Suspended License - No Insurance (Long...sorry)

[knuckleuppunk]

What is the name of your state? California

First, thank you for reading this and for any assistance concerning this ticket.


Back in 2005, I received a ticket for no front plate, no current registration, and no proof of insurance while passing through Bishop, CA at 2:30am on our way to Carson City, NV. I did not have a front plate, but I did have current registration and insurance...I just didn't have proof on my person at the time I was pulled over.

The registration problem is that I mistakenly placed my fathers registration sticker on my plate and not my own sticker. My father was living with me and my family, as he was fighting cancer at the time. Since I didn't have anything in the car to prove it was registered, the officer ran the sticker and said it was stolen from another vehicle and wrote me a ticket for it. He also said that I had no proof of insurance and wrote me up for that.

My family and I decided to get a hotel that night in Bishop and clear everything up in the morning. We went to a local insurance office and paid for another insurance policy, then went to the DMV and ordered new license plates and a copy of our registration. We then took all this paperwork and items to the police station and had the ticket signed off.....but here is where my problem comes in.

The police officer can't sign-off on a no insurance citation, but he didn't explain that to me at the time. I know that it's my fault, but I has assumed that the situation was handled and continued to drive as normal.

Fast forward to December of 2006. I was preparing to leave town on business, so I had my wife drop me off at LAX for my flight. My wife was a little nervous about driving inside LAX, so I decided to drive to the airport to show her where to pick me up, etc... Once we entered the airport, we were pulled over almost right away. The truck we were in (friends truck) had no front plate, so the officer pulled me over because of it. Since I was leaving, I didn't not have any proof of insurance on me. The cop wrote me for no insurance, no front plate...and here is the kicker....driving on a suspended license! He also proceeded to tow and impound the truck with a 30 day hold.

I can prove that I had insurance at the time of the ticket, but will that help me? Also, what kind of fines or jail time am I looking at for the suspended license? What should/could I do to help myself out in this matter?

Thanks again for reading this long post and I look forward to any and all advise.

Kind Regards,

Jay

 

[JETX]

Yep. Too long.
Get rid of all the non-relevant extraneous crap (who cares if you were in a hotel in Bishop, etc.!!) and we might try to help.
Your novella could be said in about five sentences.

 

[knuckleuppunk]

Yep. Too long.
Get rid of all the non-relevant extraneous crap (who cares if you were in a hotel in Bishop, etc.!!) and we might try to help.
Your novella could be said in about five sentences.

Thank you for your prompt reply.

I apologize for the length, but I was under the impression that information is key. I'm sure that the hotel part isn't crucial, but it is relevant and helps one understand that the Bishop ticket was taken care of within 12hrs of receiving it.

Regardless, I'll try to sum everything up now. Hopefully this will avoid any negative remarks that might lead us away from the topic.

1.) Received a ticket for no registration (stolen tag), no front plate, and no proof of insurance in 2005.

2.) Fixed said ticket within 12hrs of receiving it.

3.) Assumed that the proof of insurance violation was signed off as well, but a court clerk must do that and not an officer.

4.) Fast Forward to 2006. License is suspended for the 2005 insurance ticket and I am unaware. Drove to LAX and was pulled over in a friends truck due to no front plate. Receive a ticket for no insurance, no front plate, and driving on a suspended. Impound truck for 30 days.

5.) I can prove that I had insurance at the time of the ticket, but will that help me?

6.) What kind of fines and/or jail time am I looking at for the suspended license?

7.) What should/could I do to help myself out in this matter? (Besides making sure all front plates are on the vehicles I drive). I'm looking for real help before my court date on the 26th.

Thanks in advance,

Jay

 

[knuckleuppunk]

One more note -

I'm not worried about the vehicle impound. We were able to have it released within 3 days.

Thanks again,

Jay

 

[JETX]

I apologize for the length, but I was under the impression that information is key.

RELEVANT information is important. What the weather was on the day before, and what someone was wearing (sample NON-relevant) isn't.

Fixed said ticket within 12hrs of receiving it.

Actually, that is NOT true.
From your earlier post:
"We went to a local insurance office and paid for another insurance policy, then went to the DMV and ordered new license plates and a copy of our registration.[/quote]
Neither of those actions will undo a citation.
You didn't have insurance AT THE TIME of the citation.
You had 'stolen registration' AT THE TIME of the citation.

We then took all this paperwork and items to the police station and had the ticket signed off.....but here is where my problem comes in.

If you were in fact CITED for those violations, a police officer can't 'sign off' on them. If you were in fact given a 'warning - repair and return' (or similar), the officer could clear the warning on proof of remedy.

I can prove that I had insurance at the time of the ticket, but will that help me?

Can't even get your own story straight!!
Your earlier post said that AFTER the citation was issues, you "went to a local insurance office and paid for another insurance policy". Why buy ANOTHER policy if you had one at the time of the citation (and simply didn't have proof)??

What kind of fines and/or jail time am I looking at for the suspended license?

No one can answer that as it is entirely up to the court.

What should/could I do to help myself out in this matter?

Start by being a mature responsible adult and accept the consequences of your own conduct. From your post, last year, you got (at least) three citations (no front plate, no insurance, stolen registration).
And now, a year later, you get at least three more (no front plate, no insurance and DWLS).
See a pattern here??

