Zoom Driver Explains What Went Wrong With His License

[@derekrice5203]

I live in MD, got a speeding ticket in North Carolina. Hired lawyer whose office was next to the courthouse. Lawyer didn’t show and my license got suspended. Called the lawyer and he said he would get it straightened out and he did to my knowledge. Received my notice that the suspension was lifted. Unfortunately NC never notified my home state. I was driving for 9 months before finding out it was not fixed in MD. What a crappy system.

[@Mike__B]

So another state has the authority to suspend your license? Something doesn't sound right about that.

[@orcoastgreenman]

@@Mike__B- pretty much all states now have reciprocity…

[@patrickjordan2233]

​@@Mike__Bit's now (with reciprocity agreements) now so automated often human eyes no longer see much of the process... And, unfortunately, many States won't notify the driver that their license is suspended...cut staffing and budgets too much, and this is an inevitable consequence... "Small government conservatism" has As Many Consequences as Large Gov advocacy, but they often don't believe in "cause & effect" (same as some Large Gov advocates..) 😂🤣 * I had a professor who had a relevant saying "ignorance is a multi edged sword that cuts everyone & everything around it..." Twas relevant 45 years ago, still is relevant today...

[@scott9676]

@@Mike__B It's even more fun when it's a clerical error in a state that you've never even been to.

[@michaelk151]

@@orcoastgreenman Too bad the states don't honor CCW permits.

[@frozencanary4522]

I never understood a court order to pay back child support and then take away the ability to earn money.

[@DKNguyen3.1415]

I suppose it's like wanting to eat dessert but not dinner. If you don't eat dinner, that doesn't mean you get dessert to try and fill your empty tummy. It means you don't get any food at all.

[@Robert-cu9bm]

​@@DKNguyen3.1415 We're adults we can eat dessert anytime we want.

[@benwilson6145]

blackmail

[@DKNguyen3.1415]

​@@Robert-cu9bm Right, so pay child support like an adult so you don't have to be treated like a child.

[@aa-yt7wo]

Debters prisons

[@4brigger]

I've NEVER understood why licenses can be suspended for non-driving related offenses.

[@jonny-b4954]

Especially when you consider that we've built our ENTIRE society and infrastructure around the car for the last 120 years. You can't function in most places in the U.S. without one. At least, you can't be a productive citizen. At the sametime, screw criminals.

[@thomassoderstrom6369]

Greed.

[@Denvermorgan2000]

It's to force you to do what they want.

[@grimreaper4801]

to "force the law"

[@nesrie]

It's a privilege not a right. The man had to spend a long time not supporting his kids to get there.

[@JKlein713]

I paid a speeding ticket fine in the mid 90s in Kentucky. The clerk handed me the receipt and said "here, keep this forever." I still have that receipt.

[@linuxguy1199]

You got a speeding ticket in KY? I didn't know that was even possible?! Had to be going at least the speed of sound otherwise they'd never of pulled you over.

[@JKlein713]

@@linuxguy1199 Boone county needed money.

[@linuxguy1199]

@@JKlein713 You're close to Cincinnati, no wonder, they gotta pay for all those people living on welfare. I'm down in Pike county, they don't do speeding tickets down here.

[@JKlein713]

@@linuxguy1199 True. I got stopped on the Mountain Parkway by a state trooper going 90 and just got a verbal warning.

[@kentkrueger6035]

I knew a guy who had his driver's license suspended for non-payment of child support. He was able to prove the child wasn't his. Yet the state insisted that he still had to pay child support for the child, BECAUSE he was in a better position to pay child support. ie, he was employed, the real father wasn't. That's how unfair this kind of stuff can be.

[@chazmccrea8451]

It's legalized modern day slavery.

[@deathminder9206]

Right it def can be. My brother in law was forced to pay child support for one child that his ex wife was raising while he was raising the other special needs child which she did not acknowledge. Obviously dumb since each had one child neither should be paying support. That said it was not the case here or in many situations. My sister's first husband would get a job but as soon as it was time for child support he would quit the job.

[@zakm0n]

​@@deathminder9206 the most dangerous thing you can do on America, aside from talking to the police, is having a child.

[@Terran.Marine.2]

That's insane.

[@philmann3476]

The legal system is a man-made construct intended to help us live in harmony and improve our lives. It is not some monolithic force, imposed from without, to be worshiped at all cost no matter what harm may result. When, as here, "the law" hurts an innocent man, it is the law that has failed, not him, and it is the law that is in need of reform.

[@charlebrownga]

Beautifully said

[@aa-yt7wo]

The legal system IS a monolithic force imposed by psychopaths not for our benefit. You may not like it but that is in fact what it is.

[@tarrantwolf]

Our entire legal system is so incredibly broken.

[@CCB249]

Not broken, just inconvenient. Stay out of trouble and you won't have to deal with it. I have never had to deal with it and I am 69.

[@DocNo27]

@@CCB249 "stay out of trouble" - lol! Piss off the wrong person in government and trouble will come looking for you.

[@redhat421]

​@@CCB249Ha! Just be lucky!

[@StormsparkPegasus]

@@DocNo27 Unless you are in one of the upper tiers (yes, the US has a multi-tiered "justice" system), then nothing will happen to you even if you're convicted of something.

[@Bob-Lob-Law]

It’s a rigged system

[@theplayernkc]

He couldn't pay child support, so lets cut off his ability to drive to a job and pay his child support. Brilliant!

[@chrisforker7487]

If you’re that lame so as to not support your child, you should be ashamed and held responsible.

[@joelglanton6531]

​@@chrisforker7487The problem with people like you is that no one is ever allowed to fail in your eyes. 2010 was 14 years ago.

[@chrisforker7487]

@@joelglanton6531 you obviously didn’t grow up in a family with a deadbeat dad, so get over yourself! He wasn’t paying child support, hence the loss of driving privileges!

[@joelglanton6531]

@@chrisforker7487 How about you get over your daddy issues

[@shawandrew]

​@@joelglanton6531while there are deadbeat parents, there are reasons why someone can fall behind aside from not caring. What you are advocating is no path to redemption.

[@MaraschinoPenguin31415]

I once paid off a ticket by doing community service. After I’d completed it, I got a receipt to show that it was paid. I believe I took that in to the court. But months later a got mail stating that there was a WARENT FOR MY ARREST. They blew right past suspending my license. Crazy!!! I follow up, and they corrected the record, but, yeah, that’s just not right.

[@privatename5788]

In the 90s, my license was suspended without me ever being informed. It happened because I switched insurance companies, and being insurance companies, the old one informed the state that I was driving with no insurance after I didn't renew my policy. I had insurance! Months later I got pulled over in a speed trap, and then I found out that my license had been suspended. I went in front of a very nasty judge who tried to throw me out of his courtroom for wearing a t-shirt and jeans, but fortunately the image on the shirt was a bald eagle and American flag, and I dared him to do it. He decided that I was guilty despite my proof of insurance, so I talked to the court attorney on the side, who also hated the judge, and the attorney got him to reverse his bad decision. That judge got nailed for corruption a few years later, the speed trap still exists, and the law here is still basically a means criminals use to extort the people. I hate it.

