What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Maine
I was pulled over for speeding on October 8th, 2013. I admittedly was speeding. My ticket was for $190 which is a lot of money to me. In Maine there is a grace period...so to speak...where you have approximately 20 days to pay or contest the ticket. For the next month I called the payment phone number on the back of the ticket and the system would not recognize my ticket. As it got close to the 20 days I called the "Judicial Branch" of the motor vehicles and spoke with a clerk who said nothing was in the system and to call back next week or just send the $ in with the ticket. Again the $190 is a big deal to me and my family......I was began to hope the ticket was never turned in. I waited and called back the next week and a judicial clerk looked up the ticket and said "there is no record of this violation. this is your lucky day" This was admittedly what I wanted to hear, but I did not prod it out of her and I was surprised she would say that. I thanked her and joked that I just didnt want to end up with a suspended license.
Fast forward to last Sunday, June 8, 2014......I went for an ice cream that evening with my children and was pulled over for a broken tail light. I thought I was being pulled over because it appeared as though my car was not registered because the stickers on my license plates showed as expired, but I had reregistered my car online a few days prior and had not received my new stickers in the mail yet (just received them today 6/11/14.) The sherif took a couple of minutes before approaching my car.....he asked me for insurance and registration and as I was handing him the insurance and insurance information I started explaining about the registration and he interupted me and said "yes, I know, the problem is your license is suspended"**************.I was shocked and immediately thought of that ticket. The officer then said "this does not make sense, you should not have been able to register your car with a suspended license". I think he could tell I was not up to no good and horrified about my license.....with my 10 and 12 year old children in the car. The officer was fantastic and did not write me a violation and required that I had a licensed driver come get my car. He told me to call the state the next day and get everything straightened and not to drive. I thanked him and have not driven since.
I called the Maine DMV and spoke with a clerk and listened to my issue and referred me to the "judicial branch" again. The DMV were sympethetic to my situation and confirmed that my license is suspended and that my registration somehow went through in error. The DMV also mentioned that it seemed like a long time between the ticket and suspension. I thanked them and called the judicial branch. As I was explaining my situation the clerk was quite unsympathetic and kept talking about where I have erred in this situation and replying about what I think are State errors. I told the judicial clerk about being told "this is your lucky day.." and she flat out denies that any one there would say that. I asked her to give me the dates of the violation and when the ticket what turned in and she replied..."violation was on October 8, 2013 and the officer turned in the ticket on December 19th and your license was suspended on February 19th" I have recently moved and have not changed my mailing address on my license....absolutely my fault, but I never was notified of the suspension. The last I heard it was my "lucky day" Now in addition to the $190 fine, I owe $50 reinstatement fee and $50 late fee. Additionally, I am required to inform my employer, which I have, and I will have a 10 percent pay cut retroactive to when my license was suspended....Feb 19th.
I was speeding and admit it, I owe $190. I think there were mistakes made by the officer waiting over 2 months, the judicial telling me it was lucky day, and being allowed to register my car (that would have been a much easier way to learn my license was suspended instead of during a traffic stop.) I erred by speeding, hoping to get lucky like I thought I did. I have asked the judicial if anything can be if it is possible to remove the suspension and late and reinstatement fees.....they flat out won't budge and maintain they never would tell me the ticket wasn't turned in. Is there a way to get the suspension at least reviewed? Do officers have an unlimited amount of time to turn in tickets?
Thank you in advance for any advice and sorry or the long description
I was pulled over for speeding on October 8th, 2013. I admittedly was speeding. My ticket was for $190 which is a lot of money to me. In Maine there is a grace period...so to speak...where you have approximately 20 days to pay or contest the ticket. For the next month I called the payment phone number on the back of the ticket and the system would not recognize my ticket. As it got close to the 20 days I called the "Judicial Branch" of the motor vehicles and spoke with a clerk who said nothing was in the system and to call back next week or just send the $ in with the ticket. Again the $190 is a big deal to me and my family......I was began to hope the ticket was never turned in. I waited and called back the next week and a judicial clerk looked up the ticket and said "there is no record of this violation. this is your lucky day" This was admittedly what I wanted to hear, but I did not prod it out of her and I was surprised she would say that. I thanked her and joked that I just didnt want to end up with a suspended license.
Fast forward to last Sunday, June 8, 2014......I went for an ice cream that evening with my children and was pulled over for a broken tail light. I thought I was being pulled over because it appeared as though my car was not registered because the stickers on my license plates showed as expired, but I had reregistered my car online a few days prior and had not received my new stickers in the mail yet (just received them today 6/11/14.) The sherif took a couple of minutes before approaching my car.....he asked me for insurance and registration and as I was handing him the insurance and insurance information I started explaining about the registration and he interupted me and said "yes, I know, the problem is your license is suspended"**************.I was shocked and immediately thought of that ticket. The officer then said "this does not make sense, you should not have been able to register your car with a suspended license". I think he could tell I was not up to no good and horrified about my license.....with my 10 and 12 year old children in the car. The officer was fantastic and did not write me a violation and required that I had a licensed driver come get my car. He told me to call the state the next day and get everything straightened and not to drive. I thanked him and have not driven since.
I called the Maine DMV and spoke with a clerk and listened to my issue and referred me to the "judicial branch" again. The DMV were sympethetic to my situation and confirmed that my license is suspended and that my registration somehow went through in error. The DMV also mentioned that it seemed like a long time between the ticket and suspension. I thanked them and called the judicial branch. As I was explaining my situation the clerk was quite unsympathetic and kept talking about where I have erred in this situation and replying about what I think are State errors. I told the judicial clerk about being told "this is your lucky day.." and she flat out denies that any one there would say that. I asked her to give me the dates of the violation and when the ticket what turned in and she replied..."violation was on October 8, 2013 and the officer turned in the ticket on December 19th and your license was suspended on February 19th" I have recently moved and have not changed my mailing address on my license....absolutely my fault, but I never was notified of the suspension. The last I heard it was my "lucky day" Now in addition to the $190 fine, I owe $50 reinstatement fee and $50 late fee. Additionally, I am required to inform my employer, which I have, and I will have a 10 percent pay cut retroactive to when my license was suspended....Feb 19th.
I was speeding and admit it, I owe $190. I think there were mistakes made by the officer waiting over 2 months, the judicial telling me it was lucky day, and being allowed to register my car (that would have been a much easier way to learn my license was suspended instead of during a traffic stop.) I erred by speeding, hoping to get lucky like I thought I did. I have asked the judicial if anything can be if it is possible to remove the suspension and late and reinstatement fees.....they flat out won't budge and maintain they never would tell me the ticket wasn't turned in. Is there a way to get the suspension at least reviewed? Do officers have an unlimited amount of time to turn in tickets?
Thank you in advance for any advice and sorry or the long description
