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Health & Fitness

Do Village Parking Tickets Violate Federal Privacy Act?

DuPage DUI Criminal and Traffic Attorney Donald Ramsell explains how a simple city parking ticket could violate federal privacy laws, causing villages to pay far more than they attempt to collect.

Have you ever gotten that sinking feeling when, after a brief stop to pick up an item or two, you return to your vehicle only to see that awful parking ticket under the wiper? Upset, you probably (begrudgingly) simply payed the $5 to $75 for the ticket. After all, "you can't fight city hall" as my Dad used to say.

Well, the tables may have just turned against City Hall.  On August 6, 2012, the 7th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals held that a parking ticket issued to a vehicle owned by Jason Senne, issued by the Village of Palatine, violated the federal Driver's Privacy Protection Act by containing various pieces of personal information such as the owner's date of birth, address, driver's license number and address.

Now Jason Senne has gained the right to sue the Village for displaying his personal information out in public view for 5 hours prior to Senne retrieving his vehicle (and his ticket). And what started as a revenue stream for the Village may turn into a revenue stream for Mr. Senne instead.  The case in question is titled Jason Senne v. Village of Palatine 10-3243.

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