[@SmittyAZ]

@privatename5788 My judge that took the wife's side, ended up arrested for tax fraud. Before that, I was waiting in line behind him, and he was crapping his pants.

[@sewerrat7612]

My old insurance did that to me

[@SmittyAZ]

During my incident, the cops knew my address of record for several years to give me my award. It was in their favor. Later, I was getting reamed for ignoring something from the MVD that would have been more $hit to eat, for me for ignoring it. I called the DMV. They claimed to NOT have my address on record, so I called them. My Questions to them: How did the cops find me to hand deliver? What address of record do you have for me? How do you send me my registration renewals every year, and get my tags back to me? How is a person supposed to know to contact you, if NOTHING tells them, if not received by XX to contact you? No questions were answered.

[@DanielDTUBWeinberger]

I've gotten letters from other states for tickets I did not owe threatening me, and my own state KY for saying I didn't have insurance when I did. They threatened me, but haven't actually acted yet, hopefully because they can't because I didn't do anything wrong. Regardless, you don't need insurance, a license, or even registration to drive a car. You just need it to drive on public roads.

[@The_Dudester]

I had a (long story) issue with a student loan debt, but it was paid off in 1996. In 2019, I applied to a job that required a security clearance. I was denied the job because of "unpaid student loan debt." I then called my college. The student volunteer that took my call initially said, "Oh, it's a delinquent student loan", then "hang on." A minute later he said "Wait, you paid this off in 1996", then I heard him press some keys and he added "It's all cleared up now." Over the next two days, there was a series of calls to the prospective employer. Late in the day, the HR person said, "They gave the job to someone else."

[@SeanBZA]

Time to get a lawyer and sue the college for that. Easily could get a year or three salary out of that case because of them failing to act on the that, a clear dereliction of care in correcting your records. Easy 5 figure settlement, especially if you were slated for the position, and all the cost to company benefits available.

[@EnthalpyAndEntropy]

That happened to me in the early 2000s from a false arrest. Case was dismissed but the background check said it was still active. Can’t blame them for hiring someone else. It took a month to clear up and the equipment I was supposed to be running was costing the company 80k/day to lease.

[@MewtwoStruckBack]

@@SeanBZA 5? Should be more like "entire lifetime of salary that job would have provided, without ever having to work another day in his life".

[@repatch43]

Sounds like grounds to sue, at least a couple months salary?

[@LainK1978]

@@SeanBZA A clerical error is not going to get any kind of settlement. The college is not responsible for him not getting the job. The company that conducted the check is who would be actually at fault because they didn't do a proper due diligence to verify the credit check they ran. But I highly doubt that those companies have that deep of pockets.

[@bartsanders1553]

"This fire hydrant isn't putting out enough water. What should we do?" "Cut off its water supply. That'll show it."

[@dansanger5340]

Sometimes the hydrant has plenty of water but simply refuses to produce any out of spite.

[@Zyphera]

@@dansanger5340 Yes I am sure it has water! Now lets crank it up. Oh no now its broken and there was no water.

[@jordang9876]

@@dansanger5340Once I went to court to decide support, they hit me with a $2500 balance in back support. 24 y/o making $15/h. The whole first year I was split up with my ex, she had a card to my bank account for whatever she needed for her or our daughter. Never once spoke up on my behalf when the $2500 judgement came down. There’s plenty of reasons people fall behind in support and sometimes, sometimes, it’s beyond their control.

[@Kidiot]

Ah, "tuning"!

[@Bagger1978]

This happened to me in Ohio when I was younger. Got a speeding ticket, mixed up the court date missing the scheduled time by a week, license got suspended during orignal court appearance or no show. I was at the court the following week, paid all fines and court costs. Court gave me the receipt and paper stating the suspension was being lifted and to keep it with me for at least a couple of weeks until the state can get the suspension lifted in the system. Almost a year later I got pulled over by Highway Patrol who came back and said my license was suspended and I was being arrested and car towed. Needless to say, I was shocked and a bit panicked. LUCKILY, I still had the document from the court in my car with the dates that matched up with their system and they let me go with a speeding ticket and to follow up with the state to get the suspension resolved.

[@computechguy2063]

Suspending someone's driver's license due to unpaid child support is counterproductive. Now the person can't drive to work and earn money.

[@BrianButterworth-s4z]

If they aren't paying anything anyway, what else to do?

[@holarndius]

They put men in jail for unpaid child support, the whole time they're charging him child support IN JAIL, then when he cant pay child support after getting out of jail...they arrest him again for the same thing.

[@lilsheba1]

Then pay the hell up and don't be a deadbeat.

[@extraordinary_ordinary]

They can take a bus.

[@denisrichard58]

@@lilsheba1 there are some valid reasons not to pay child support directly. Very few, but some.

[@pikengren1]

Child support used to threaten to suspend my license every other month even though I was paying directly from paycheck garnishment every week. Every other month I would have to go show them pay stubs. Even though it was in their system that I was paying, the letter would still go out automatically every other month. If I didn't take off of work to go show them what they already knew, the system would automatically send a letter to the DMV to suspend my license. They could not figure out how to fix it.

[@SeanBZA]

Money grabbing, they can fix it, but it brings in income to the DMV and the court, by you having to pay to get that clearance letter every 2 months, and if you are late to the DMV for a new license as well.

[@joshuahudson2170]

File lawsuit demand all your court costs back. Watch them fix it.

[@pikengren1]

I went to the child support place every other month to show them my pay stubs that showed the deduction. It never cost me anything, except for one time, towards the end of my child support. I decided to call their bluff, and see what would happen. After all, I was actually paying it. Sure enough, my license got suspended. They did waive the tickets and fees. I think I did still have to pay one fee, but I don't remember which one.

[@jamescurnutt1628]

I shouldn't have been so quick to judge as something very similar happened to me back in 1980 when I was 17. I let this fella from Finland drive my 1970 GTO. This guy was a friend of my then high school GF whom she had met as an exchange student to Finland. I never wanted to let him drive my car, but my GF and this guy convinced me it would be fine. I let him drive down town to the gas station to fill up and we were going to cruise around. He asked to continue driving my car. He offered to pay for all of the gas! So I agreed. That idiot, coming out of the gas station decided to drop the clutch at 4000 rpms, he nearly hit a car. Spun a complete 180*...and it was all in front of Deputy. Of course we got pulled over. The fella from Finland had an International Driver's License. The cop gave me the ticket for Reckless Driving and No Insurance. I had insurance, I just didn't have the 'Proof.' I went to court to fight the ticket. The Reckless was dismissed. I got a $25 fine for not carrying Proof of Insurance. I paid it immediately. In 1983, I moved to California to go to college. Turned in my Nevada License. 25 years later, I was working as a heavy equipment mechanic for the County of Santa Clara, raising two daughters when I got called in and suspended from work for having a suspended license out of Nevada. I had to go to Nevada to find out why. It was because "I never paid the $25 fine for No Proof of insurance." I could repay the fine now, or go to back to court if I carried proof the fine was paid. Who would carry after 25 years?! I paid the fine. Got the paperwork my license was clear in Nevada. Spent all day at the California DMV to get a temporary license. Sure enough, when the temporary license expired, I was suspended again from my job again because Nevada continued to show I had this outstanding $25 fine, even though I clearly now had the paperwork it was cleared up. It took 6 hours with a manager of a local DMV, someone in Sacramento, and someone in Nv. to finally clear my license over a then $25 fine that happened when I was a kid. Almost cost me my house if I lost my job. I never did get the money back for the 2 weeks I was suspended. At 3 weeks, per my union contract, I would have been terminated on the spot.

