Suspension Due To Old Out-Of-State Traffic Offenses

[tdragan]

My husband over 20 years ago, hit a patch of ice in front of a building, hit the building, and state trooper made an accident report and left never heard another thing. This was in Tennessee. And in his home state of Pennsylvania, was busted for drag racing, got abunch of fines, and his license was suspended for 6 months. He paid the fines and in order to go into the Navy had to have his license cleared up, so he went infront of the judge and he waived it. NOW he went to get his chauffers license in MICHIGAN and is being told that until he pays each state atleast $ 650.00 (Tennessee and Pennsylvania) he will not be allowed to renew his license. AND he can not get his chauffers license. He was told that because of the way all the states are linked now, it just popped up, and there is nothing Michigan can do about it. He has to get an attorney to fight this or pay it?? Does anyone know anything that we could try? He called the one state and they told him the case was so old it was on microfish film, and would cost us to have them even pull it up!

[seniorjudge]

What is the money for?

[tdragan]

300 and some to pay a fine in tenessee and another 300 and some to pay a license reinstatement fee for the state.

[seniorjudge]

300 and some to pay a fine in tenessee and another 300 and some to pay a license reinstatement fee for the state.

Okay, you edited your first post to provide more info.

Yes, he has to finish paying off the other two states.

[tdragan]

but in TN there never were any fines, or anything he never heard another thing about it. And in PA he did pay all the fines. and a judge waived it so he could go into the service. and now 20 years later they want to suspend his license for it??

[aaron]

It's not unusual in my experience for people to pay all of their court fines and assessments, and to believe that they have taken care of everything they have to pay in association with a traffic offense and driver's license suspension, yet find out later that they also have to pay a driver's license restoration fee to the state.

[seniorjudge]

It's not unusual in my experience for people to pay all of their court fines and assessments, and to believe that they have taken care of everything they have to pay in association with a traffic offense and driver's license suspension, yet find out later that they also have to pay a driver's license restoration fee to the state.

Correct.

When you deal with a driver's license violation, you have to deal with two bureaucracies:

The court (for the criminal part)

and

the department of motor vehicles (or whatever they call it in your state).


It sounds like he did not finish dealing with one or the other of these bunches of bureaucrats.

Irritating and aggravating, but he has to pay.

[tdragan]

in finding old military papers, I am reading that he had to get the TN thing cleared up, so he went infront of the judge and told him that he needed to get this straightened out, because he was in the military and being stationed somewhere else in a few weeks, so the judge said well you're leaving the state of TN, we'll waive it since you're not going to be a resident here anymore.

[seniorjudge]

in finding old military papers, I am reading that he had to get the TN thing cleared up, so he went infront of the judge and told him that he needed to get this straightened out, because he was in the military and being stationed somewhere else in a few weeks, so the judge said well you're leaving the state of TN, we'll waive it since you're not going to be a resident here anymore.

Okay...one more time, then I am through.

He MUST get these cleared up in both states.

Period.

End of story.

Even if.

[tdragan]

Thank you all so much for your help. I guess I just can't fathom a 600 some dollar fine, after 20 years.....thanks again. be well all of you