I'm looking for real help before my court date on the 26th.

Your post provides NOTHING in the way of defense against the new tickets, so we can't 'help' you for your clear violations of the laws.
Suggestion: Take your toothbrush (just in case) and take LOTS of cash.

 

[knuckleuppunk]

Actually, that is NOT true.
From your earlier post:
"We went to a local insurance office and paid for another insurance policy, then went to the DMV and ordered new license plates and a copy of our registration.
Neither of those actions will undo a citation.
You didn't have insurance AT THE TIME of the citation.
You had 'stolen registration' AT THE TIME of the citation.

Actually, I did have insurance at the time. Bishop is about 400 miles from where we live, so I wanted to handle this right away. Purchasing a supplemental policy appeared to be an easy and simple fix. I admit that I was wrong by not having proof on me at the time I was pulled over, but I wanted to avoid driving 400 miles just to prove I had insurance and a front plate. My registration was valid as well, I just didn't have the paperwork on me at the time.

All of this can be proven by actual dates on the ticket, insurance policy(s), and my DMV registration card.

If you were in fact CITED for those violations, a police officer can't 'sign off' on them. If you were in fact given a 'warning - repair and return' (or similar), the officer could clear the warning on proof of remedy.

The Bishop ticket does say "Correctable Violation", so perhaps I'm just assuming that he can't sign off on the insurance ticket? Maybe the corrections were not submitted to the DMV?

Can't even get your own story straight!!
Your earlier post said that AFTER the citation was issues, you "went to a local insurance office and paid for another insurance policy". Why buy ANOTHER policy if you had one at the time of the citation (and simply didn't have proof)??

Please see my first answer in this post.

No one can answer that as it is entirely up to the court.

Thank you.

Start by being a mature responsible adult and accept the consequences of your own conduct. From your post, last year, you got (at least) three citations (no front plate, no insurance, stolen registration).
And now, a year later, you get at least three more (no front plate, no insurance and DWLS).
See a pattern here??

I do appreciate your remarks here, but understand that I'm not looking to cry my way out of anything or find a loop-hole to get this dismissed. I am ready to handle the situation, but I wanted some advise before I went into court.

Your post provides NOTHING in the way of defense against the new tickets, so we can't 'help' you for your clear violations of the laws.
Suggestion: Take your toothbrush (just in case) and take LOTS of cash.

Again, thanks for your help.

 

[Zigner]

I am having trouble believing this one for a number of reasons...

You say you bought another policy because you didn't want to drive 400 miles to prove you had insurance. Even in 2005, we had technology such as fax machines. Your agent or insurance company could have faxed you a copy of proof of insurance. Heck, they could have over-nighted it to you (on your tab) and it would have cost less than a new policy.

As for the suspended license - this type of thing doesn't happen with notice from the DMV. You received plenty of notice that your license would be suspended.

When you come here, it's not quantity of information that matters. It's the QUALITY of that information. And, in your case, I don't feel you're providing the true facts.

 

[knuckleuppunk]

I am having trouble believing this one for a number of reasons...

You say you bought another policy because you didn't want to drive 400 miles to prove you had insurance. Even in 2005, we had technology such as fax machines. Your agent or insurance company could have faxed you a copy of proof of insurance. Heck, they could have over-nighted it to you (on your tab) and it would have cost less than a new policy.

As for the suspended license - this type of thing doesn't happen with notice from the DMV. You received plenty of notice that your license would be suspended.

When you come here, it's not quantity of information that matters. It's the QUALITY of that information. And, in your case, I don't feel you're providing the true facts.

My father had just passed and we were going to Carson City to empty out a storage unit. Our time was very limited, so I made the decision to just pay for another policy and then cancel it after a month. When this all happened, time was much more important than money. We were not on vacation, so we needed to get things done in a hurry. To some it might not make any sense, but it is the truth.

I'm not trying to say that I'm not guilty. I'm guilty, no way around it. I'm not trying to get off on the charges, but more so on what to expect and if there is anything that I can do so the judge shows a little mercy.

I'm starting to think that this board receives a lot of "I'm innocent" or "the police lied" posts. This isn't the case here. I know what I've done wrong, regardless if I had proof at home or not. The law requires me to keep proof on my person at all times. That being said, what do you "think" I should do before the court date? Would an attorney be helpful or will the outcome be the same regardless?

Thanks again for the response.

Jay

 

[cepe10]

I'm starting to think that this board receives a lot of "I'm innocent" or "the police lied" posts. This isn't the case here. I know what I've done wrong, regardless if I had proof at home or not. The law requires me to keep proof on my person at all times. That being said, what do you "think" I should do before the court date? Would an attorney be helpful or will the outcome be the same regardless?
Jay

I think perhaps you have been mistaken, these senior posters are not here to give advice or share similar experience, only to mock - this is their "judge judy" show and everybody is guilty (except them of course!

You need to bring All of you proof of insurance, registration related documentation to court with you.

If you were never notified by the court or DMV that your license was being suspended - you need to bring that up with the court as well. Due process is required prior to suspension or revocation of driving rights and officals filing the records and notices screw up all the time...

Showing responsibility goes a long way with most judges - look into the "trial by declaration" if it available to you.