[@theCodyReeder]

Makes a lot more sense now. Thanks for the update. Shame every other outlet are still running "dumbass of the week" segments featuring the poor man.

[@TRS-80Fanclub]

I work out of state, and my registration was "Revoked" due to Alabama running a random insurance verification, and sending me a letter that I didnt see. Keep in mind, My insurance has never lapsed, and I have always maintained insurance from USAA and is 100% verifiable (Im 50 and dont play) but yet, Alabama's failure to accurately verify and then cancel my registration is bull crap. A victim of a government service failure is not my fault, but yet, I have to pay for that mistake, or worse, get ticketed or end up in jail because I didnt respond in 30 days. I hate the new world systems. I have to pay the re-instatement fee

[@Karen_Marie]

This happened to me. I moved out of state and switched insurance to the new state. But my insurance in the old state (Florida) reported to the state that I canceled my insurance policy and so Florida suspended my license. I had no idea they did this and eventually got a ticket for driving on a suspended license. Florida admitted their mistake and reinstated my license at no charge but I still had the driving on suspended in another state.

[@MartianManHunter_]

Suspending driver’s license for not paying child support is pretty stupid

[@scslre]

@@Member00101 what is the purpose of the punishment? now the guy can't work and the child support continues to go unpaid. is garnishment not a thing there, or what?

[@CCB249]

@@scslre The guy doesn't have a paycheck, doesn't mean he doesn't have a job-just gets paid cash. They can't garnish wages then. The guy that lives across the street from me did this. He made about $50,000 a year in cash. HIs son is now 18. Never had to pay child support. His son lives in another state.

[@chrisforker7487]

Not paying child support is stupid!

[@kingdweeb5065]

You missed the first question, ccb249

[@Robbedem]

@@CCB249 if garnishment isn't possible, in my country, a quailified and licenced person (we call it "deurwaarder" in Dutch) is allowed to go to the home (often together with police) and takes things of value to compensate the non paid child support.

[@joepappas4968]

I got a ticket for driving on a suspended license in Hazel Park Michigan in the autumn of 2010, 3 days later I got notice in the mail that my license was suspended for non-payment of a fine I could not afford to pay. I was unemployed trying to do door to door sales, paying for gas in pennies. The judge said even though I had no notice that my license was suspended it was no excuse and I was still guilty. The judge also specifically said that "he" would not suspend my license, implying my license would not be suspended. Unbeknownst to me at the time, prior to becoming an attorney, the secretary of state would automatically suspend my license as a result of driving on a suspended license, even though my license had since been reinstated. It seems to me the state uses these legal mechanics to extort money from poor people.

[@tylerk3616]

That’s exactly what they do, they know we can’t afford lawyers and all we can really do at the end of the day is try our best to pay all the fines and fees. They get their $500 or so, we lose our job, maybe lose our apartment, etc. They don’t care.

[@_PatrickO]

The worst is when you get a speeding ticket in a random small town, pay the ticket, but your license still gets suspended because they screwed up their records. This happened to someone I know. He had to drive all the way back to this random town on a wrongfully suspended license to get it fixed, he had no other choice. We definitely need to protect drivers licenses more from this kind of thing. It should not be possible to suspend a license without going in front of a judge just like a warrant.

[@SeanBZA]

@@_PatrickO Luckily by me you cannot have a license suspended because of debt, only for a traffic violation directly related to it, which does not include speeding, parking or any of those violations, only things like negligent homicide of vehicular manslaughter. Only thing they do is put it on the annual registration, so you will either pay it, or just drive with expired license for the vehicle, like so many do. But police are not going to pull over a minibus taxi, unless they have at least 5 vehicles and full assault gear, so they carry on regardless.

[@_PatrickO]

@@SeanBZA The town was in a neighboring state. I am not sure if that would allow a suspension that normally would not happen in your own state. I personally think it is absurd that any state lets another state suspend your license.

[@kameljoe21]

@@tylerk3616 There needs to be lawyers who just sit in traffic court and represent people either for money or free. Mostly free. There are so many retired lawyers who still have their licenses and have nothing to do could sit in court and represent people on these simple cases. Not only will this hold up the system it will create a vast majority of cases being dismissed because the courts do not want to waste time going through the whole process of everything. Once you have a lawyer they can put a hamper on the super fast process. Imagine if every case for the next month decided to take everything to trial. How many of these cases lead to our right dismissal because they just do not have the man power to try every case. Remember they plea out case after case.

[@electricpaper269]

For unpaid child support why don’t they just pull money out of your bank account or go to your house and start taking things? Suspending your license means you can’t work and thus it’s physically impossible to pay child support.

[@racheld8843]

Poor people often don't have a bank account or belongings worth selling.

[@kurtwetzel154]

You can go to work with a suspended drivers license if public transportation gets you to and from. Problem is lots of jobs it's not an option.

[@rispatha]

@@kurtwetzel154 ... Where I live there is no "public transportation" so therefore I would have to shell out my entire paycheck just to get to and from work using taxi's or UBER's. So what is the point of having a job and having nothing to show for it other than it goes out to the garnishment for child support and taxi services?

[@zazuch]

people dodging child support garnishments get good at it. Had a friend whose baby daddy would change jobs/move states as soon as child support people caught up with him. Once they found him started garnishments he quit and move onto the next low skill job. He wouldnt file taxes if he had to avoid her getting money from that. Some have been caught using someone elses social security number to avoid garnishment to. Its crazy the lengths people go through to avoid paying it.

[@rherman9085]

No it doesn't. Too many scammers get around that by doing cash & avoiding banks. That way they can avoid paying taxes too. There is zero reason why you can't work unless you drive for a living. It might be difficult but it can be done. PAY YOUR BILLS, DON'T BREAK THE LAW!

[@MarsMan1]

The People should NOT have to do a thing... except pay the fine. Everything else should be on the Government! NO REINSTATEMENT FEES!

[@-Devy-]

I thought Americans were all about that personal responsibility.

[@chrisforker7487]

There’s got to be a price for stupidity!

[@nicwelch]

@@chrisforker7487What stupidity?

[@chrisforker7487]

@@nicwelch breaking the law?? Not paying child support??

[@Quasar0406]

​@@chrisforker7487yea that's called the fine

[@ericlarsen1721]

This is why I subscribe to Steve's channel - follow up. There's usually more to every story than the original viral headline. Steve is better than most with revisiting his stories. Thank you, Steve!

[@IesKorpershoek]

Happy I live in the Netherlands. Suspension is only possible on felony traffic-related issues. Not paying a fine is not a ground for suspension.

