Anaheim, CA asked in Traffic Tickets for California

Q: A while ago I purchased my first car and I recently got pulled over and got a citation for my tags and/or registration

Bought my car from a Mexican family that spoke 0 english and I had to use google translate to communicate. I don't have much family so I didn't have anyone to let me know better and I never got the car registered and the tags were expired and that's why I got pulled over. Maybe something to do with having no insurance too? Idk but I have court tomorrow and idk what to expect or say or if I'll have a lawyer or anything. I'm completely ignorant to this whole thing and I just want to know what to expect and/or say? Especially during this covid pandemic

Related Topics:
1 Lawyer Answer
Maurice Mandel II
Maurice Mandel II
Answered
  • Traffic Tickets Lawyer
  • Newport Beach, CA
  • Licensed in California

A: First, the pandemic does not affect what you say in court. Your first appearance is an "arraignment" where you plead guilty or not guilty. If you show up with valid current paid up registration in hand it will go much better for you than if you say "I got this ticket 3 months ago and didn't do anything to register the car." Same for insurance, you are going to have to have it at some point or you will be paying up to $900 in fines for no insurance. You can buy a lot of insurance for $900. You were probably pulled over for expired tags not insurance, the police cannot be rolling and checking every car for insurance, yet. If you don't take care of these things you will be paying big fines. You will have the right to ask for a postponement or continuance of the arraignment for a short time, if you want more time to take care of business. If you are old enough to be buying a car for yourself, you are old enough to be responsible to take care of registration, licensing and insurance issues, too. Your excuses do not carry much weight.

Justia disclaimers below, incorporated herein.

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.