collections agency says dmv will suspend your liscense

[thebrain]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? los angeles county California

This woman I work with got a call from a collections agency because she never paid a ticket for driving with expired tags. the ticket she got was from 12-24-11. She claims she went to court to fight the ticket but she lost and couldn't pay the fine. Now a collection agency is threatening her if she doesn't pay, that the dmv will suspend her liscense and a warrent will be put out for her arrest. I told her not to pay because the collection agency can't do those things. But i am wondering could there be a bench warrent out for her arrest right now? And could the dmv already have suspended her liscense? And if either of those actions did happen paying the ticket to the collection agency won't make it go away right?

 

[sandyclaus]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? los angeles county California

This woman I work with got a call from a collections agency because she never paid a ticket for driving with expired tags. the ticket she got was from 12-24-11. She claims she went to court to fight the ticket but she lost and couldn't pay the fine. Now a collection agency is threatening her if she doesn't pay, that the dmv will suspend her liscense and a warrent will be put out for her arrest. I told her not to pay because the collection agency can't do those things. But i am wondering could there be a bench warrent out for her arrest right now? And could the dmv already have suspended her liscense? And if either of those actions did happen paying the ticket to the collection agency won't make it go away right?

I happen to know that LA County Superior Court actually has their own "Collection Agency" within their organization that handles traffic tickets and fines (it's called GC Services as I recall). They don't "threaten" per se, they only relay the appropriate legal consequences of not paying those finesl based upon the fact that failure to pay traffic fines here in California can result in an FTP charge:

Failure to Pay - California VC 40508(b) FTP
Failure to Pay VC 40508(b) FTP – a warrant or hold for failure to comply with a term or condition of the sentence which usually means a failure to pay your traffic ticket fine before the deadline which can result in:-

an FTP
and a possible misdemeanor charge against you (a criminal offense)
along with a license hold or suspension.

So, YES. They can tell your friend that if she fails to pay her traffic fines, she can be subjected to a hold or suspension of her license. The warrant for her arrest might be issued for the associated misdemeanor charge.

This is a perfect example of someone sharing inaccurate legal advice, which is absolutely foolish unless you are a licensed legal professional. Hope your friend doesn't take your advice on this one.

 

[HighwayMan]

Now a collection agency is threatening her if she doesn't pay, that the dmv will suspend her liscense [SIC]...

Gee, what do YOU think the consequences are for not paying a traffic ticket adjudicated "guilty"?

 

[Zigner]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? los angeles county California

This woman I work with got a call from a collections agency because she never paid a ticket for driving with expired tags. the ticket she got was from 12-24-11. She claims she went to court to fight the ticket but she lost and couldn't pay the fine. Now a collection agency is threatening her if she doesn't pay, that the dmv will suspend her liscense and a warrent will be put out for her arrest. I told her not to pay because the collection agency can't do those things. But i am wondering could there be a bench warrent out for her arrest right now? And could the dmv already have suspended her liscense? And if either of those actions did happen paying the ticket to the collection agency won't make it go away right?

Perhaps you ought to refrain from giving advice without checking things out first.

 

[LdiJ]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? los angeles county California

This woman I work with got a call from a collections agency because she never paid a ticket for driving with expired tags. the ticket she got was from 12-24-11. She claims she went to court to fight the ticket but she lost and couldn't pay the fine. Now a collection agency is threatening her if she doesn't pay, that the dmv will suspend her liscense and a warrent will be put out for her arrest. I told her not to pay because the collection agency can't do those things. But i am wondering could there be a bench warrent out for her arrest right now? And could the dmv already have suspended her liscense? And if either of those actions did happen paying the ticket to the collection agency won't make it go away right?

You are treating this as if it were ordinary, consumer debt. Its not. Its a traffic fine. You would be right if the money she owed was to a credit card company...but as has already been pointed out, you are dead wrong when its a traffic fine.