[@dianeladico1769]

Sadly, sometimes it's the only way to get the fine paid. Some people are proud of not paying tickets so the state has to up the ante. Aside from the hard-core scofflaws, it works.

[@2adamast]

Not every dutch is an idiot: "Het Centraal Justitieel Incassobureau (CJIB) kan uw rijbewijs innemen ( *can confiscate* ) als u openstaande verkeersboetes heeft."

[@dianeladico1769]

@@2adamast Thank you for that info. Greetings from the US

[@jamesford2942]

That is how it should be.

[@Jath2112]

I had cops show up to my house by mistake one night, 4 years after I blew off a small fine. They realized there was no problem at my house but...*suddenly immobilized and cuffed. Taken to jail in the night. Wouldn't answer any questions either. The jail cops sat and made fun of me. Eventually they realized I wasnt there for ....anything bad. I thankfully got ahold of a friend who came and paid my stupid old fee (it was also from a different county.. so if I hadnt paid. It was over night in jail and then... get shipped to the jail elsewhere.. probably a week for like a hundred bucks.... ) .... I also paid off some shit affecting my license.. and nearly ended up like this guy ... but my boss knew this was a thing...my boss went and got my license fixed and let me know later. Its absolutely nuts. If you want to do anything here you need to constantly police yourself. Do not do dumb shit. Pay everything even if you feel like it is wrong. .. never reach for the license and proof of insurance they just asked for!... SAY "I have that. This is where it is. May I use my right hand to get those items?" ... (You could easily die for that if you instinctively just reach for it when they ask) .... etc etc... I'm admittedly bitter about the Kafka shit myself. Im still cook to cops...no record...no problems... but I am terrified whenever I drive or when I see one in a gas station .... any time anyone uses my doorbell it ruins my day. I... won't be fixing that in my lifetime. I feel for this guy. Now the Internet thinks hes an idiot... thats .... that should be a valid multi million dollar settlement and a bunch of changes of law/policy.

[@johnsciara9418]

What I don't understand is that since his license was suspended back in 2010, and most licenses expire in 4 years, he would have had to renew his license between 2010 and 2022 at least once. Since his license was suspended until 2022, he would have not been able to renew his license before 2022. So he would have had an old expired license that he would have needed to renew after he got word that his license was un-suspended. He's had two years to go to renew his license and it would appear that he failed to do that. If he had tried he would have had the chance to solve the problem two years ago

[@noelcook2389]

Not in arizona your good until your 65 then it's every 5 years

[@johnsciara9418]

@@noelcook2389 Arizona license renewal is every 12 years until 65 and then its every 5 years. 2010 - 2022 was 12 years so even if he had a brand new license in 2010 he would have needed to renew it

[@noelcook2389]

@johnsciara9418 my linscense says until I'm 65 so i got 14 years unless they change it recently

[@acd6835]

This is absolutely bizarre. Here in Queensland, Australia if you don't pay some sort of Government fee and you go into debt, it gets referred to SPER (State Penalties Enforcement Registry), where if you fail to pay a fine etc, they have the power to issue an enforcement order (pay now or we'll take it further), be jailed (absolute last resort), or more commonly, take it out of your wages/income, you certainly don't lose your driving licence unless you've committed a driving offence and that's only depends on the type of driving offence (some driving offences earn an automatic suspension) and/or how many points you have remaining. Here also, child support is a Federal matter, not a state issue which is driving, even so, if you fail to pay, Centrelink can then take the money out of your income or undertake litigation, among several other methods, none of which is related to a driving licence. America is a weird country!

[@DarwinGudex]

Thanks for the story update.

[@CyFr]

When i had my license suspended in Ontario, courts reinstated it after my fees were paid, and there was nothing else to be done. I do not understand why it needs to be so complicated elsewhere.

[@TainterRacing]

Mostly because they're trying to find ways to add fees and charge you more money and hand out more tickets.

[@ostrich67]

Because America.

[@lq7777]

Because, at least in my state the DMV and a few other agencies still run on mainframes that are older than I am. Some stuff can be done electronically but it is never instant. Hell, back when I was between jobs, the state Unemployment site would shut down every evening at something like 7 or 8. Not the whole site but whatever system processed new claims, lists of jobs applied to, etc…was shut down and you couldn’t do anything on the website as a result.

[@williamkelley7654]

25yrs ago in Massachusetts my license was revoked status because I was very irresponsible in my 20's and caused myself all kinds of grief. I met my future wife and it was time to clear this up. In the end it cost me about $6K to get my license back. Again, I deserved it for my behaviour. It was on me to do all the leg work and paper work to get this process done. NEVER assume the state/court will do anything for you, make sure to double check everything.

[@joelglanton6531]

Your "thank you sir may I have another" attitude is sad

[@dianeladico1769]

@@joelglanton6531 Your attitude to responsibly owning up to a mistake and making the needed corrections is horrifying.

[@joelglanton6531]

@@dianeladico1769 Daddy government will flog you for over a decade for having the gall to fail or make a mistake while simultaneously brainwashing you into believing that you "deserved it for your behavior."

[@brianvandy4002]

I've seen a lot of states that for unpaid child support ALL licenses are revoked, including any required to perform their jobs, e.g. Electricians, plumbers, etc. Does it make sense that someone can't afford to pay something and we further cripple his means of gaining an income? I know and sympathize regarding deadbeat dads, but how does making it impossible for him to earn an income help him pay?

[@reubensandwich9249]

The incentive is the disincentive.

[@EnthalpyAndEntropy]

The solution to that is simple: work without the license. I’ve been engineering without a license for decades. 😂 Anyway, a board shouldn’t care. You had a license and didn’t do anything reckless or negligent. If safety isn’t their sole concern then they’re at risk of losing any semblance of legitimacy.

[@giant0mantis]

I remember in High School my punishment for being late was to be suspended from school entirely Yeah no one cares to use their brain for anything

[@dansanger5340]

It makes sense if the problem is not inability to pay but unwillingness to pay.

[@shawandrew]

​@@EnthalpyAndEntropyif your work is implicated in a lawsuit, the company would likely be found negligent for using someone without a current license, but I suppose you are joking.

[@smc1377]

I once got a ticket for running a red, which I did NOT do. The officer wrote the WRONG date on the ticket, I show up to court, they said my date was the day before. Then they said they'll send me a new court date in the mail. So I wait, I call back in 1.5 weeks to see why I haven't gotten a new date. They said I missed the 2nd date already also so my license got suspended. It's complete BS...all cause an officer lied and then wrote the wrong date on the ticket. And like Steve said at the beginning of the video, I just can't stop driving. I live in a suburb with almost no public transportation. The court process was soooooooooo slow, it took 1.5 years to take care of it, and of course in that time I got a couple driving while suspended. Eventually, the DA was smart enough to see I had zero other infractions in the prior 15 years combined with the RETURNED MAIL showing that they sent the notice of the 2nd court date to the wrong address, she reduced everything down to driving without license in possession and small fines. Oh, and the first charge of running a red was also reduced to some non-moving violation that I can't remember. And for the record, since that day I've put dashcams in my cars and have used them to PROVE the police were wrong in subsequent police encounters. Once for another running a red light (it was green the entire time I went thru the intersection) and another time for speeding, which I was NOT. Upon showing the video evidence, both charges were dismissed.

