Caught driving with fictitious plates. Can someone help me with some advice?

[10edenguy]

I live in NJ. I was driving tonight and was pulled over for not yielding to a pedestrian and then the police officer told me that my plates were fictitious since they belonged to an old car I owned. He then said my license was suspended as well and then gave me a fourth ticket for a broken tail light. I can't believe this happened. I'm not looking to make excuses. I would like some advice on what to do. I'm a student and make maybe 17,000/yr so my options are pretty limited.

 

[Eekamouse]

I live in NJ. I was driving tonight and was pulled over for not yielding to a pedestrian and then the police officer told me that my plates were fictitious since they belonged to an old car I owned. He then said my license was suspended as well and then gave me a fourth ticket for a broken tail light. I can't believe this happened. I'm not looking to make excuses. I would like some advice on what to do. I'm a student and make maybe 17,000/yr so my options are pretty limited.

If you want to keep on driving, pay your fines and get your license reinstated. It was your choice to drive on a suspended license. Your choice to put fictitious plates on your car. Your choice to not yield to a pedestrian. You may not have known your tail light was out but hey, that's why they call those tickets Fix It tickets. The other tickets you have nobody but yourself to blame for. Pay up.

 

[FlyingRon]

You may not have known your tail light was out but hey, that's why they call those tickets Fix It tickets.

Maybe they call them that where you are, but in NJ they are equipment violations and there's no statutory "correction" process. You can usually get the sympathy of a judge if you show you've corrected it, but it is entirely discretionary on his part. It is the driver's responsibility to check their equipment.

 

[Eekamouse]

Maybe they call them that where you are, but in NJ they are equipment violations and there's no statutory "correction" process. You can usually get the sympathy of a judge if you show you've corrected it, but it is entirely discretionary on his part. It is the driver's responsibility to check their equipment.

Really? That's interesting to know. Out here in California, things like that are fix it tickets. You fix it, find a CHP to sign it off, then mail in your fine and the signed off ticket. The fines aren't that huge. I had a ticket for my license plate light not illuminating my license plate enough (is that like the weirdest ticket ever?) and it cost me I think $25.

 

[davew128]

Really? That's interesting to know. Out here in California, things like that are fix it tickets. You fix it, find a CHP to sign it off, then mail in your fine and the signed off ticket. The fines aren't that huge. I had a ticket for my license plate light not illuminating my license plate enough (is that like the weirdest ticket ever?) and it cost me I think $25.

The point is that CA is somewhat alone in that regard.

 

[Zigner]

Really? That's interesting to know. Out here in California, things like that are fix it tickets. You fix it, find a CHP to sign it off, then mail in your fine and the signed off ticket. The fines aren't that huge. I had a ticket for my license plate light not illuminating my license plate enough (is that like the weirdest ticket ever?) and it cost me I think $25.

That's true for the broken lights, but it's not true for the "fictitious plate" charge. As you know, in CA, the plate generally stays with the car (exceptions for disable plates and "vanity" plates, etc. An analog for the plate situation here in CA would be somebody putting a false registration sticker on their plate, and that's a felony (not a correctable violation.)

(I'm not correcting you, rather, I'm clarifying this based on the full OP.)

 

[FlyingRon]

Every state is different which is why the forum software asks what state so we can avoid sticking erroneous information for the posters situation. California's "correctable violation" system is unique, but other states have things. Maryland has inspection tickets (officially safety equipment repair orders). They technically cost you nothing other than you have to get the deficiency repaired and signed off by an inspection station (though for some things like bulbs you can get any cop to sign it off). If you don't get it signed off, your car registration is suspended.

That means nothing to the original poster however. In NJ there's no such beast. On equipment violations or lack of inspection or even sometimes on certain license/insurance issues (having a valid insurance/license but not having it with you, minor expiration issues, etc...), you can get some mitigation from the judge in many cases if you show you are now in compliance with the law, but it's up to the individual court.

It's going to be a hard sell to the judge for INTENTIONAL violations or driving while suspended.