Man Tries to Pay Fine With Pennies, Court Says NO, Issues Warrant

JUST for arguments sake...


the question does inquire about government agencies though

Some businesses or governmental agencies say that they will only accept...


Heck, this isn't the first time someone has tried to pay a fine with pennies. I wasn't able to find a conclusion to other instances of such, however. I can appriciate the "take these pennies and shove it" attitude behind such a gesture.. But, if the question is if the judge had legal authority to restrict the currency accepted I would like to read a legal argument than the insta-rhetoric infused into this thread.

thanks for the pos rep though.
 
JUST for arguments sake...


the question does inquire about government agencies though

Some businesses or governmental agencies say that they will only accept...


Heck, this isn't the first time someone has tried to pay a fine with pennies. I wasn't able to find a conclusion to other instances of such, however. I can appriciate the "take these pennies and shove it" attitude behind such a gesture.. But, if the question is if the judge had legal authority to restrict the currency accepted I would like to read a legal argument than the insta-rhetoric infused into this thread.

thanks for the pos rep though.

You've been here before, right? :lol:

That's a lot to expect for here. It's pretty good, but it's rarely that good. You did get both lawyers that I'm aware of on here in me and Jillian giving our thoughts on it. If you read my counters to Jillian's arguments, you saw my reasoning on why it needed to be accepted.

You followed up with support for my contention with the actual statute. I was unaware that private entities did not have to accept legal tender though. I would have thought that, if pushed, they would have to take it. I once got in an argument with a 7-11 employee that didn't want to take a 2 dollar bill.
 
I'll bet the sign at the clerks window read CASH as a form of accepted payment and never said NO ROLLED COINS!

Clearly this is just an assumption, but, it's a safe one from all of the clerk windows I have visited around the country! lol

either way, it's a funny story.
 
And last time I checked, no judge was going to allow some disgruntled person to force some poor state worker to sit there counting pennies so he can be as obnoxious as humanly possible. And, if you look at the article, the jerk went to the bank and ASKED for 112 rolls of pennies. If I were the judge, I'd kick his butt, too.

Just sayin'

And you keep claiming your a lawyer? Just sayin'
 
Pay your taxes in pennies.

The cost for the government to ship and handle them will exceed the value of the original tax payment. Seems like a great way to stick it to the bastards while being completely LEGAL about it.
 
Well, certain apartment places say that they will only take checks from someone for payment on rent, but those are private places, and the courthouse isn't.

If the dude wanted to pay with pennies, let him. Shit, if I was the clerk, I would have received all the pennies myself, paid his fine with cash, took the pennies home and melted them down, and then sold 'em for scrap copper, as there is more money in the copper of a penny than what the penny is worth.

Nope.....if the judges can get creative with their sentences, then the people who have to pay fines, should be allowed the same amount of creativity in their payments.
 
The Judge could have been fair.. Accept the pennies after the gentleman had unrolled and counted every single one of them in front of a court official.. I didn't read all the posts but I'd make the asshole pay for being an asshole. Then he could wash a cop car or two to make up for the court official's time.



Court adjourned.
 
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I thought that United States currency was legal tender for all debts. Some businesses or governmental agencies say that they will only accept checks, money orders or credit cards as payment, and others will only accept currency notes in denominations of $20 or smaller. Isn't this illegal?

Answer The pertinent portion of law that applies to your question is the Coinage Act of 1965, specifically Section 31 U.S.C. 5103, entitled "Legal tender," which states: "United States coins and currency (including Federal reserve notes and circulating notes of Federal reserve banks and national banks) are legal tender for all debts, public charges, taxes, and dues."

This statute means that all United States money as identified above are a valid and legal offer of payment for debts when tendered to a creditor. There is, however, no Federal statute mandating that a private business, a person or an organization must accept currency or coins as for payment for goods and/or services. Private businesses are free to develop their own policies on whether or not to accept cash unless there is a State law which says otherwise. For example, a bus line may prohibit payment of fares in pennies or dollar bills. In addition, movie theaters, convenience stores and gas stations may refuse to accept large denomination currency (usually notes above $20) as a matter of policy.

U.S. Treasury - FAQs: Legal Tender Status of currency

THIS is not a private enterprise but a Government agency. IT must accept legal tender, there is even a sign stating they accept legal tender for fines and debts.
 
Pay your taxes in pennies.

The cost for the government to ship and handle them will exceed the value of the original tax payment. Seems like a great way to stick it to the bastards while being completely LEGAL about it.

Except YOU have to deliver your payment in taxes to the IRS or the State Treasury. They do not collect. SO YOU would be paying freight and would run the risk of it being stolen since most mail systems advice NOT to send cash through their system.
 
The Judge could have been fair.. Accept the pennies after the gentleman had unrolled and counted every single one of them in front of a court official.. I didn't read all the posts but I'd make the asshole pay for being an asshole. Then he could wash a cop car or two to make up for the court official's time.



Court adjourned.

He does not have to count them for anyone. AT best the clerk could require him to remain available while the CLERK counted them.

They did try and make him sign each roll and he ask them if he paid in individual dolars would he have to sign each one also? The Agency has to accept the payment since they state they accept legal tender.
 
He does not have to count them for anyone. AT best the clerk could require him to remain available while the CLERK counted them.

They did try and make him sign each roll and he ask them if he paid in individual dolars would he have to sign each one also? The Agency has to accept the payment since they state they accept legal tender.



He does if the Judge so orders! Yep
 
He does not have to count them for anyone. AT best the clerk could require him to remain available while the CLERK counted them.

They did try and make him sign each roll and he ask them if he paid in individual dolars would he have to sign each one also? The Agency has to accept the payment since they state they accept legal tender.




banks take money, legal tender,, yep,, but when you take rolled coins to the bank I believe they make you sign as to the accuracy of the count, if you come up short they charge you,, at least they do at my bank..
 
You've been here before, right? :lol:

That's a lot to expect for here. It's pretty good, but it's rarely that good. You did get both lawyers that I'm aware of on here in me and Jillian giving our thoughts on it. If you read my counters to Jillian's arguments, you saw my reasoning on why it needed to be accepted.

You followed up with support for my contention with the actual statute. I was unaware that private entities did not have to accept legal tender though. I would have thought that, if pushed, they would have to take it. I once got in an argument with a 7-11 employee that didn't want to take a 2 dollar bill.

there is a third lawyer that posts here that I'm aware of...


Yea, it's no skin off my nuts really... I'm just curious about what happened in previous circumstances of a similar penny payment. Lord knows how everyone becomes a lawyer as soon as they react to an issue.... I know, because I do that all the time too!
 
Pennies are legal tender, and are therefore valid to use as payment for a debt. Simple as that.
 
THIS is not a private enterprise but a Government agency. IT must accept legal tender, there is even a sign stating they accept legal tender for fines and debts.

IF you will review what I posted from the treasury you'll notice the words GOVERNMENT AGENCY in the question.
 
I am of the opinion that this boils down to intent I don't think the judge will have a problem proving that the intent of this asshole was to aggravate the court. Now on appeal who will listen? Another judge.. :lol:
 
I am of the opinion that this boils down to intent I don't think the judge will have a problem proving that the intent of this asshole was to aggravate the court. Now on appeal who will listen? Another judge.. :lol:


Well your right, the dummy never should have stated that he went and purchased the pennies at the bank. He should have simply said here, this is the best I could do. They would have to accept it.
 

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