[@Sean_A999]

Why was none of this brought up at hearing by his lawyer, before the judge ordered him to go to jail?

[@c-mo313]

Because court appointed attorneys have 50 cases a day and don't have time to look into every case that deep.

[@NathanaelNewton]

Thank you for covering this additional information. I really feel bad for the guy now 😞

[@grugnotice7746]

Taking someone's ability to drive away as punishment for not making enough money to afford child support is actual, literal insanity. If they don't pay despite being able to, then put them in prison, or issue a judgement. Making it more difficult for them to make money is stupidity of such a degree only the government could come up with the idea.

[@dansanger5340]

Maybe it was unwillingness to pay.

[@grugnotice7746]

@@dansanger5340 It is in some circumstances, but they also take it away for not being able to pay.

[@chazmccrea8451]

I would go as far to say that if a person doesn't want to pay for child support, just remove their parental rights and leave them the hell alone. We don't need to be spending all of this tax payer money on chasing down people who dont want to be involved in the first place

[@OpieJohansen]

Excellent and Awesome follow-up on this story! Went in a direction most of us never expected and revealed a serious flaw in the legal system that needs addressing! This is why I always watch Lehto's Law.

[@rispatha]

The "reinstatement fees" are what kills most people in getting the suspension removal finalized. I know in my State they charge $250 per suspension and if you have more than one that adds up fast. I have to my knowledge 4 suspensions on my license and that totals $1,000 minimum that I have to shell out just to get the 4 suspensions lifted. Then add to that since it has been so long I would have to also pay to have a temporary permit, take a drivers exam, pay to get the license once the drivers exam is passed and that adds another $200-300 to it all. Then if you have any insurance liens against your license or any other financial lien against your license that also has to be paid in full before any of the fun stuff to get it back. That can add up to thousands depending on the liens tacked onto your license. In my case I figured that at a minimum I would need at least $3,500 just to get the suspensions lifted. Who has that kind of scratch just laying around to fork over to everyone that demands you fork it over to them or you can't drive? Even if payment arrangements are made it would still take me at least 3 years to get it all paid off and to get that paid off I need a job and transportation to get to that job and since there is no "public transportation" in my neck of the woods I would be either driving someone else's vehicle to get to and from work or I would be end up not having anything left of my paycheck forking over cash to cover the taxi services each day twice a day. At minimum it would cost me one way to get to a job $60. Then let's not forget that if you are driving someone else's vehicle and you get pulled over while driving without a license they can and in most cases do impound the vehicle adding more money to the fray of things. I see this entire driver's license ordeal beyond having a license for commercial activity on the roadways as nothing more than a huge extortion racket.

[@KimClarke777]

We need an update on this story Steve. New hearing today in Judge Simpson's court shows everything is not quite as the defendant made out in his tv interview.

[@brucerobinson1284]

Many years ago I got a speeding ticket in another state . Sent the payment via check and the postal service . Years later I got pulled over for speeding (might be a pattern here) and was told bad news you're under arrest for driving with a suspended license . The police man said if I could get someone to come in pick up my bike he would just give me a ticket . the next day went down and got my new drivers license . I still had to pay later on my $115 dollars for driving on a suspended license . But somebody did not notify someone somewhere but was not worth fighting over $115 .

[@matthewmiller6068]

If he'd just parked and dialed in 30 seconds late probably nobody would have known or cared, and could have been just sitting in a car "nah not driving, I'm sitting outside a dr office"

[@creekdweller9662]

In Louisiana, if you switch companies, the insurance Company has to report to the state that you canceled on them, then the State suspends your drivers license. Now, you have a new company, insurance never lapsed now. But there is no requirement that the new insurance company you've got has to notify the state and inform them of you having car insurance with them. I was caught up in this year's ago. I was facing a huge fine, for driving with a suspended license. I was stopped late one night and was ordered to court to go in front of the judge. I had to go back for two years, and find all of those proof of insurance cards, good thing I keep records. And prove what actually happened. Now, they still stick you with court costs, fees. But lesson learned, when you are dealing with government it going to be screwed up.

[@sewerrat7612]

Jersey does same thing luckily mine was resolved quickly 2 years is crazy for that.

[@jas6of7]

I was hesitant to watch this video but glad I did. It is very educational for all of us. Thank you for explaining legalities to us!!

[@dennisberman4640]

Ben - There you are on Steve's right, wedge between the books.

[@user-no1cares]

🏆

[@Miami543210]

I watch every one of these videos to learn, and adjust my driving habits. These videos are making me a better driver. And keeping my high insurance rates as low as possible.

[@deathgrasp7]

It should be handled like liens on property. They remove their claim of suspension and if there's zero claims on his license it gets unsuspended

[@JerShaffer]

He shouldn't contract with child support..that the best option

[@AlanWorkman-w2x]

Thanks for the follow-up Steve. The problem this poor guy has is many folks will only see the original story and not get this context. I feel bad because I try to suspend my judgement realizing I don’t have the whole story, but this time went along with the crowd thinking badly about this defendant. I hope things get better for him.

[@Sundancer268]

Now you can no longer walk into the SOS office, you have to set up an appointment. Several times I would just like to stop in and get something done and it should be no issue as the office is empty at that time, but the SOS employees ask if you have an appointment. I understand a lot of the SOS offices in big cities are over whelmed, but I live in Northern Michigan where we move at a slower pace.

[@robert5]

Last time I was there at the SOS... with an appointment, there was a lady who walked in and a HUGE argument ensued because they would not allow here to just walk in and be helped, even though they were not vary busy. Woman was not backing down and neither was the SOS employee.

[@neilopfer5687]

SL, thanks much for the back story on all this!! Trapped in the bureacracy is a major frustration either in the public sector or private sector.

[@christopherconkright1317]

I have had this happen. I paid had my license reinstated. I got pulled over and my license was still suspended I had to fight the judge. He claimed even though I paid the fees and they made the mistake etc etc had the receipt my license was still suspended in the system and I should have known not to drive..... This is before the internet even now you can't see if you license is suspended. There for I should not have drove and he tried to suspend my license for a year. I had to appeal. What a shit show. I lived in a small town and the cops would sit near my house to make sure I didn't drive. I lived near the main road they claimed they were doing speed trap not waiting for me but after my appeal and win they were not sitting there anymore. Maybe I am wrong and they were not there waiting for me at the exact time i go or come home from work not at rush hour but 11-9

[@TheKianykin]

Your cops didn't have better things to do? Sound like they have too many there

[@joemachine4714]

Why was the license originally suspended? Most drivers go their whole life without that happening

[@christopherconkright1317]

@@joemachine4714 it was suspended because i 17 and had a .01 alcohol level I was not driving when they tested me I was in the back seat i only had 1 beer at home,

[@christopherconkright1317]

@@TheKianykin small town very small town 10 officers

[@elenasimon1270]

Helps if you have a license to begin with. The suspension was against driving in Michigan. He’s never had a driving license.

