Ticket for not showing insurance card

[Helpinpa22]

I'm in PA. Long story short, we were pulled over while my husband was driving. I forgot my insurance card. The cop that pulled us over gave my husband two copies of the same ticket for the registration being out. My husband called the magistrate's office and they dropped the second ticket and only had to pay one. This was 7/4.

I got a letter in the mail Friday that my license will be suspended because I didn't pay my fine for lack of insurance. The cop claims he gave me the ticket even though we have proof he didn't. I'm now looking at over $500 worth of fines even though we sent all insurance and registration information and paid my husband's fine within the time frame.

What can I do? Do I need to look into getting a lawyer?

 

[Zigner]

I'm in PA. Long story short, we were pulled over while my husband was driving. I forgot my insurance card. The cop that pulled us over gave my husband two copies of the same ticket for the registration being out. My husband called the magistrate's office and they dropped the second ticket and only had to pay one. This was 7/4.

I got a letter in the mail Friday that my license will be suspended because I didn't pay my fine for lack of insurance. The cop claims he gave me the ticket even though we have proof he didn't. I'm now looking at over $500 worth of fines even though we sent all insurance and registration information and paid my husband's fine within the time frame.

What can I do? Do I need to look into getting a lawyer?

I'm curious...what "proof" do you have that you weren't given the citation for no insurance?

What happened when you contact the court and offered to show proof of coverage at the time of the citation?

 

[adjusterjack]

What can I do?

I suggest you start by going to the courthouse and getting a copy of the ticket.

Do I need to look into getting a lawyer?

That's up to you.

But paying $300 per hour on $500 worth of fines doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me.

 

[Helpinpa22]

I'm curious...what "proof" do you have that you weren't given the citation for no insurance?

What happened when you contact the court and offered to show proof of coverage at the time of the citation?

Written communication with the magistrate's office that we were only given one ticket at the time.

 

[Zigner]

Written communication with the magistrate's office that we were only given one ticket at the time.

The magistrate wrote to you and told you that you only received one ticket at the time?

 

[Helpinpa22]

The magistrate wrote to you and told you that you only received one ticket at the time?

Yes. That only one ticket was in the system at the time. Now today they're saying there was two and that the cop gave them to us.

 

[Zigner]

Yes. That only one ticket was in the system at the time. Now today they're saying there was two and that the cop gave them to us.

THAT is much different than the magistrate telling you that you only received one ticket from the officer. All that means is that the second ticket hadn't been entered in to the system yet.

 

[Helpinpa22]

THAT is much different than the magistrate telling you that you only received one ticket from the officer. All that means is that the second ticket hadn't been entered in to the system yet.

The cop's report stated that he issued two tickets at the scene.

 

[Zigner]

The cop's report stated that he issued two tickets at the scene.

Ok, then what you have here is a non-starter. You GOT two tickets unless you can prove otherwise (you can't.) Again, what happened when you presented the evidence to the court that you were insured at the time of the citation?

 

[Helpinpa22]

THAT is much different than the magistrate telling you that you only received one ticket from the officer. All that means is that the second ticket hadn't been entered in to the system yet.

The cop's report stated that he issued two tickets at the scene.

I guess nothing and it's fine a cop can completely mess up.

 

[Helpinpa22]

Update

I'm in PA. Long story short, we were pulled over while my husband was driving. I forgot my insurance card. The cop that pulled us over gave my husband two copies of the same ticket for the registration being out. My husband called the magistrate's office and they dropped the second ticket and only had to pay one. This was 7/4.

I got a letter in the mail Friday that my license will be suspended because I didn't pay my fine for lack of insurance. The cop claims he gave me the ticket even though we have proof he didn't. I'm now looking at over $500 worth of fines even though we sent all insurance and registration information and paid my husband's fine within the time frame.

What can I do? Do I need to look into getting a lawyer?

Everything was dropped. The chief of police calles and apologized for the mess up. I sent my insurance card in within the time to have the ticket dropped.

 

[Helpinpa22]

Ok, then what you have here is a non-starter. You GOT two tickets unless you can prove otherwise (you can't.) Again, what happened when you presented the evidence to the court that you were insured at the time of the citation?

Turns out, I did have proof. The ticket was dropped.

 

[Zigner]

Everything was dropped. The chief of police calles and apologized for the mess up. I sent my insurance card in within the time to have the ticket dropped.

Turns out, I did have proof. The ticket was dropped.

I'm glad it worked out for you - and it sounds like it worked out because you presented proof of insurance, not because you never got the 2nd ticket.

 

[Helpinpa22]

I'm glad it worked out for you - and it sounds like it worked out because you presented proof of insurance, not because you never got the 2nd ticket.

According to the chief of police, this isn't the first time the cop did this and has numerous complaints. They checked the cop's car computer records.

 

[HighwayMan]

According to the chief of police, this isn't the first time the cop did this and has numerous complaints. They checked the cop's car computer records.

So this had nothing to do with any proof you had - which was none.