39:4-139.8. Evidence; submission to court; presence of officer; default judgment after failure to answer or pay fine and penalties; effect; assessment of costs; appeals; limitation of actions

a. The officer issuing the ticket shall not be required to appear at the hearing of a case unless the respondent has denied that the parking offense occurred by his commission and the court determines that the officer's presence is required. The court may grant a reasonable adjournment if the officer is not available at the time of hearing. It shall not be required that evidence other than the parking ticket and information from the division identifying the owner of the vehicle be submitted to the court, and that documentation in proper form shall be considered prima facie evidence that the registered owner of the vehicle was the person who committed the parking offense.

b. If a person to whom a failure to appear notice has been issued fails to answer or fails to appear at a hearing when he is required to do so, or, having admitted commission of the parking offense, fails to pay the fine and penalties assessed by the court, the court may, in addition to all other remedies and penalties currently available to the court for failure to appear, enter a judgment by default sustaining the charges, fix the appropriate fine and assess appropriate penalties and costs, if any.

c. A judgment by default may be vacated by the court within one year after its entry only upon written application setting forth both a sufficient defense to the charge and an excusable neglect as to the respondent's failure to attend the hearing. If a failure to appear notice was mailed to the registered owner at the address appearing on the records of the division, the failure to receive the notice shall not be considered a defense unless the owner can prove that the division was advised of the owner's correct address prior to the date of the parking offense.

d. If payment is not made within 10 days after entry of a default judgment for a parking offense, the order of the court may be filed in the office of the clerk of the Superior Court and, when filed, shall have the effect of a civil money judgment. Judgments for parking offenses shall be maintained in a separate judgment roll from other civil judgments. Execution may be levied and other measures may be taken for the collection of the judgment which are authorized for the collection of an unpaid civil judgment. The court may assess costs against a judgment debtor, not to exceed $25.00 for each violation, to be paid upon satisfaction of the judgment.

e. If a notice of appeal is filed by the person against whom judgment is entered within 10 days after entry of the judgment and the payment of costs which the court shall require, a hearing de novo shall be held in accordance with the rules of the court. Service of a notice of appeal shall not stay the enforcement of a judgment appealed from unless the appellant shall have posted a bond in the amount of the judgment plus court costs at or before service of the notice of appeal.

f. A default judgment under this act may be filed by the court at any time within three years after the parking ticket was issued.

L. 1985, c. 14, s. 7.