[@tothra]

I live in Ohio. Our cowardly politicians passed a law to suspend a mans DL for unpaid child support. Nevermind if he's lost his job, nevermind if he can't work due to a medical illness. Nevermind if it's not his child but she put his name on the birth certificate. They bowed to the fear of media generated reports and campaign commercials of "So-and-so-politician thinks it's OK to let 'deadbeat dads' get away with not paying child support". On top of that, Ohio's state BMV randomly sends out letters to DL holders to send back proof of insurance. If you never get the letter and don't respond, they suspend your DL without warning 🤬

[@RatedAwesome]

Men or women! My wife's license is suspended for not paying child support and she does not work! She literally can't pay but they suspended it anyways

[@hugegamer5988]

They could take away the ability to have a cell phone and access the internet making the social isolation complete. It’s like jail, but without the jail.

[@aaadamt964]

In the early 00's ohio was charging men with a felony for not paying and sending them to prison. Not jail, prison. Now, you have a man that did 11 months in prison, got 11 months further behind, has a felony on his record, no license and likely lost everything while gone for 11 months. How in the actual eff would they think that's a good idea?

[@josepherhardt164]

@@aaadamt964 Sounds perfectly Republican to me. I don't see the problem. /s -- for the three idjits out there who think I'm being serious.

[@UncleKennysPlace]

Yeah, I live in Ohio, and the politicians made it so that I couldn't even register with my chosen party, 'cuz it may take votes away from _their_ party. That party of my father is a shadow of what it was.

[@pegnas]

gives new perspective to : "contempt prior to investigation" thanks for all the clarification and insight to this case

[@iOSAT]

No no no - he said he’s pulling into “MY doctors office” HIS doctor, he never said anything about his wife, there were zero signs anyone else was in the car and zero urgency on his part - once he parked, nobody exited the car, nobody else made a noise, nothing.

[@mikeyh0]

Yeah, he's lying and very irresponsible. NOT a victim, at all. But he plays one.

[@iOSAT]

@@mikeyh0 Yeah and maybe I’m misunderstanding: so he’s in court because he was driving on a suspended license, but in reality it technically should have been reinstated… the fact that he’s the victim of a clerical mistake doesn’t change the fact that he’s knowingly driving on a legally suspended license.

[@mikeyh0]

@@iOSAT You got it. Mistakes have to corrected first. Besides, do we even know what all the circumstances are?

[@iOSAT]

@@mikeyh0 It seems clear he was lying about the reason for driving, so yeah, hard to take anything else serious said outside of court, to a reporter no less.

[@cmichaeldoodah]

He knew his license was suspended but did not take any time to verify the suspension was lifted. Knowing his license status was his responsibility, not anyone else's. If a person was caught speeding, that person cannot blame others for not checking what the speed limit was or how fast he or she was traveling. It is that person's responsibility only.

[@tzoninghard2425]

There is no justice system

[@abetterfuture4787]

Yep, we need to all start referring to it as the Legal System, because "Justice System" simply isn't accurate.

[@scanmead]

What went wrong is the driver never went to reinstate his license, he knew he did not have a valid license, and he went and got a state ID and renewed it for years instead of getting his license straightened out. He even told the cop he did not have license. Simpson doesn't get things like this wrong.

[@mikesenesouk531]

All this aside. The guy was 20 seconds from parking the car. He calls in and tells them to hold on he's pulling into park. He could've waiting 20 seconds, park the car and then call into the meeting.

[@bobbbobb4663]

Having recently dealt with virtual court, you call in and wait for your case to be heard. Most likely, he assumed he could have been at the doctors office when he case was called.

[@tysleight]

​@@bobbbobb4663 if I have a court date I don't think I'm going to do it at a doctor's appointment. Doc. your labs came back concerning Defendant. Hold on I'm on zoom. Doc. What? Waiting patiently knowing that this is going to put them behind the rest of the day. Defendant. Yes judge. Doc. Come back tomorrow when you're not wasting our time. Defendant. But but but. It will only be 10 minutes. Defendant. Stupid doc. Doesn't care..... Emergency room weeks later. Looks like you're going to be staying here for a few days. It's to bad you didn't follow up like you were instructed verbally AND on paper AND your notifications from your E chart.

[@daemn42]

@@tysleight He said something about health issue for his wife.

[@CAPSLOCKPUNDIT]

Speaking of the consequences of timing, I bet he's breathing a sigh of relief that his fifteen minutes expired early, due to breaking legal news of a particular case in New York.

[@texroy1644]

A bunch of excuses on his part. He gives the impression that he does not care, why should others?

[@johnburgess2084]

Always assume the worst. If you DON'T have something in your possession that says you MAY drive, then assume you may NOT drive. Don't just take somebody's word for it that you may drive. No matter what the authority is of whomever tells you that, get it in writing.

[@CrainialCommando]

Regardless of WHY his license was suspended it was still massively stupid to be driving during a zoom call to the court for a suspended license charge.

[@BAGELMENSK]

I mean I'm pretty sure, as much as it became a public spectacle, it's a better move to appear in that situation than be written up for failure to appear in court.

[@CCFONESOL]

@BAGELMENSK logging in a few minutes late, after he parked, for "technical difficulties" would've been better than what he did.

[@hugegamer5988]

He could have tried for the full monte, wore a hat, paused the judge to place a fast food order, clearly run a red light…

[@JerShaffer]

Why his license wasn't suspended yet

[@lindaward3156]

yes, what a dumb move. i bet he's kicking himself. frankly, I can't understand that level of dumb

[@rickconstant6106]

Here in the UK, a driver can only be disqualified from driving for motoring offences, so it seems strange that a licence could be suspended for unrelated reasons. On the other hand, making a Zoom video call while driving would immediately get him a fine of £200 ($250) and 6 points on his licence (half way to a disqualification).

[@LizzieWestBathandBody]

As a Michigan resident, every time you have a civil infraction that involves a motor vehicle and even in the case of a suspended driver's license when you go to court and you satisfy the court you receive a clearance. The clearance fee in Michigan is $50 they do not automatically do this you have to pay the $50 then they will electronically submit it but they give you a piece of paper to take the Secretary of State to verify that you have indeed one paid the $50 for the clearance fee and you took care of the ticket. It's not rocket science. He basically dropped the ball. He could feign ignorance but that only get you so far. And at the moment he's the poster child for ignorance! Sad to say. Well at least it's not California. California has a penalty assessment that goes back to the day you started driving. They will tack up all the fees you have ever encouraged since you've been driving on your latest ticket 70% of the fines and costs that you have already paid in the past will be tacked onto your new ticket. That's something nobody talks about! For 30 years I've been living in Michigan I will never ever go back to California!

[@shmeli]

Bottom line is that the guy knew his license was suspended and he kept driving

[@TheMidwestWaterproofing]

"1-1=...hang on, I'm a busy man". priceless

[@OLDMANTEA]

“It’s lunch time. Come back after 1pm…”

[@ggr9566]

I am going to nick name you Paul Harvey for your dedication to give us the rest of the story.

