Help with Suspension Judgement - Vehicle Registration

[bb887]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Ohio

Hello everyone,

Back in October I received a ticket for not having my vehicle registration renewed. This was true. However, I was literally hospitalized the day before my birthday and released the night prior to receiving the ticket (released on a Saturday night, ticket Sunday morning--the officer ran my plates while I was stopped at a light).

I had a family member handle my affairs while hospitalized, so it was a very unwelcome surprise. I renewed my registration the next morning.

A day later, however, I was readmitted. I spent the next few weeks in and out of the hospital and missed my court date. I was issued a judgement that I didn't appear and my license was suspended per the judgement. This was done on Dec. 9. Today is my first day really thinking clearly and never actually told my family about the ticket problem in case anyone is wondering why I didn't call or something. I'm thinking about writing a letter to the judge with insurance claim forms, my registration receipt, ect. Will that help any?

How do I go about fixing this? I've only received maybe a parking ticket or two in my life, not something like this. The court system gives very little leeway for emergencies, something I'm learning the hard way.

Thank you all so much!

 

[justalayman]

I'm not seeing where this involves an emergency but simply your failure to deal with the situation. Emergencies don't last for 2 months.

Unless your family member had a POA they could not have renewed the registration on your vehicle so you driving it the day AFTER you got out of the hospital is on you. Courts can and sometimes do excuse such issues if one acts quickly such as you did in renewing your registration.

You then state you spent the next few weeks in and out of the hospital. Unless you were incapacitated that alone does not justify not contacting the court during that time to reschedule your hearing due to your in patient situation.

Then, you say that lasted a couple weeks so that would put you somewhere around middle of November. Here it is about 6 weeks later with no action by you.


At this point I would strongly suggest hiring an attorney. You have messed this up so much I doubt you could effectively deal with it and improve your situation. If a court is going to give you leeway based on your medical issues it is going to take actual proof that you were truly in some condition that would preclude you from dealing with the issue. Courts tend to not just take the word of people that come to the court with sob stories. You need real help at this point. Hire an attorney.

 

[bb887]

I'm not seeing where this involves an emergency but simply your failure to deal with the situation. Emergencies don't last for 2 months.

Unless your family member had a POA they could not have renewed the registration on your vehicle so you driving it the day AFTER you got out of the hospital is on you. Courts can and sometimes do excuse such issues if one acts quickly such as you did in renewing your registration.

You then state you spent the next few weeks in and out of the hospital. Unless you were incapacitated that alone does not justify not contacting the court during that time to reschedule your hearing due to your in patient situation.

Then, you say that lasted a couple weeks so that would put you somewhere around middle of November. Here it is about 6 weeks later with no action by you.


At this point I would strongly suggest hiring an attorney. You have messed this up so much I doubt you could effectively deal with it and improve your situation. If a court is going to give you leeway based on your medical issues it is going to take actual proof that you were truly in some condition that would preclude you from dealing with the issue. Courts tend to not just take the word of people that come to the court with sob stories. You need real help at this point. Hire an attorney.

Thank you for your response!

Apologies, this occurred Nov. 29. Nov. 30 I registered my vehicle. Dec. 2 I was rushed back to the hospital and placed back in ICU. The court date was Dec. 9. My birthday was October 17, I was admitted October 16 and released November 28.

Unfortunately in my case yes, my system is not bouncing back as it should and after being admitted the first time I've gone back additional times. I have Adult Hemolytic Uremic Anemia and was in ICU. My kidneys are shot, in addition to needing emergency blood transfusions just when I think I'm out of the clear. This is in addition to a liver infection, seizures and other issues that are ongoing. Thankfully I am now strong enough write this post but this is really all I've been able to do since then.

Ironically, I was driving the day after my release to avoid being parked in a time-sensitive no parking zone. :-/ In Ohio we can renew registration online, which is what I believed my brother had done. I love and forgive him, he was a scatterbrained college student at the time and simply forgot.

 

[Ohiogal]

Thank you for your response!

Apologies, this occurred Nov. 29. Nov. 30 I registered my vehicle. Dec. 2 I was rushed back to the hospital and placed back in ICU. The court date was Dec. 9. My birthday was October 17, I was admitted October 16 and released November 28.

Unfortunately in my case yes, my system is not bouncing back as it should and after being admitted the first time I've gone back additional times. I have Adult Hemolytic Uremic Anemia and was in ICU. My kidneys are shot, in addition to needing emergency blood transfusions just when I think I'm out of the clear. This is in addition to a liver infection, seizures and other issues that are ongoing. Thankfully I am now strong enough write this post but this is really all I've been able to do since then.

Ironically, I was driving the day after my release to avoid being parked in a time-sensitive no parking zone. :-/ In Ohio we can renew registration online, which is what I believed my brother had done. I love and forgive him, he was a scatterbrained college student at the time and simply forgot.

So you could not renew your registration in September or even August? You have 60 days prior to your birthday. And your birthday was October 17. You were stopped November 29. This is your fault entirely because you decided not to renew your registration.

 

[bb887]

So you could not renew your registration in September or even August? You have 60 days prior to your birthday. And your birthday was October 17. You were stopped November 29. This is your fault entirely because you decided not to renew your registration.

