A ticket is not punishment for a crime. A ticket is a summons charging you of commiting a crime. When you pay a ticket you are pleading guilty to the offense a

A ticket is not punishment for a crime. A ticket is a summons charging you of commiting a crime. When you pay a ticket you are pleading guilty to the offense and paying the predetermined fine which is the punishment for commiting the crime. You can also appeal the ticket which then allows you to argue your innocence in a court. If the court finds you guilty they will then issue you a fine which is your punishment.