Every parking meter within 40 of Pennsylvania's 67 counties is out of compliance with state law. If a parking meter is not certified accurate every three years, the parking ticket is invalid. The state hasn't inspected any meters in recent memory, which means tickets in these areas would not hold up in court.

Only 27 counties in Pennsylvania have their own inspectors capable of certifying the machines. The Pennsylvania Bureau of Rides and Measures has only 18 staff members, and millions of mechanisms to certify throughout the state.

The budget for the city of Wilkes-Barre forecasts more than $700,000 in revenue from parking meters and tickets this year after having raised fees and the cost of tickets, but none of the city's meters are certified. The state has promised to begin inspections in the city on April 18.

"If someone were fighting a ticket and they were to show me that law, and prove that the meter had not been inspected as per state law, I don't think there's any question they would win," said District Judge John Hasay of Shickshinny.