Hi! I am planning on applying this cycle and am wondering if I need to write a character and fitness addendum for a traffic ticket? Some apps are very clear in pertinence to this, but some others are more vague.
Basically, I got a traffic ticket earlier this year (going past 70mph on a California highway). I did traffic school, and the court case is closed. The wording for this offense is slightly different for each app, so it confuses me a bit. For example, some apps say to exclude "minor traffic violations," while some only say to write if you've been charged with a misdemeanor or felony (which I guess this is considered an infraction? but again, just want to make sure.)
TLDR: Do I need to write a C&F for a speeding ticket? and is speeding a minor traffic violation?
Thank you!
4 comments
Write one. Some schools will specifically exclude traffic tickets. Some won’t. If it’s on the fence, err on the side of caution. Not disclosing is a bigger deal than the ticket itself.
I'd break this down as:
If a school asks for any/all criminal offenses of any kind - then disclose. A speeding ticket is a criminal offense (although a very minor one).
If a school says only misdemeanor/felony issues - this does not fall into that category. Do not disclose.
If a school specifically says not to disclose minor traffic violations - do not disclose if the issue we're talking about is a regular speeding ticket (and that's what it sounds like!).
Just flagging that in Georgia (where I live) traffic tickets are misdemeanors so you should check whether that's the case for your specific state!
Thanks! If that's true, then - yup! - the fact that Georgia considers it to be a misdemeanor overrides what a school may say about "exclude minor traffic violations."