[@Ekatjam]

Outside the Cook County (Illinois) courthouse, they have officers watching the parking lot and running plates to see if suspended drivers show up to court driving.

[@leastthereisdeath]

in Washington state i recently paid ~ $500 for reinstatement plus t3st fees it is gross

[@shekharmoona544]

I've seen a guy get his license suspended for a fishing infraction.

[@Fountainofyouth007]

Court costs for what? Everyone there is on a salary. If nobody ever got charged with anything, the court employees wouldn't have a job. If you get a ticket, or charged with something, your helping to ensure their employment, they should be paying you for helping to keep their job.

[@nomadicobserver4224]

Leave for the doctor 15 minutes sooner. Get your wife checked in. Then go sit somewhere in the doctor's office and do the zoom call. A clock and a little forethought would have prevented all of this.

[@AquaMarineFBVA]

You assume there was time for that.... you assume alot of things..

[@joemachine4714]

​@AquaMarineFBVA

[@dodgeguyz]

You sound like the government!

[@rtjames]

​@@AquaMarineFBVA"time" is what he would have served after this situation. No assumptions required.

[@nomadicobserver4224]

@AquaMarineFBVA He said he was pulling into his doctor's office. Not the emergency room. He did not indicate a life threatening condition.

[@JohnDeerePullingTractors]

Pennsylvania also suspends your hunting and fishing license for child support unless you can prove that they provide 30% or more of your sustenance

[@munsters2]

That's harsh.

[@mattgayda2840]

It's not just drivers licenses, they will suspend professional licenses (nursing, medical, law, engineering, etc) which means you can't work to pay the child support, it's idiotic

[@OmniscientWarrior]

It gets worse. You can be out in jail for several months for not paying child support. Shortly after getting out, you can be sent back to jail for not paying child support while in jail or prison. So yes, you can be put in jail so you can't pay child support then or back in jail for failure to pay while you were in jail so you couldn't.

[@EnthalpyAndEntropy]

Joke is on them. I don’t need an engineering license to engineer. 😂

[@louissanderson719]

The child support system seems very harsh in America

[@mattgayda2840]

@@OmniscientWarrior oh I know, they outlawed debtors prisons over two centuries ago in 1833 but they're still putting people in prison over a civil matter the courts have weaponized. Ever hear about someone going to prison over unpaid credit cards or mortgages, no because that's illegal yet here we are...

[@EnthalpyAndEntropy]

@@louissanderson719 it is. Sometimes a guy who isn’t the father is required to pay. I’m not sure he even has to sign the birth certificate. The mom can just finger whomever she likes.

[@larrytemen4789]

Driving a vehicle I paid for, I insure, I pay for the plates, I pay the sticker, I pay for the fuel, I pay for taxes that pay for the roads I drive on. Eff the court. It’s a right, NOT a privilege! If you take my license, then lower my taxes that go to paying for the roads and infrastructure……simple.

[@user-no1cares]

Ben’s reading the Blue Books near Steve’s RH ear.

[@Bobs-Wrigles5555]

Ben L's catching up on you, only 2 secs behind today... Mornin' Bill

[@user-no1cares]

@@Bobs-Wrigles5555 I gave the Comment Door Guard a bribe. 😂

[@in4theride75]

The fact that a drivers license can be suspended over back child support is bullsht.

[@Boraxo]

Cop will NOT believe any paper work you pull out of your pocket, he goes by the computer in the car. Period.

[@DirtySallysweetsally]

YOU HAVE TO RE-INSTATE YOUR LICENSE WHICH COST EXTRA $$$ AFTER A SUSPENSION.

[@southbaychris]

Incompetence in government and medicine is far more common than anyone wants to talk about

[@rebeccapotter3413]

He has never had a drivers license anywhere. They suspended his driving previdges! They just clarifed that in court. No.drivers license ever anywhere.

[@MichaelHagberg]

If his license was in a suspension status, then how would he have been able to renew it?

[@RLKmedic0315]

Many years ago my Brothers license was suspended. He got it reinstated a few months later. He then renewed his license on his birthday. When het got pulled over for speeding they told him his license was suspended. He showed the cops the receipt for paying his fine and fixing his license, he also had the paper from the courthouse showing the suspension was lifted. The cops did not care. It showed suspended on their system. The various government computer databases do not always talk to each other. Its quite common for your records to be very different according to different agencies. It's messed up, but it's real.

[@joshm3342]

How was he supposed to pay child support without a way to drive to work? What does a financial matter have to do with the ability to drive? License suspensions should be based on UNSAFE DRIVING.

[@JVL-4LIFE]

Suspending your license for not paying child support is basically entrapment.

[@jplayzow]

I don't think you know what that word means. It's not a trick in any real way. These laws are up front and you're expected to know them the same as any other law. You don't have to agree with it but it's not entrapment.

[@Hyfdwwtvjkufg]

That isn’t entrapment. If you don’t pay your child support you are committing a crime, and license suspension is a consequence. How would that be the police talking you in to doing a crime you had no intention of committing?

[@joshuahudson2170]

@@Hyfdwwtvjkufg But it is. He now can't get to work and isn't allowed to quit.

[@Hyfdwwtvjkufg]

@@joshuahudson2170 again, entrapment means they would have to entice someone to commit a crime they otherwise would not have committed. So what you are saying is that they forced him to drive. If a cop told him to get in his car and drive knowing he had a suspended license, and then pulled him over and took him to jail for a suspended license, that would be entrapment. The fact he was driving on a suspended license from not paying child support is not entrapment. You can be upset about the issue, heck I think he has a case for his license not being reinstated due to a bad system, but it isn’t entrapment.

[@joshuahudson2170]

@@Hyfdwwtvjkufg The fact is, the court told him to drive or go to jail.

[@gappmast9712]

Even if he had taken care of it 12 years ago his license would have expired and needed to be renewed.

[@larryjohnson5163]

And if you can't drive to work how do you pay anything?

[@TheSjuris]

You call a taxi, have a family member take you, walk, ride a bike. There’s no Constitutional right to drive a car.

[@MrTrailerman2]

​@@TheSjurislol... where I live is 45 minutes from civilization. No cab would come this far.

[@TheSjuris]

@@MrTrailerman2 then move closer. It’s not the government’s responsibility because you’re incapable of being responsible. But you’re right they should not give tickets for people driving on suspended licenses. They should take the car instead right away.

[@Almodeus]

@@TheSjuris Ah yes, because moving and getting a new place to live is famously known for being cheap these days. Maybe consider your suggestions might not be workable for other people due to circumstances you can't know about before spouting off your "personal responsibility" bullshit?

[@MGower4465]

If you pause to think, "court costs" is a nonsensical idea. Assume on a random court day there is nobody with a case to be tried. Does the judge not get paid? Do the clerks go without? Of course not, they aren't paid by the case. Court costs are the dame whether there are 200 csses on the docket or zero.

[@admiraladama5877]

Will there be a show cause hearing in this case?

[@marklamberson4131]

Love the Testicle Tech shirt! I graduated from Ball State a long time ago.

[@bradleysmith2021]

I spent a day in jail for doing 28 in a 30 three years before. Let that sink in.

