Was arrested today for an outstanding ticket I thought I had paid. Cop wrote down my old address

[Quixote1818]

Was mistakenly arrested today because of a clerical error from a 2008 speeding ticket that I am sure was paid or at least payment was mailed in. I was upset that I had been driving around with a warrant for my arrest for two years and was never notified. Turns out the cop who wrote the ticket used my old address off my license instead of my current address on my registration and insurance so I never got notice that the ticket was outstanding as it was mailed to my old address. Will have to wait several days for my bank to send me the archived bank statements from 2008 so I don't know if they did get the payment or not.

I spent several hours in jail, had a mug shot and they took my finger prints. It was really humiliating being handcuffed at my hotel in public! Lost a day of work and will lose another day of work driving back up here for court. Was extremely lucky that I had a co-worker in the same town who could post the cash bail or else I would have had to spend the night waiting for family do drive six hours to make the cash bail.

Any words of advice for my court appearance? I did find out that cops can check their computers to make sure they have the right address. Here in NM they don't have stickers to place on your drivers license to make the address current.

Word of advice, if you get a ticket pay it in person and SAVE the receipt!!!

On Edit here is New Mexico DMV's statement on a change of address: http://www.mvd.newmexico.gov/Drivers/Change-Your-Address.html

Change my Address
Snip>
If you WANT to have your new address appear on your driver license or ID card, you must come into a MVD Field Office and get a new driver license or ID card.

[elleng]

1. Thanks for the advice; receipt.

Renewed registration today, after car towed due to expired. Tow guys made a mess of tail pipe.

Received Demand Notice from IRS; they say they've sent several, and want answer w/in couple weeks. Have to find tax attorney. Filed jointly, but they come to ME???

Advice for you in court: Explain as you did here, straightforward.

A lot of this 'confusion' going on now, all over. Stand your ground, politely.

Good luck.

[Quixote1818]

2. Thanks

The amazing thing is the exact same thing happened to me when I was like 17 years old over 20 years ago. Got a ticket and my Mom paid it and kept the receipt. Someone screwed up and the ticket was never shown to be paid. I was arrested for driving with a revoked drivers license in Arizona later that year. My Mom produced the receipt and they even dropped the other ticket that had originally got me pulled over. Had an old roommate that was also arrested here in NM over the same kind of mix up. This state is like a banana republic.

[WolverineDG]

3. re: the IRS

I got a notice from the IRS & they wanted an ungodly amount of $ that I didn't have. I called around & asked what I could do about it. A friend guided me to a financial guy who filed an amended return for me after getting information from my broker. Turned out I didn't owe the IRS what they said I owed them (although I did owe some $). You could go to a CPA as well.

dg

[elleng]

11. Amazing they come to ME! We file jointly, notice sent in my name

to his address, which was NOT his address for tax year in question.

Not really concerned about amount, surely can reduce and handle it somehow, but something stinks about the process. They say they've sent me several requests, haven't received any until this 'FINAL' notice. 'Husb' forwarded to me, sent by them Nov. 22, forwarded by him to me Dec. 7. Have called tax attorney.

More later, surely!

[Phentex]

4. An aside about the IRS...

I got a notice mailed to my place of business requesting an address change. The address HAD been changed or they would not have known where to mail the letter, lol. I called about it anyway and the person on the phone read the "address on file" as the current address. She said the letter must have been old. The date on the letter? Nov. 15, 2010. :)

[Phentex]

5. I'm sorry for your troubles...

Hope you get it all resolved soon!

[Skittles]

6. tip for you on speeding/traffic tickets

keep a file with copies of EVERYTHING, along with a dateline of what you did when - comes in handy if you're ever hauled into court later

[Kali]

7. sheesh, Skittles

some of us don't get so many tickets that we need a FILE for them!:eyes:





















:hide: don't kick my ass too hard

[Skittles]

8. doesn't matter if it's one or fifty

I am.....somewhere in-between :D

[Kali]

9. ha!

:spank:

[madmom]

10. The most distressing thing about all this is..

they hauled you out in handcuffs because of a minor infraction while others with major crimes are being given a pass.:banghead: Hope everything works out for you.