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scooter
Penny Pincher Member
154 Posts |
 Posted - 08/25/2008 : 18:22:53
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Keep your copper, court tells man paying fine with 5,000 pennies
Saturday, August 23, 2008
BY BENJAMIN DUER
BENJAMIN.DUER@CANTONREP.COM
Philip B. Simer
MASSILLON A penny doesn't buy much today.
But one man hoped 5,000 pennies thrown into a box with packing peanuts could help pay his fine.
Municipal Court officials said no.
Philip B. Simer, 27, of Massillon, said he spent $14.31 to mail first-class his penny payment to Municipal Court. That delivery arrived Friday.
Simer tried to make a statement.
"I'm tired — not just me, but other people in Massillon — of getting treated like crap by (the court)," he said.
Earlier this month, Simer was found guilty of two traffic violations. He was ordered to pay $243 — or $50 every two weeks — in fines and court costs.
His first $50 payment was due.
That payment — all in pennies — arrived in a heavy, large brown box. A postal worker needed a dolly to deliver the package, addressed to Judge Edward J. Elum. But the package was refused.
Elum said the court cannot accept payments, only the clerk of courts can.
Deputy Clerk of Court Shane Jackson said his office would have rejected the payment, too, citing an appellate decision that allows them to reject coin-only payments.
Court officials sent the package back.
Simer said pennies are legal, so the court should accept them. He said he has no intention of paying the court in anything but pennies.
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jpf231
Penny Collector Member
USA
340 Posts |
Posted - 08/25/2008 : 18:28:40
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| The court should have to accept them - it's legal tender - certainly, the fine does not indicate that it's payable to the court in whatever denomination is most convenient for the court clerk. |
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NotABigDeal
1000+ Penny Miser Member
USA
1862 Posts |
Posted - 08/25/2008 : 18:37:39
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quote:
Originally posted by scooter
....
Judge Edward J. Elum. But the package was refused.
Elum said the court cannot accept payments, only the clerk of courts can.
Deputy Clerk of Court Shane Jackson said his office would have rejected the payment, too, citing an appellate decision that allows them to reject coin-only payments.
Court officials sent the package back.
Simer said pennies are legal, so the court should accept them. He said he has no intention of paying the court in anything but pennies.
So take out 100 pennies and add a dollar bill. Problem solved.
Deal |
I'm so sick over pennies....I frequently trade a dime or two for the whole "take-a-penny" container if sufficient coppers exist. That will get you some odd looks. |
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legacypac
Administrator
Canada
1653 Posts |
Posted - 08/25/2008 : 19:01:02
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Saw an article recently about a guy that tried to do this. There is a law that says no one is obligated to accept more then a certian number of each denomination of coins in payment of a debt. Therefore you can't pay your taxes in pennies either. He was very careful to get a mix of coins that did not exceed the law, but they still refused his payment.
The big questions here are: Did this guy ship all worthless Zinc to really insult the judge? How did he manage to send $50 in pennies 1st class for just $14.31? Why not use a flat rate box for $9.80 instead of 1st class? Where they all rolled and boxed or loose in those clinging packing peanuts (super mean rather then a little mean)? |
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NDFARMER
Penny Collector Member
USA
294 Posts |
Posted - 08/26/2008 : 10:19:11
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| The postal worker needed a dolly to deliver one $50.00 bag of pennies? When I carry them from the bank to my car I take two bags in each hand. |
COPPER - the "poormans" precious metal!!! |
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scott71578
Penny Pincher Member
USA
139 Posts |
Posted - 08/26/2008 : 10:30:05
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| i paid a 10 dollar bet to a friend in pennies. i packed it with the little holes a hole puncher makes. needless to say there were 1000 pennies and 87billion little circles of paper. loose of course.i thought it was funny.. |
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NDFARMER
Penny Collector Member
USA
294 Posts |
Posted - 08/26/2008 : 12:38:56
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quote:
Originally posted by scott71578
i paid a 10 dollar bet to a friend in pennies. i packed it with the little holes a hole puncher makes. needless to say there were 1000 pennies and 87billion little circles of paper. loose of course.i thought it was funny..
DID HE? |
COPPER - the "poormans" precious metal!!! |
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jpf231
Penny Collector Member
USA
340 Posts |
Posted - 08/26/2008 : 15:03:49
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| Sounds like he was not the first guy to pay in all pennies/coins. |
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fb101
Penny Hoarding Member
USA
902 Posts |
Posted - 08/26/2008 : 18:00:22
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I've got to wonder..... A person making a payment of a fine in pennies is making a statement. I wonder if the refusal to honor the payment as such is a violation of the right to free speech..
I'd ask an ACLU attorney, but he may not be interested if it's not anti-American or pornography.
Still, I'd say it is most certainly is a freedom of speech issue. |
A materialistic society cannot afford credit, it will inevitably implode.
Life and success are a "do it yourself" thing |
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derrickvanderwall
Penny Sorter Member
25 Posts |
Posted - 08/29/2008 : 18:01:18
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If I was the judge, I would have probably done the same thing. The judge has something called 'pride' and he didn't want to risk it over pennies to look 'weak' or what not, so he sent them back.
BUT at the same time, it's legal tender, especially any government association, you HAVE to accept them. |
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NDFARMER
Penny Collector Member
USA
294 Posts |
Posted - 08/29/2008 : 18:19:14
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| I hope they were zincers otherwise he was over paying his fine being the coppers are worth almost 2 cents apiece. |
COPPER - the "poormans" precious metal!!! |
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pay the court with pennies?
