Got a ticket for expired license plate sticker, not expired?

The strangest (and potentially very annoying) thing happened yesterday. I was driving home and a police car started flashing and stopped me. The policewoman told me that the license plate renewal sticker was expired for a long time, and wrote me a ticket for it, this happened May 1st, 2016. Guess when the license plate sticker expires? December 2016! Which is also my birthday. I told her that it wasn't expired but she said that her system said that it was expired and I would have to fight it in court.

I just called serviceontario to see if my license plate sticker is expired, and guess what? They said nope, it's still valid until December 2016. What is going on? Did this policewoman just waste an entire day of my life to fight an expiry ticket in court that was CLEARLY not expired?

EDIT: More details, it was an 80km/h road (with 3 lanes), and the policecar was driving at 70km/h-65km/h in the middle lane, and there were a couple of cars that didn't dare overtake her, so I did, at EXACTLY 80km/h, not one km more, not one km less (I was watching my speedometer very carefully). Only after I did that did she start flashing and started talking to me (and for what it's worth she was quite nice). If that has any bearing on responses I might get.

yep she didn't like it.

goto early resolution, with your sticker and other prrof and you will get off

a waste of your time,

however, what I don't understand; did she not just LOOK at the license plate?

Also you know when your birthday is, did you not show her your planly NON expired sticker on the plate?

zijin_cheng wrote:

The strangest (and potentially very annoying) thing happened yesterday. I was driving home and a police car started flashing and stopped me. The policewoman told me that the license plate renewal sticker was expired for a long time, and wrote me a ticket for it, this happened May 1st, 2016. Guess when the license plate sticker expires? December 2016! Which is also my birthday. I told her that it wasn't expired but she said that her system said that it was expired and I would have to fight it in court.

I just called serviceontario to see if my license plate sticker is expired, and guess what? They said nope, it's still valid until December 2016. What is going on? Did this policewoman just waste an entire day of my life to fight an expiry ticket in court that was CLEARLY not expired?

EDIT: More details, it was an 80km/h road (with 3 lanes), and the policecar was driving at 70km/h-65km/h in the middle lane, and there were a couple of cars that didn't dare overtake her, so I did, at EXACTLY 80km/h, not one km more, not one km less (I was watching my speedometer very carefully). Only after I did that did she start flashing and started talking to me (and for what it's worth she was quite nice). If that has any bearing on responses I might get.

She asked for my ownership papers which LITERALLY had the sticker on it, and she gave me a ticket anyway. How do I complain?

Call her detachment and ask to speak with a supervisor

Yep, she wasted a day of your life!

Wish civilians can charge officers for a day's worth of wasted wage for us having to go to court or waiting at the courthouse for something we're innocent of. Very frustrating system.

So I still have to get this issue resolved, can I do an early resolution and bring in my license plate with the sticker, documents etc? What is the process for early resolution? Do I go to the court house just to schedule an appointment for early resolution? And then appear again for the actual early resolution appointment itself? Also, I heard from someone that when you go to the courthouse for the first time for early resolution, they just cancel your ticket outright for joke cases like this. Is this true?

Or do I have to go to court?

EDIT: The actual charge on the ticket is "No currently validated permit". That's the sticker right? IF possible would like a quick answer as I plan to go tomorrow if possible.

yeah my ticket (similar situation where officer was wrong) shows "no valid permit". Go to the courthouse and chat with them

mikeB wrote:

yeah my ticket (similar situation where officer was wrong) shows "no valid permit". Go to the courthouse and chat with them

So would I go to the courthouse and chat with them about the ticket directly, or would I be going there to setup an appointment, and then I come back and chat with them?

zijin_cheng wrote:

mikeB wrote:

yeah my ticket (similar situation where officer was wrong) shows "no valid permit". Go to the courthouse and chat with them

So would I go to the courthouse and chat with them about the ticket directly, or would I be going there to setup an appointment, and then I come back and chat with them?

This depends on the jurisdiction you are in, each court house is a little different. Check the back of your ticket and see if there is an option for early resolution. If there is, you should just be able to follow the instructions on the back of the ticket for how to book the meeting. If there isn't, then you can try calling the number on the back of the ticket and asking them if it is possible to book a meeting with the prosecutor over the phone. If you can't do it over the phone then you will have to go down there in person and book an appointment. Some times they will be able to see you the same day, sometimes they won't and you will have to come back another day.

I sent in my early resolution slip by mail about a week ago but still have not received anything. Should I be worried?

Can take weeks...

Months Even. I sent a ticket for ER in November, Recieved my date in January and the meeting is in July. Some courthouses (cough cough Brampton, Scarborough, Newmarket) are heavily backed up.