Does a Fine mean A Conviction?

Sarah316 · 04-09-2011 4:13pm #1

Pretty straight forward,does a fine ALWAYS mean a conviction and a criminal record,or is there alternatives?

can someone who is receiving the benefit of the probation of offenders act also be fined?

Scealta_saol · 04-09-2011 9:52pm

Probation Act means no conviction as far as I'm aware. But a fine means a conviction. Unless your fine is to pay money to a charity. Normally then they'd say "pay €100 to SVP. We'll adjourn your case until the next sitting and if you provide a receipt we'll strike this case out". That way you'd have no conviction but you still would have received a fine.

(As you can probably tell) I sit in court sometimes

Victor · 05-09-2011 5:51pm

Fixed Charge Notices / Fixed Penalty Notices / Standard Fares and the like tend not to be convictions either.

Sarah316 · 05-09-2011 8:18pm

how does the fine/court poor box system work?

can you pay on the day or do you have to return at a later date?

445279.ie · 05-09-2011 8:37pm

Sarah316 wrote: »

how does the fine/court poor box system work?

can you pay on the day or do you have to return at a later date?

Depends on the Judge tbh. Some expect you to pay on the day but most adjourn the case for a few months to allow you time to pay.

nailatron · 01-11-2011 9:09pm

about 11 years ago i was in court and ordered to pay a €100 fine.
i asked the judge if this would affect my visa application for australia at the time and he said no i'd be fine. so do u think that means it wasn't a conviction?!? i cant remember if it was to a charity or not.

im applying for a Data Protection Access Request tomorrow so i guess ill find out soon enough.

nailatron · 01-11-2011 9:16pm

also i paid it there on the day, i really hope it was the poor box!

Reloc8 · 02-11-2011 1:05pm

nailatron wrote: »

also i paid it there on the day, i really hope it was the poor box!

If you paid on the day by handing it to the court clerk/garda it was poor box.

nailatron · 02-11-2011 1:27pm

i really cant remember who i handed the money to. i just wanted to the get the hell out of there!! i think it may have been some clerk type woman alright.

charlemont · 02-11-2011 11:13pm

You can be convicted and fined.

Fines can be given and the charge not recorded too whereas it would be taken care of under the probation act.

nailatron · 08-12-2011 1:27am

Got a letter for the garda saying they have no record of me having any convictions. Whoop.

HappyBalance2 · 03-08-2012 3:30pm

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/1207/1224308683120.html

Would this case mean fine = no conviction? It says in lieu of a sentence which probably means a fine doesnt always mean no conviction?

Tom Young · 03-08-2012 3:59pm

Yes: It's also known as the Poorbox.

HappyBalance2 · 03-08-2012 4:00pm

Tom Young wrote: »

Yes: It's also known as the Poorbox.

So these guys would have no convictions? It said in lieu of sentence not conviction in the article.

Tom Young · 03-08-2012 4:51pm

I'm not 100% about they case specifically. Fine in lieu of sentence may indicate a conviction but usually the vocabulary is fine & convict, x days to pay.

I suspect that the detail you might want will be here: http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/justice/criminal_law/criminal_trial/types_of_sentences.html

Tom Young · 03-08-2012 4:53pm

PS: Reading that report I'd say not.

Hubbledeep · 14-10-2013 1:31pm

Reloc8 wrote: »

If you paid on the day by handing it to the court clerk/garda it was poor box.

hey, are you absolutely sure of that?
I just rang dunl court there and they say my fine was a conviction because there was no sign of 'poor box' on the record but I did pay the fine to the court clerk?
the guy on the phone didn't sound 100% certain.

Does a Fine mean A Conviction?

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