Expired sticker

[psyentist]

What is the name of your state? Texas

Today I found out that the inspection sticker on my car happens to be expired when I was given a citation for it by a large burly officer. I wasn't wrongly accused, but I'm concerned about the way he approached me. I wasn't pulled over for this offence. I wasn't in my car or driving. I was actually at a gas station and I was standing next to the pump pumping gas into my car when the officer approached me and asked for my license and then gave me the citation. On my way back home, I tried to take a look at other stickers and it seems that I wasn't the only one with an expired sticker. I am a young woman and am very small and I feel that this has something to do with why I was the one approached instead of others in that gas station. I have never in my life received any kind of citation, warning, or ticket. This is the first time. The court won't tell me how much I'm going to have to pay for a fine, but I currently have no income and I'm afraid I'll have to drop my classes in school in order to pay the fine, so I was wondering if there is any way out of this, such as a problem in the way he approached me or the reason he approached me. I have no idea what to do and I probably don't stand a chance, but if someone can help me even a little bit, I would greatly appreciate it.

 

[gawm]

If you get the tag current before your court date there is a good chance ( not certain, but probable) the judge will reduce the fine. Also they will let you make payments if you don't have all the money.

 

[Smiles]

The court won't tell me how much I'm going to have to pay for a fine, but I currently have no income and I'm afraid I'll have to drop my classes in school in order to pay the fine, so I was wondering if there is any way out of this, such as a problem in the way he approached me or the reason he approached me. I have no idea what to do and I probably don't stand a chance, but if someone can help me even a little bit, I would greatly appreciate it.

You seem to have been properly cited. I don't see how being a small woman has anything to do with the situation, and it surely won't get you any traction in court. (You don't say that he did anything inappropriate, only that he was large.) I'm sure he simply noticed that your car had an expired sticker. If you'd been a 6'3" male, do you think that you wouldn't have been cited? What makes you sure that the other vehicles at the station weren't in compliance? And even if they weren't, that doesn't make you not guilty, even though it seems unfair.

gawm's advice is probably most appropriate here, but I'm not familiar with Texas. I don't know why the court is unable to tell you the fine.

 

[CdwJava]

The court likely won't tell her the fine amount as they have not yet received the citation. Many civil servants are forbidden from hypothesizing or guessing as that tends to land them in hot water. The court clerks in my county do the same thing - if it's not in front of them, they make no guesses.

"But the clerk said the fine would only be $45! Why is $135?" ... that kind of thing can cause headaches for administrators and judges.

When they get the citation and check the driver's and the vehicle's history, THEN they can evaluate the exact fine based upon whatever schedule they use in the TX courts.

- Carl

 

[kNOwtheLAW]

OP - According to the Texas Transportation Code the penalty will not be more than $200. However, if you get your vehicle inspected soon (within 10 working days of the citation) it is very likely the charge can be dismissed. That means no fine, but an administrative fee of $10.

Read the Texas Code Section 548.604 dealing with penalties.

§ 548.605. DISMISSAL OF CHARGE; ADMINISTRATIVE FEE. (a)
In this section, "working day" means any day other than a Saturday,
a Sunday, or a holiday on which county offices are closed.
(b) The court shall:
(1) dismiss a charge of driving with an expired
inspection certificate if:
(A) the defendant remedies the defect within 10
working days; and
(B) the inspection certificate has not been
expired for more than 60 days; and
(2) assess an administrative fee not to exceed $10
when the charge of driving with an expired inspection certificate
has been remedied.
(c) Notwithstanding Subsection (b)(1)(B), the court may
dismiss a charge of driving with an expired inspection certificate
that has been expired for more than 60 days.

Good luck!

KTL