friend about to make a mistake?

[leeprice2]

Georgia -- I have a friend who is asking me for advice about her situation. I don’t know what to tell her, about the legal side of it. Jane is about to get married to Mike. Mike had a DUI several years ago and he apparently has been driving without a license. His daughter has been keeping his car title and insurance in her name but he is driving. His daughter is now refusing to do this any longer, so Mike is trying to get Jane to use her own name for the car title and insurance. Jane is telling that she is afraid to do it, because she doesn’t want to be legally responsible for Mike if he were to get pulled over or get into a wreck. She says that she thinks that she could be charged with a crime for letting Mike drive. I told her that I think it is a bad idea anyway, but I don’t know about the law in Georgia. Does anyone else know?

 

[Proserpina]

Georgia -- I have a friend who is asking me for advice about her situation. I don’t know what to tell her, about the legal side of it. Jane is about to get married to Mike. Mike had a DUI several years ago and he apparently has been driving without a license. His daughter has been keeping his car title and insurance in her name but he is driving. His daughter is now refusing to do this any longer, so Mike is trying to get Jane to use her own name for the car title and insurance. Jane is telling that she is afraid to do it, because she doesn’t want to be legally responsible for Mike if he were to get pulled over or get into a wreck. She says that she thinks that she could be charged with a crime for letting Mike drive. I told her that I think it is a bad idea anyway, but I don’t know about the law in Georgia. Does anyone else know?

Is there any reason Jane can't see the obvious?



Please tell her this, word for word.

"Dear Jane,

Catering to Mike's whims is only going to land you in hot water, and may have far-reaching legal consequences. Please don't do this - because if you do this, you're also setting the stage for more, perhaps greater, favors to be asked. Also, you may need to consider not getting married to him. If he's asking you this beforehand, I dread to think what he's going to ask once the ring is on the finger. Cut your losses, and start loving yourself enough to choose an equally worthy person who treats you with the utmost respect, kindness and love.

Love,

Your friend"


(Insulin shots are available just down the hall)

 

[FlyingRon]

She's committing a crime. It is illegal to allow him to drive her car. It's a misdemeanor.

O.C.G.A. 40-5-122 (2010)
40-5-122. Permitting unlicensed person to drive

No person shall knowingly authorize or permit a motor vehicle owned by him or under his control to be driven upon any highway by any person who is not authorized under this chapter or who is not licensed for the type or class of vehicles to be driven or in violation of any of the provisions of this chapter.​

That doesn't even begin to address the civil liability she is opening herself up to. She can very well find her insurance isn't going to cover any liability either.

 

[commentator]

Also your friend needs to keep in mind that if she marries this old lover boy, she will also be marrying his driving record. There goes her car insurance. The only kind of car insurance she will be able to get while married to him is high risk insurance, very expensive, and that's IF he has a restricted license or if he gets his license back.

My question is, why doesn't this turkey see about making that happen? How long did he lose his license for, how long ago and why has he not tried to get reinstated or perhaps petitioned for a restricted license? Is this a second, third or whatever offense?

It won't even be necessary for her to report the marriage to her insurance company. She should be expecting a nasty letter from her insurance company shortly after she marries him, that says she will, under NO circumstances, allow him to drive the insured vehicle, or else that she will be dropped by the company anyway, just because she has married him.

If she lives in a small town, the police may very well know the more famous DUI offenders by name and sight, and if he's seen driving, caught driving, pulled over driving or any of these things, she would be one cooked goose. If he is asking her to do this, that's a very good indicator she should run, but of course she won't.

 

[OHRoadwarrior]

I love you, marry me, commit a misdemeanor that can trash your life like I have mine every day from now on. Did I mention I love you?

 

[Proserpina]

I love you, marry me, commit a misdemeanor that can trash your life like I have mine every day from now on. Did I mention I love you?

And also will you have my babies so I can dump you and them and you'll waste the rest of forever trying to hunt me down for child support?

Something like that?

 

[commentator]

But addicts can be SO charming, guys. It's their stock and trade. That's how I found out about all those things related to insurance. I knew someone who actually had to divorce her husband because unless she did, she couldn't get car insurance ANYWHERE.

 

[leeprice2]

Also your friend needs to keep in mind that if she marries this old lover boy, she will also be marrying his driving record. There goes her car insurance. The only kind of car insurance she will be able to get while married to him is high risk insurance, very expensive, and that's IF he has a restricted license or if he gets his license back.

My question is, why doesn't this turkey see about making that happen? How long did he lose his license for, how long ago and why has he not tried to get reinstated or perhaps petitioned for a restricted license? Is this a second, third or whatever offense?

It won't even be necessary for her to report the marriage to her insurance company. She should be expecting a nasty letter from her insurance company shortly after she marries him, that says she will, under NO circumstances, allow him to drive the insured vehicle, or else that she will be dropped by the company anyway, just because she has married him.

If she lives in a small town, the police may very well know the more famous DUI offenders by name and sight, and if he's seen driving, caught driving, pulled over driving or any of these things, she would be one cooked goose. If he is asking her to do this, that's a very good indicator she should run, but of course she won't.

He lost his license about 2 years ago. He has told her that he thinks he can't afford to pay the fines to get it back. Plus, he has a bench warrant because his lawyer had told him that he didn't have to appear in court, when he actually DID have to. I guess he's afraid of going to jail too.

I didn't know that the insurance company would penalize her if she marries him. I definitely better tell her that! Thanks for letting me know.

 

[leeprice2]

But addicts can be SO charming, guys. It's their stock and trade. That's how I found out about all those things related to insurance. I knew someone who actually had to divorce her husband because unless she did, she couldn't get car insurance ANYWHERE.

I am going to make sure that I tell Jane that! Thanks for the warning.

 

[leeprice2]

And also will you have my babies so I can dump you and them and you'll waste the rest of forever trying to hunt me down for child support?

Something like that?

Jane can't have any babies so that's a good thing, I think.

 

[Ohiogal]

He lost his license about 2 years ago. He has told her that he thinks he can't afford to pay the fines to get it back. Plus, he has a bench warrant because his lawyer had told him that he didn't have to appear in court, when he actually DID have to. I guess he's afraid of going to jail too.

I didn't know that the insurance company would penalize her if she marries him. I definitely better tell her that! Thanks for letting me know.

The bolded: Don't believe that. If the bench warrant exists it is because lover boy didn't show up. If his lawyer said he didn't have to appear and a warrant was issued, his lawyer would have rectified the situation by having lover boy show up ASAP. Lover boy is a liar.

 

[HighwayMan]

...his lawyer had told him that he didn't have to appear in court, when he actually DID have to...

Ohiogal beat me to it but I had throw in my two cents. Sorry to be duplicative.

This is nonsense. I'm sure he is blaming his attorney, just as I am sure that it is HIS fault.

 

[commentator]

The process and fines involved in getting back a driver's license are not earthshaking. How would he possibly expect to earn a legitimate living if he can't drive legally? Obviously he's expecting her to tote the load here, has no problem with spending the money to get a car, etc, just can't afford the fines and such (proof of insurance) to get his license back. Oh, it was my lawyer's fault I didn't show up, yes, sure. So he's one of those charming dudes who cringes when he sees a police car, because he has a bench warrant out.
Oh my, this girl needs to run run run!