From Marcial B
Ontario, Canada
"February 13, 2008
Dear Armando,
I am glad you finally opened your blog and I know your cause is a noble one indeed.
Here is my actual experience with XCopper, a Canadian company that advertise services in assisiting people with Traffic Tickets. You might have heard about them. They tell "You Win or Its Free"
Up to now, I am still haunted by my sad experiencxe with this XCopper back in 2001 when I was new in Canada.
As a new immigrant of Canada, I was so impressed with the quality of service in this country specially in matters involving service to the people. Things seemed so systematic that I had so much trust on it. Being that, I kept my Car insurance certificate, my car registration certificates and other important documents in my suitcase that I bring everyday instead of leaving it inside the car. Im still fearful that my car might get stolen and all the important papers go with it.
I thought, if ever a police would want to check, they could just run their computer file and see eveything about me and my car. My mistake, I was so confident and trusting that I didnt see the importance of maintaining a duplicate copy inside my car just like what we do in the country where I came from.
Unfortinately, one day or barely 3 months after I started driving, I got 3 traffic tickets at the same time: One for alledged failure to stop for a school bus, another 1 for not bringing car insurance certificate and another 1 for not bringing car registration certificate. I was just a few blocks away from my house and requested the police to just let me get the documents in my suitcase at home.
The police very politely told me that that would not be necessary. He knew I am a new driver with clean record so I only need to visit an office, bring my documents and explain what happened. Little did I know that the place I need to report to was a Traffic Court. When I went there, I was asked to fill-up a form and then was later told to come back in about 8 months for a hearing.
I was so scared about court thing, perhaps brought about by my impressions about court cases in my home country. Finally, I saw this ad about XCopper who could help people with traffic ticket problems.
I know I am not guilty of anything. Even that for the alleged failure to stop for a school bus I believed, was defensible. Thinking that I need an expert to defend me of my 3 cases, I finally went to an office of this XCopper in Toronto.
I told them I need their services to help and defend me in the traffic violation hearing scheduled in about 2 weeks from that time/ They gladly accepted. We discussed the winning scenario and told me about the rate that they will charge:
The traffic tickets I got had fines totalling I think about $900. ( Hope I can remember it right). I guess it was like $600 for the school bus, and $ 150 each for car registration and insurance.
XCopper charged me $800 for the services, assuring me that for the car registration and insurance tickets, we will win. For the school bus, we might not totally win but at least we could look forward to a reduction in fines and in the demerit points from 7 to 4 which was more important for insurance purposes.
I asked the office -incharge as to who will handle the case so I could tell him/her what happened. I was thinking that It was very important in defending my case. I was told that a guy by the name of Ian will be meeting me then. I asked when, and was told that he will meet me on the day of the hearing and he already knew what to do. To my mind, how can this guy defend me when he didnt know anything at all about what happened.
Again, trusting this new society I am now in, I was confident that these people indeed knew what they were doing and that they were fair and doing things right.
Finally the day of the hearing came and had my FIRST TASTE of a bitter pill in this supposed to be fair and exemplery society.
The guy finally showed up around 30 minutes before the appointed hearing time, looked at my papers , took it and then excused for a while. He said he had to go somewhere and be back in a few minutes. He showed up again when all of us scheduled for the hearing were called to the Court.
Inside the court, I heard someone called my name and this guy Ian approached the person, and presented himself as my representative, the showed my car documents. They chatted for a minute or 2 and this guy Ian asked me to get out of the court for a few words with him.
He told me that I HAVE TO PLEA GUILTY for the School Bus offence. About the registration and insurance, the case will be drop and I wont pay any fine. For the school bus, the fine is reduced to $500 but the demerit will still be 7. I said I was told that it can be dropped to at least 5 demerit points and have the penalty reduced substantially if not waived totally.
First disgusting thing he told me was that: This court dont deal with demerits. Then he told me that I have to make up my mind because he is almost sure that I would get convicted, knowing the judge who was in-charge.
I said, you were supposed to fight and defend me. Thats what I paid you guys for, now you're asking me to plea guilty without evcen trying to defend. I told him, can we request for postponement of the hearing and be back when you are ready to defend my case. He said it will take long and might entail further cost. Then I asked, how long will it take to defend my case and eventually get a verdict. Then the guy told me that. " IT MAY TAKE FOREVER". This really got me and until now I still am haunted with the thought of how can this thing happen in a country like Canada given its reputation of being champion of human rights and democracy.
This guy appeared to be impatient, telling me that he still had other things to do and that he needed me to decide. He would leave me for a while and then come back to ask me about my decision. He did this for like 4 times until finally, I yielded with regret. I told him, about what I felt but he seemed not so concerned at all.
For me my experience was like EUTANASIA at its worst. Worst because, not only I was forced into it but also, I still had to pay this XCopper in doing so.
I still believe though, this is just one rotten egg in Canada and hope by sharing this story among my fellow Canadians, would help us preserve our beloved Canada's reputation. At the same time, this could also help as an eye-opener to new and prospective immigrants . That way, they wont fall victim to scalawags like XCopper.
TIPS TO PEOPLE WITH TRAFFIC TICKETS
1--You just have to find time booking for an appointment to hear your traffic violation in the traffic court nearest you. Hearing are often scheduled 3-6 months later depending on where you registered the appointment.
2--Come during the appointed hearing time and wait till the Court Prosecutor calls you. Or see her/ him before the hearing starts.
3--He/she will tell you, IF YOU WANT TO PLEA GUILTY, your penalty or fine will be reduced and sometimes at no demerit points.
4---PLEA GUILTY if you feel alright with that, and get a reduced fine and other incentives.You dont need a lawyer or para-legals such as XCopper just to plea guilty.
( In some traffic court hearings I observed, almost 95 percent PLEADED GUILTY but had their penalty reduced substantially. For example: one who had a penalty of $190 for not stopping on red light before a right turn, he was offered a reduced penalty of $25 and No demerit if he plead guilty)Armando, I hope you will post my letter. At least, I could find relief thinking that by sharing this experience, I can have people become aware of what to do to fight unscrupulous entity like XCopper.
All the best
Marcial B.
Ontario, Canada"
Copyright 2008 Armando De Forres. All rights reserved
