It might seem a little silly to make a federal case out of a parking ticket, but when you get a ticket at the VA Medical Center in Fort Wayne, you have to go to federal court to contest it. So you have no choice.

Let’s just say it’s nice to know that when you go to federal court, people will at least listen to you.

The topic has its roots in an episode last spring when a man named John Neat got a parking ticket at the VA Medical Center on Lake Avenue.

Neat wasn’t too happy about the ticket, which carried a $50 fine – a lot of money for some older veterans with disabilities. He was even more upset because he didn’t think he deserved the ticket.

Neat had parked in a grassy area on the edge of the parking lot, which is usually full.

He says when he went through orientation a couple of years ago he was specifically told it was OK to park there. There were no “No Parking” signs.

He and some other vets who get around better than others often parked there on purpose, just to free up other spaces closer to the hospital for veterans who don’t get around so well.

Besides, when the lot was full, Neat said, he sometimes had no choice.

Miffed about the parking ticket, Neat complained, only to be told to either pay the ticket or contest it in federal court.

Well, last Friday, Neat and 17 others who also believed they were wrongly ticketed did just that. They went to federal court and objected, pointing out a lack of “No Parking” signs and a lack of signs indicating that additional parking was available in another lot.

In court, they found a sympathetic ear.

Tina Nommay, an assistant U.S. attorney, listened to their concerns and submitted a motion to dismiss all 18 parking tickets.

Her decision was influenced by a combination of factors, Nommay said.

It wasn’t clear whether there had been a change in parking policies and whether there were signs designating where people could or couldn’t park.

It was also taken into consideration that the people visiting the center – “visiting” isn’t the right word; they are mostly old and frail – were all veterans who had served their country.

When it was all over, the court agreed to the motion to dismiss. Veterans were told they couldn’t park on the grass, and they were reminded that there was an additional parking lot where they could park.

Nommay, meanwhile, said she would take their concerns to medical center officials.

“I can take their concerns and send them up the chain,” Nommay said. “I can’t make any promises,” and she certainly can’t dictate policies.

Really, though, that’s all the veterans wanted: someone to listen, which can be a hard thing to come by these days.