Need some advice on a ticket

[iotone]

Cliffs Notes:
-Mom lives in Nevada, I live in CA, borrowed her car for a couple weeks ( < 20 days )
-Bringing car back this weekend
-Got pulled over for having NV plates about 2 weeks ago
-Tried to explain that I was returning car
-Cop told me to resolve with court

Ok here's the story...

I hitched a ride with some friends to Vegas a few weeks ago... my Mom lives there, and so I came along so I could visit (and, of course, enjoy Vegas). So being that my bday was going to be in a couple of weeks (it's this weekend), and I was going to come back for my bday, I decided to borrow my mom's car for those couple of weeks then bring it back... one nite while driving in Redondo Beach, I got pulled over by a motorcycle cop. He told me that I wasn't speeding, but as I drove by him (he was on the opposite side of the street at a 4 way stop in a residential area), he couldn't see me thru my window (it was also around 8:30), and he saw my plates and stopped me for california registration fees. I explained to him that the car hadn't been in CA for long, and it was going back soon, but he told me that I would have to resolve it in court. He wrote me the ticket and left.

So I ask, was he right in giving me the ticket? Will I end up paying still, or will this be let go in court?

[edit] I live in CA, so my license is in CA [/edit]

 

[z0mb13]

sounds like an anal retentive cop

 

[Orsorum]

Whaaaat? I've never heard of someone having to pay registration fees for merely driving an automobile through a state.

 

[kaizersose]

Originally posted by: z0mb13
sounds like an anal retentive cop

 

[Gunslinger08]

That's Jay-z!

Whoops, I mean ludicrous.

 

[iotone]

Originally posted by: Orsorum
Whaaaat? I've never heard of someone having to pay registration fees for merely driving an automobile through a state.

i know... it made me so mad, of all the things i could get a ticket for...

 

[Orsorum]

Originally posted by: iotone

Originally posted by: Orsorum
Whaaaat? I've never heard of someone having to pay registration fees for merely driving an automobile through a state.

i know... it made me so mad, of all the things i could get a ticket for...

Did he cite (on the ticket) the code you violated? I would imagine that there would obviously be a fee if your official residence was in CA, and your mom's official residence was in CA, but the plates were still for NV, or if the car had been parked and used in CA for a certian period of time... but again, otherwise that doesn't make sense.

 

[Bryophyte]

You aren't a registered owner of the car, and it was in the state for a short time. Of course you are not guilty of anything. I think your mom should go to court with you if possible to sort it out, though.

 

[Garet Jax]

A lot of people move states and never register vehicles. Cops have no way of knowing whether or not you are one of these people. They give you a ticket and force you to prove to the courts that the car is only temporarily in the state. If that is the case, then the ticket is thrown out. If not, you pay registration and fines. Cop was just doing his job.

 

[iotone]

Originally posted by: Garet Jax
A lot of people move states and never register vehicles. Cops have no way of knowing whether or not you are one of these people. They give you a ticket and force you to prove to the courts that the car is only temporarily in the state. If that is the case, then the ticket is thrown out. If not, you pay registration and fines. Cop was just doing his job.

so as long as i can prove that car was temporarily in state, then it should be ok?

 

[kranky]

You'll probably have no problem getting out of it.

You got the ticket because you live in CA (and your driver's license no doubt says so) and the car is registered in NV. Had you had a NV license, no ticket. But your story (although true) is what everyone tells cops when they didn't want to register their car in CA but got caught.

 

[Garet Jax]

Originally posted by: iotone

Originally posted by: Garet Jax
A lot of people move states and never register vehicles. Cops have no way of knowing whether or not you are one of these people. They give you a ticket and force you to prove to the courts that the car is only temporarily in the state. If that is the case, then the ticket is thrown out. If not, you pay registration and fines. Cop was just doing his job.

so as long as i can prove that car was temporarily in state, then it should be ok?

That is my understanding from living in so many states. How long have you had the car in CA? I believe CA give 30 days to register your vehicle (live in SF a few years ago).