Checking facts
1) You or your wife can obtain a copy of her driving record from the DMV. in person (Make an appointment if you want)
2)Complete the Request for Driver Record Information form
3)Show identification
4)Pay $5.00
If you request your record by mail. Complete the INF 1125 form available on a DMV web site or send a written request, with your name, date of birth, social security number, California driver license number, and your signature, along with a check for $5, and mail to:
DMV
Office of Information Services
Public Operations Unit G199
P. O. BOX 944247
Sacramento, California 94244-2470
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The advantage to going to the DMV in person is that a driver can get the report right away.
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tickets, renewals, transfers, etc., are usually purged from the database after 4 years.
Most other traffic offense convictions will remain on record for 3 years from the violation date and count as 1 point.
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Failure To Appears and Failure to Pay fines will be reported for 5 years from the violation date.
(Source: Googled DMV CA. driving record & clicked on website)
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CALIFORNIA CODE PENAL CODE SECTION 1214.1 1214.1. (a) In addition to any other penalty in infraction,misdemeanor, or felony cases, the court may impose a civil assessmentof up to two hundred fifty dollars ($250) against any defendant who fails, after notice and without good cause, to appear in court for any proceeding authorized by law or who fails to pay all or any portion of a fine ordered by the court. (b) The assessment shall not become effective until at least 10 calendar days after the court mails a warning notice to the defendant by first-class mail to the address shown on the notice to appear orto the defendant's last known address. If the defendant appears within the time specified in the notice and shows good cause for the failure to appear or for the failure to pay a fine, the court shall vacate the assessment. (c) If a civil assessment is imposed under this section, no benchwarrant or warrant of arrest shall be issued with respect to the failure to appear at the proceeding for which the assessment is imposed or the failure to pay the fine. An outstanding, unserved bench warrant or warrant of arrest for a failure to appear or for a failure to pay a fine shall be recalled prior to the subsequent imposition of a civil assessment. (d) The assessment imposed under subdivision (a) shall be subject to the due process requirements governing defense and collection of civil money judgments generally.
Has the collection Agency contacted you by phone or letter?
Some lawyers will give a one time consultation for free or a minimal charge ($50.00). This might be an option.
If Superior Court of L.A. turned this over to a Collection Agency
eight years later they should have a record of when it was turned over to the collection agency and the reason for the delay.(Note the word SHOULD).
It is also possible if your wife has a fairly common first and last name that the collection agency is targeting the wrong person .
Good Luck to you,
Keep us posted,
Best Regards,
Hey There