I see. While I didn't foresee becoming ill it will not matter to the court.

Thank you both for your insight, it has really helped tremendously.

 

[Zigner]

Folks, we may be focusing on the wrong part of this. The OP is presently dealing with a suspended license based upon his failure to appear for a court date. The court may, in fact, grant a fair amount of leeway if the OP can convince the court that the FTA was due to his medical condition. Things may not be as dire as they have been painted above...

 

[Ohiogal]

Folks, we may be focusing on the wrong part of this. The OP is presently dealing with a suspended license based upon his failure to appear for a court date. The court may, in fact, grant a fair amount of leeway if the OP can convince the court that the FTA was due to his medical condition. Things may not be as dire as they have been painted above...

NO because had two months PRIOR to being hospitalized and his birthday to get his car registered. That is what necessitated the court appearance. Then he just blew off court without letting the court know IMMEDIATELY upon release from the hospital what had happened. Instead he has just been doing nothing.

 

[Zigner]

NO because had two months PRIOR to being hospitalized and his birthday to get his car registered. That is what necessitated the court appearance.

That's a reason for him to be found guilty of the failure to register the vehicle. That's not a reason for extenuating circumstances on the FTA to be discarded.

Then he just blew off court without letting the court know IMMEDIATELY upon release from the hospital what had happened. Instead he has just been doing nothing.

No argument there...except for the possibility of the OP getting some sort of documentation from his physician stating that, although he was at home, he was still in no state to be doing anything but resting (or something along those lines.)


To summarize: I totally agree that the OP will need to deal with the consequences of the registration matter, but I don't think the court will refuse to consider extenuating circumstances on the FTA and the resulting suspension.

 

[Ohiogal]

That's a reason for him to be found guilty of the failure to register the vehicle. That's not a reason for extenuating circumstances on the FTA to be discarded.

No argument there...except for the possibility of the OP getting some sort of documentation from his physician stating that, although he was at home, he was still in no state to be doing anything but resting (or something along those lines.)


To summarize: I totally agree that the OP will need to deal with the consequences of the registration matter, but I don't think the court will refuse to consider extenuating circumstances on the FTA and the resulting suspension.

The suspension will most likely be discontinued if he goes to court. He got a suspension INSTEAD of a warrant. If he had gotten a warrant, he would be in jail until he appeared.

 

[bb887]

Wow.

It is not my intention to use a sob story to beat the system in any way or blow anyone off. I'm sick. It's my reality and how this situation came about, and I felt it was necessary to include it for clarity. I just wanted help with my Dec. 9 suspension. I was hospitalized the second time Dec. 2 to Dec. 19. I paid my registration the day after getting the ticket and had to wait a day or two for it to post. I never got to that point, but it was never my intention to not pay it. The community where I got the ticket is known to occasionally not post tickets in time to pay them online or by phone (you can only pay them once they appear online re: filed). During my hospital stay I was in no capacity to contact the court. I wasn't comatose but heavily sedated for much of the time.

I'm currently in an assisted living facility but well enough to get this fixed, which is why I'm here.

Thank you all for your help.

 

[Ohiogal]

Wow.

It is not my intention to use a sob story to beat the system in any way or blow anyone off. I'm sick. It's my reality and how this situation came about, and I felt it was necessary to include it for clarity. I just wanted help with my Dec. 9 suspension. I was hospitalized the second time Dec. 2 to Dec. 19. I paid my registration the day after getting the ticket and had to wait a day or two for it to post. I never got to that point, but it was never my intention to not pay it. The community where I got the ticket is known to occasionally not post tickets in time to pay them online or by phone (you can only pay them once they appear online re: filed). During my hospital stay I was in no capacity to contact the court. I wasn't comatose but heavily sedated for much of the time.

I'm currently in an assisted living facility but well enough to get this fixed, which is why I'm here.

Thank you all for your help.

No offense intended, but:
1) EXCUSES. You could have gotten your registration in August in Ohio. YOu didn't. Nor did you get it in September. Nor in October. YOU CHOSE to not get it timely -- you chose to break the law.
2) I answered regarding the suspension. You got a suspension instead of a warrant. Maybe you should be arrested and spend time in jail until this is all wrapped up. Would that make more sense? YOu have DONE NOTHING since you got out of the hospital to correct this situation. If you would have called immediately, you would have had some credibility. Now, you look like an irresponsible whiner.

 

[PaulMass]

No offense intended, but:
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Now, you look like an irresponsible whiner.

Really, no offense intended?

What are you like when you intend to offend?

 

[justalayman]

The truth can be offensive so presenting it can offend, even when there is no intent to offend.

 

[Silverplum]

Really, no offense intended?

What are you like when you intend to offend?

Yet another critical and personal remark from PM: that's how he shines his halo. I encourage anyone to read his phx: it's a carnival of criticism.

 

[bb887]

I am not disputing that I deserve the ticket.

My issue is missing my court date due to readmission.

When I was discharged I was sent directly to my assisted living facility and admitted with no change medically. Hospitals do that apparently when similar care is available elsewhere. My condition improved to semi-lucid the day I created this thread. I called and faxed documentation to the courthouse, and came here for insight since the legal counselors at my facility are on holiday break.

Thank you all.