long as it's there by next Tuesday I won't have to pay the 900 bucks.

And lets hope they don't return it again.