What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Arkansas
I got pulled over for expired tags and was ticketed for owner failure to register vehicle and fictitious tags. The license plate was from my previous car which I had traded in for the new one I was driving. When I switched cars the dealership took my plate off my old car and put it on the new one. My dad purchased the car for me (in his and my name) and told me he would handle the registration. A few months later he gave me the notice to renew tags.. for my old car. When I realized what happened and tried to find the paperwork from him to register, it had been lost. Right after that, my dad was moved into a nursing home out of state for dementia. As I was trying to get new things mailed to me like new bill of sale and manufacturers certificate of origin, I couldn't get anyone to deal with me because they said they had to mail it to my dad, who wasn't there anymore, and he couldn't call to change things. The DMV told me I couldn't get registered and assessed without the MCO, which I had to go through the dealership to get, and after they told me they were sending off for it, stopped communicating with me or returning my calls/emails (I live out of state so I couldn't go by). I ended up having to get a power of attorney for someone to go down there for me and basically demand the MCO to be reordered, even though it was months later and they still hadn't done it. The manager was freaking out and cussing the person who I had there representing me, saying he had communicated with me and that I hadn't paid him $75 for a replacement, and I knew he hadn't ordered it (none of which is true). Finally I got everything dealt with, got new license plate, got registered, all that. I have a court date Friday of this week. I have no idea what to do or what to expect. I have no one to help me with this, I'm in college, my mom died and my dad is not able to help. Is there any hope that I can make a case for this just being a mix up? Or should I just get it over with and pay the fine and skip court? I've never been in trouble before, have no record or even a ticket, I had insurance.. I'm just scared of going to court, especially if it's going to end up not being any point to it. The fine is like $300 something, I'm going to spend that much on a lawyer. What happens if I were to plead guilty, does it go on your record, change insurance, etc?
I got pulled over for expired tags and was ticketed for owner failure to register vehicle and fictitious tags. The license plate was from my previous car which I had traded in for the new one I was driving. When I switched cars the dealership took my plate off my old car and put it on the new one. My dad purchased the car for me (in his and my name) and told me he would handle the registration. A few months later he gave me the notice to renew tags.. for my old car. When I realized what happened and tried to find the paperwork from him to register, it had been lost. Right after that, my dad was moved into a nursing home out of state for dementia. As I was trying to get new things mailed to me like new bill of sale and manufacturers certificate of origin, I couldn't get anyone to deal with me because they said they had to mail it to my dad, who wasn't there anymore, and he couldn't call to change things. The DMV told me I couldn't get registered and assessed without the MCO, which I had to go through the dealership to get, and after they told me they were sending off for it, stopped communicating with me or returning my calls/emails (I live out of state so I couldn't go by). I ended up having to get a power of attorney for someone to go down there for me and basically demand the MCO to be reordered, even though it was months later and they still hadn't done it. The manager was freaking out and cussing the person who I had there representing me, saying he had communicated with me and that I hadn't paid him $75 for a replacement, and I knew he hadn't ordered it (none of which is true). Finally I got everything dealt with, got new license plate, got registered, all that. I have a court date Friday of this week. I have no idea what to do or what to expect. I have no one to help me with this, I'm in college, my mom died and my dad is not able to help. Is there any hope that I can make a case for this just being a mix up? Or should I just get it over with and pay the fine and skip court? I've never been in trouble before, have no record or even a ticket, I had insurance.. I'm just scared of going to court, especially if it's going to end up not being any point to it. The fine is like $300 something, I'm going to spend that much on a lawyer. What happens if I were to plead guilty, does it go on your record, change insurance, etc?
