Michigan driver wins settlement for chalked tire tickets

A driver in Michigan challenged a $70 parking ticket and won a payout for others affected by the same issue. This week, a judge approved a settlement related to a class action lawsuit started by Sean Yannotti in 2022. Yannotti's legal battle began in Ann Arbor after he received a ticket in 2019. He discovered that parking officers had chalked his tires to monitor how long he parked, which he argued violated his Fourth Amendment rights. The courts agreed, stating that marking tires is considered a search and requires a warrant or exception. Ann Arbor had used tire chalking as a parking enforcement method until it was discontinued in April 2019, following a ruling by the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. After his ticket, Yannotti went to court seeking damages and wanted just $1 for the violation, plus interest. The city initially fought the lawsuit but later agreed to settle. They will offer $1 to anyone who had their tires chalked, once the court approves the settlement. Drivers can claim their payout by submitting a claim. From 2012 to 2019, Ann Arbor recorded an average of nearly 103,000 parking violations each year. The chalking practice was common across many U.S. cities but has faced legal challenges, with recent court rulings calling it an unreasonable search. Ann Arbor officials have not admitted any wrongdoing in this case, but the settlement will result in costs for the city, although the total amount has not been disclosed.