[@EnthalpyAndEntropy]

Suspended license? 😂

[@bradleysmith2021]

@@EnthalpyAndEntropy body-only warrant.

[@tysleight]

How many times have you told the story? What is the cops side?

[@bradleysmith2021]

@@tysleight the last thing the deputy that pulled me over on the day I went to jail said to me was “I’m sorry. If I’d have known it was going to be like this, I wouldn’t have even called them.” as I was exchanged at the county line.

[@sewerrat7612]

New jersey? Only state I know that's known to do that.

[@gylgamesh5]

That happened to me here in Michigan. I showed the cop the receipt and he let me go but suggested I go to the city and make sure my license was made okay, and I had to do that.

[@heartlessdeathx]

He's in court for driving on a Suspended License - so, that had to have been recently. If the suspension was in error, because he paid his child support long ago, why didn't he look into it before the court hearing? Then, instead of looking up guiltily to the ceiling of his car, he could have stopped the judge: "Your honor, I had already taken care of that." I've seen videos of this Judge, he would have listened.

[@Hevach]

It wasn't suspended in error, but the suspension was overturned by a judge in 2022. The law he lost it under was replaced in 2021 and license restoration was supposed to be automatic when it went into effect but most people had to take some extra steps and go to court. KZbin frequently deletes posts with links but the website Published Reporter has the court documents showing his license was restored, the state just ignored that. He tried twice to explain this, but the state attorney interrupted him claiming to have the correct information. This judge is fair but in this case he didn't listen because the state lied to him, and we'll have to wait until the 5th to see how it plays out from there.

[@UnseemlyGenie00]

A different guy rolled up a blunt and smoked it while waiting for his zoom trial with this same judge. This judge has seen some stuff lol

[@valarianne2284]

It seems counter productive to pull someone's license for falling behind on child support. This happens in NJ too. I don't think MOST people just don't not pay deliberately. They may have lost a job or be making less money than when the original court ordered amount was set. In NJ to get that changed (at least in the past) you had to get a lawyer and go to court. How do you afford that? If you pull someone's license because they can't meet the court ordered amount - how are they supposed to get to work to make money to pay any amount? It can turn into a revolving door. You get picked up, jailed for about 2 or 3 months, now they want you to pay the amount ordered PLUS extra money to make up for the back money owed. They've lost their job and have to find another - they are forever playing catch up. This happened to someone I knew. His ex-wife (friendly divorce) even went to court with him. She told the judge she didn't want her ex in jail because he was a good father to their autistic son. Putting the father in jail repeatedly caused the boy more anxiety. The judge said they could do NOTHING. The father would have to get a lawyer, go to a different court and explain he no longer made the money he used to make and needed the child support reduced to what he could reasonably pay. This all is completely illogical. If you can't afford $100 a week (for example) how can you afford $150? IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE!!!! You have no idea how many people get caught up in this travesty. Not all men are deadbeat dads.

[@BenLeitch]

Ben is tucked between books over Steve's RHS shoulder

[@michaelmoorrees3585]

In the vertical gap, for more of a clue.

[@CreativityNull]

I think he absolutely could have planned better for this court hearing so that he wasn't driving when it happened. After hearing the situation I absolutely have more sympathy, but I think some better planning could have been done. It's still a ridiculous situation to be in for him though with even having the suspended license. I remember when my license got suspended because I dropped out of school (long story involving moving to a state with different requirements than I had previously which would have forced me to take an extra year of highschool) then a couple of months later when I got my GED we did all of the paperwork and even went to the DMV to get it unsuspended. I get a letter a couple of months after that stating that they were suspending my license AGAIN until I PHYSICALLY APPEAR at the DMV to sign a document THEY FORGOT to have me sign. I don't know how they would have expected me to get there legally if I didn't have my mother to drive me since there's no real public transportation there and this was before Uber/Lyft. I guess maybe a taxi, but that's expensive for a mistake that wasn't mine.

[@44hawk28]

I'd like to point out that you at least twice mentioned exactly why they will automatically suspend your license for reasons that have nothing to do with driving and actually are antithetical to the purpose for which they're suspending your license, if you're not paying child support, putting somebody out of work by not allowing them to drive to work is not going to help the issue. The other problem is is that the reason that they will automatically suspend your license, but won't automatically unsuspended, is precisely because they're allowed to charge a reinstatement fee. That is a long way around the barn for theft by conversion.

[@Revkor]

yeah why not garnish wages

[@angelawilliams5153]

About 10 years ago, I was leaving New York State and moving To another state. Just about two or three days before I was to leave I got a notice in the mail that my license would be suspended unless I paid some parking tickets. The thing is, I had bought a new car and got it registered and I was not allowed to get it registered without paying every single ticket that I had just to get it registered. So when an old ticket came up from my previous car, I couldn’t understand how it hadn’t been taken care of. Thankfully, the judge understood and said that it was within the system and had actually reached The DMV prior to me paying the tickets and getting my new car registered. The judge was very nice. Saw that I had tried to do my due diligence and just released the ticket and said have a good move. It was great.

[@wcraiderevo8078]

It's a money grab...the reinstatement fee.

[@jimtalbott9535]

No…..if it was, it would cost MUCH more.

[@CAPSLOCKPUNDIT]

The problem is that people demand a lot more from government than they are willing to pay for. It's more politically convenient to shift operating costs onto individuals, in the form of fines and usage fees, than to raise taxes a few dollars more per capita.

[@-Gorby-]

So if someone doesn't drive and never gets a driver's license, should they get a discount/credit on their annual taxes?

[@Reuben-ny3]

Thank you for posting an update video.

[@dougbotimer8005]

I feel bad for this man, but people ignore their suspension all the time. Maybe getting a suspended driving ticket should have been the clue that he should have taken care of this long ago and not to drive until the matter was resolved.

[@shamrocm]

To error is human. To really screw things up just involve the government. Florida also suspends your license for "Child Support".

[@MichaelP-ns]

Suspended 14 YEARS ago. Dude knows damn well he was ridin dirty, they would have told him when he tried to renew his DL.

[@johnhenryjanning8927]

My license was suspended at the age of 15 before I could even get a license because I took my parents car in the middle of the night and ran a stop sign and got in a high speed chase. Now at the time I had a learners permit. About a yr later the judge in the case told me I could get my license so I went down to the tag agency to get my license upgraded from a learners permit to a drivers license. Now my license was still suspended be was it was suspended by the state and I had to go pay a fee to get it reinstated. And they didn't say anything about it when I got it upgraded from a permit to a license. So I was just out driving around for 6 months with a suspended license till I got pulled over one day and arrested for driving on a suspended license

[@tenzhitihsien888]

Suspending a driving license for something unrelated to driving seems like nonsense. Doubly so for something like not paying child support where you're almost certainly going to need to drive to be able to pay it.

[@steveladner4346]

Damned if you do and damned if you don't.

[@OneWheelMan]

He'd have been fine if he hadn't done a zoom video call WHILE DRIVING A CAR! So no, not damned if you don't.

[@serenerebel1983]

Evidently this guy has never had a license and as judge says his driving privileges were suspended. interesting distinction