registration suspension- two charges

[janna57]

What is the name of your state? Pennsylvania

My daughter's car was inoperable from August- December. She dropped the insurance on the car while it was simply parked. Meanwhile, she was saving money to have the car fixed. In December, she received notification from PennDot that she needed to surrender her plates as she dropped the insurance on it. She contacted them and told them that she was going to have the car repaired in two weeks, and would insure the car. They told that was fine. After Christmas her car was repaired, and insured. In February, she was stopped for making illegal right turn on red. The police told her that her car had suspended registration. Also, he told her that her car was not insured. She gave him the card, and he told her that it was not valid. Her car is insured on my policy. I found out the next day, that my policy number changed by one digit. So, it was coming up invalid.(old policy number). She brought him the correct information the following day. She had contacted PennDot about the questionable registration suspension of her car. They told her that it ws not suspended. She continued to drive the car. Three weeks later, she was stopped for a stop sign violation in a different city. Again, her registration is showing"suspended". I was in the room when she contacted PennDot, again. She gave the correct vin number, make, and model of the car. When she went to the police station, they showed her that it was suspended. Three days later, she received an application for renewal registration on a car that she no longer owned. Perhaps, this stirred up the mix-up. However, I heard her give the vin number and information on the car that she was driving. So, now on top of the moving traffic violations(which she is guilty), she has two counts of driving a vehicle with suspended registration. I feel terrible because I encouraged her to continue to drive the car.(after first violation) I figured that it was just a mix-up that would be straightend out. So, the second time was my fault. Of course, not the moving violation. Does she have a chance with this case? Or, just a matter of her word, and no proof? Her court date is 5/4/06. Any comments greatly appreciated.

[sukharev]

It's quite simple, really. WRITE to PennDot, requesting verification/copy of current vehicle registration, effective the date before the ticket was issued. Give it to the judge, and your ticket is gone. Especially if she pleads guilty and pays for the stop sign violation (ouch, have fun paying insurance up). Speaking of insurance, make sure you also get the verification letter from them, with explanation of the number change (I am not sure why would you have an OLD card in the car, when you should have the new one with new number, but you can explain everything to the judge). Don't go to court until you have those documents (call the court and find out how to request continuance if needed)

You can show up as a witness with your daughter, although it's likely that the judge would be amused but tell you to sit down, while he is lecturing your kid on how to be a responsible adult. I've seen it happen (he would just say "and you are who?"). Traffic courts are nothing like you see on TV, don't expect an OJ trial. Good luck.