Arrest, Search, Seizure, Warrant arrested on a warrant

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ashmom123

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This evening I was pulled over for having a tail light out on my car. When the officer came back he told me i had an outstanding warrent for a no insurance ticket from almost a year ago. I was taken to jail and i bonded out. I had no idea that it was out there as I went thru a bad divorce this year and my ex was taking mail from our post office box. So I am sure he recieved the notice that there was a warrent. Yes, I admit I let it go by the wayside with the fine and I am responsible for it. I have court on Monday morning. I guess I am scared of what is going to happen. Do they accept payments on fines? Will they send me to jail? I am a single mom with no support from the ex and I dont have the money to pay it all at once. Any help would be great!!
 
You will just have to get the fine paid up. No fault of the ex here... you are the one that signed the ticket and promised to appear in court.
You won't do any jail time over this... and I'm actually surprised that you were arrested on the warrant instead of just issued a new citation.
 
They want money. They should be understanding. They should let you do partial payments per month for a while.

However, that doesn't mean that is what will happen, just what should and is most likely to happen.

But, make sure you show up when you are supposed to show up. Dress appropriately. Make the Judge want to help you.

good luck.
 
I know its my fault and not the ex's. I just want to make sure that I wont be in jail and am able to take care of my kids. Thank goodness they were not with me when this happend!! With tax season upon us even if they allow me to make the payments, it will be paid in full when I get my refund!!
 
They don't want you in jail, they want you to pay up. Most likely they will put you on probation to make payments. Good luck.
 
I am sure I am stressing over nothing and it will work out, but I am scared! I guess that I was blessed that I found out now, and my kids were not with me at the time.
 
It probably would have been better if the kids were with you! You probably wouldn't have been arrested! They would have issued you a citation.
 
I got out of court and he wanted to put me in jail for the driving while suspended that I wasn't aware that I was suspened. So I pled not guilty on that and I am in the process of getting a public defender. But in the mean time until one is appointed, I cannot drive which is fine. The public defenders office is trying to help me as fast as they can so I can get to work on a provisional license so I don't loose my job. But it will be Thursday before I know anything on that!!
 
Hmm.. I hadn't thought about that. When your insurance ticket didn't get paid and the warrant was issued, it is common to have your DL suspended... without your knowledge of course. You never received a notice in the mail about your suspended license?
Anyway- they have to show that you were advised of your suspended license before they can bust you for it. It happens from time to time on a traffic stop, I will find that the driver's license is suspended but that notice is still needed... meaning I can't write a citation for it. I advise the driver and confiscate the license, and that's the end of that. If they drive again after that THEN it's a misdemeanor.

You still don't have much to worry about. The public defender should be sufficient for this issue. It should still only address the outstanding insurance ticket... the suspended license issue isn't anything to worry about unless you actually did receive notice of the suspension at some point.
 
Thanks Mightymoose.. I didn't receive notice that I had the suspended license. I don't dispute the no insurance since I didn't have it on me at the time and I don't have a problem with paying it. At the time my license was "suspened" I was going thru an ugly, ugly divorce and the ex still had a key to the po box. So if I did get something in the mail, I didn't get it. That does not mean he took it, but that is very likely since it was a nasty divorce. The sad thing is, I do occasionally have to drive for my job since I do grant money for border patrol of all things and yes, I did drive an occasional cop truck. I guess that is what gets me, I would not have driven knowing my license was suspended!!!
 
Hmm... was your insurance citation for actually being uninsured, or for being unable to produce the paperwork when you got stopped? If you had insurance but just didn't have the paperwork handy, then all you need to do is provide evidence that you were in fact insured at the time of the stop. However, this is quite some time later now and there may be some additional costs, but that will significantly effect the fine that you are going to be asked to pay.

Anyway... still don't sweat it. It is just a matter of paperwork and getting the fines paid. You won't do any time.
 
it was for being unable to produce the paperwork. At this point I don't even mind paying the full ticket amount!! I couldn't produce it when I was stopped and the ticket was rightfully issued. Not very often you hear that huh? I will go back thru my records and see if I can find the old insurance card. I will be very happy if I don't have to do any time. It is very embarrsing for me as I do work with law enforcement on a daily basis. Ironic isn't it? I guess Murphys law struck me again! At least it will be taken care of. The Judge today was very nice and so was the officer who had to pick me up, along with the officers at the booking at the jail. I feel blessed in a way from horror stories that I have heard about being arrested, but then again I treated all of them with the way I would want to be treated!!!
 
In California the difference between not having insurance and not being able to produce the paperwork on demand amounts to about an $800 difference if not more. The insurance company should be able to provide your proof of insurance at the time of the citation.
 
I think here it is a $285 difference. But being so long ago, I am not sure if it will make a difference. I don't mind paying the fine, as long as I can get the driving while suspended taken care of!!
 
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