How to Fight Parking Tickets in the City of Brookline

Finding a bright orange envelope tucked under your windshield wiper is never the highlight of anyone’s day, especially in the City of Brookline. If that ticket reads "Angle Parking," you might be scratching your head. While the concept seems simple enough, the execution is where many drivers get tripped up. Essentially, this violation means your vehicle was positioned diagonally against the curb in a spot where that isn't allowed, or perhaps you didn't quite stay within the painted lines of a legal angle spot.

In most parts of Brookline, parallel parking is the default. Unless you see specific markings on the street indicating that you should pull in head-first at an angle, you are generally expected to park parallel to the curb. Conversely, if you are in a designated angle parking zone, trying to parallel park—or parking at the wrong angle—can obstruct traffic flow and earn you a $25.00 citation. While twenty-five dollars might not sound like a budget-breaker, ignoring the ticket is where things get expensive.

The City of Brookline has a strict escalation policy for unpaid fines. If you put this ticket in your glove box and forget about it for more than 21 days, a $10.00 late fee is tacked on. If you continue to wait, the situation gets significantly worse after 42 days. At that point, an additional $40.00 penalty is applied, more than doubling the original cost. Even worse, the matter is referred to the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV), which can place a hold on your registration renewal. That means you won't be able to legally drive your car until the debt is settled.

However, you don't have to just accept the fine if you believe it was issued in error. There are valid reasons to dispute an Angle Parking ticket. For instance, were the painted lines on the road faded or covered by snow? Was the signage indicating the parking style missing or obscured by overhanging tree branches? If the infrastructure was unclear, you might have a case for dismissal. Evidence is key, so photos of the scene can be very helpful.

This is where Busted comes in. Our web app simplifies the entire process of managing your parking tickets. If you want to contest the violation, we can help you assemble your defense and submit the dispute to the City of Brookline. We know what details the hearing officers are looking for. If you’d rather just pay it and move on, we can handle that securely for you as well. While we can't guarantee a dismissal, we can guarantee that using Busted is faster and less of a headache than dealing with municipal bureaucracy on your own.