Muskegon, MI asked in Traffic Tickets for Michigan

Q: Got arrested for driving without insurance, can I sell my car to pay the ticket before my court date?

I got arrested for driving without insurance in the state of Michigan but didn’t go to jail, I got released. I got my car out of the impound, I have a court date in about 2 weeks. Can I legally sell my car to pay off my ticket before the court date? Or will I get in more trouble for selling the “illegal” car in question before the court date?

Related Topics:
2 Lawyer Answers

A: So far as I know, there would be nothing preventing you from selling the car. If you keep the car, however, be sure you get insurance on it before you go to court, and take the proof of insurance coverage to court as soon as possible. If you can't do it before the court date, take the proof with you when you go to court. If the insurance certificate is on your phone, print out a copy, since many courts won't let you take a phone into the court building. Sincerely, Frank B. Ford

A: It is not unlawful for you to sell your car. It is unlawful to operate it without having it insured or operating it without proof of insurance. If you had insurance at the time of the ticket, you may present the proof of insurance to the Court, who will, upon payment of an administrative fee will not report it to the state, so it will not appear on your driving record. This only works if you had insurance, but did not have the certificate with you.

Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.

The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.

Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.