Receiving a Expired Tags Ticket during the MN Government shutdown. Contest it?

[Danie447]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? MN

I was issued a $108 ticket for expired tags today on the 11th. I didn't receive a notice in the mail which I know doesn't really matter because it's a courtesy. I also went to the DMV on the 5th but they closed before the could assist me (since I had to run to the bank and get cash since they don't take plastic). This could be considered my fault too I suppose since ignorance isn't an excuse. However, when I tried to order them online this weekend I could not because the government shutdown in MN caused all government based websites to be disabled.

The government has been shutdown since the 1st so there is a little bit of a gray area in which I feel I can contest the ticket. I have a clean driving record and a clean personal record so I think that helps me out. I also bought my tags less 5 hours after getting the ticket. To contest or not to contest? Someone please help me out.What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?

 

[Zigner]

Your registration expired BEFORE the 1st, didn't it?

You don't HAVE to operate the vehicle in violation of the law.

 

[Danie447]

Your registration expired BEFORE the 1st, didn't it?

You don't HAVE to operate the vehicle in violation of the law.

I know you can still be issued a ticket when parked. It's not a moving violation correct. And yes you're right. My registration did expire before the 1st. Don't take this personally at all because I may have not been clear in my post but you didn't catch my point.

My point was I was in the wrong by having expired tags, however, when I tried to correct myself my government failed me. Had the government had not been shutdown and had I been able to do an easy online transaction instead of driving across my county to the DMV I would not be in this situation. People are busy and people make this common mistake all the time. How often do you look at your licence plate and think my tags will expire in "X" months? So yes I was irresponsible but also I should have the opportunity to correct myself by simply paying online. Life is all about learning from mistakes sometimes the easy way sometimes the hard way. This should have been the easy way had I been able to pay for the tags online (even if a little late). Instead I got pimp slapped with a ticket.

 

[Zigner]

Again, you don't HAVE to operate the vehicle with expired registration. You CHOSE to do so.

 

[The Occultist]

Danie, the point that Zigner is trying to make is that once your tags were expired, you were not forced to continue driving the vehicle. You could have borrowed somebody else's vehicle, rode the bus, gotten rides, rode a bike, etc. Instead, you chose to continue operating the vehicle, and while it's true that you can be ticketed without the operation, I'm guessing it's the operation that helped got you caught.

Also, I do feel that while knowing you were illegally operating the vehicle, 11 days seems a little excessive for not having found the time to get your cash and hit the DMV.

Curious: there are actually DMV's out there that don't accept cards? Crazy!

 

[TinkerBelleLuvr]

The issue is that the STATE of MINNESOTA government is in SHUT DOWN. There are some DMV offices open, but they are limited. Even the ONLINE DMV seems shut down.

Personally, I would fight it. What do you have to lose?

 

[FlyingRon]

NC does not take credit cards for tags. Cash or checks only. The Plate agencies seem to be one of the goofiest things about the state.

 

[HighwayMan]

The violation had already occurred. What does the government shutdown have to do with it?

You tried to correct the problem but it was too late anyway, with or without the government gone. Correcting it only after you got a ticket for it is not a legal justification or defense. In some places you might get less of a fine if the expiration period is less than xx days, but you were still guilty on the day you were cited.

Why on Earth would you think the government's issues would mean you did nothing wrong?

 

[HighwayMan]

In other words correcting yourself after you get caught usually doesn't do very much for you.

 

[antiquedriver]

If the process for renewing the tags was closed than your ok. Just go to court and show that you tried to fix the situation but the state could not help you. I have personally had tickets like this throw out because they are just complience tickets if you fix the problem and show the court they should dismiss the ticket. In PA you take the ticket and the proof of valid tags to the police station and they will fix the ticket for you. In the end they are trying to get you to be legal.

 

[Zigner]

If the process for renewing the tags was closed than your ok. Just go to court and show that you tried to fix the situation but the state could not help you. I have personally had tickets like this throw out because they are just complience tickets if you fix the problem and show the court they should dismiss the ticket. In PA you take the ticket and the proof of valid tags to the police station and they will fix the ticket for you. In the end they are trying to get you to be legal.

OP's tags expired BEFORE the shutdown. OP CHOSE to illegally operate the vehicle.

 

[ajs09876]

I live in MN and renewed my tags DURING the shutdown. That was one of the things that stayed open was the DMV. The website was shut down, not most of the DMVs. Just because OP was to LAZY to get his butt down to the DMV does not mean he gets out of a ticket!