Can't you mail your plea in ? I've never wasted any time sitting in court for a ticket like that.
I have in the past and or will dispute any ticket whenever possible and this one seems to fall in that category, it should be disputed if that language is in the law, pertaining to expiration of your plate.
Could the DMV gal reference where she got that information from ? You should be able to dispute the ticket, citing that reference, even better to attach a copy of it, include your explanation for pleading not guilty based on the language referenced, send it in certified mail return receipt requested.
I'm sure the laws, DMV rules and regulations are different in Michigan, but there has to be a way to make a plea by mail I would hope. If that language stating you have until the end of the next business day to renew the plate if it expires on a holiday is true and can be referenced, it should be as simple as a mail in plea with a signed statement of explanation.
Aside from being blatantly wrong, for breaking a law, like a moving violation, or some kind of equipment violation where you are clearly in the wrong, in this instance I'd be the first one to mail in a plea with an explanation.
Obviously it is wise to not let things go to the last minute, and take care of these things on time when possible as you those guys will most likely write you a ticket regardless of what you tell them in the field, all he sees is the expired plate.
It also helps to have a clean record, and maintain that record clean. I've found that keeping a copy of the current NYS vehicle & traffic law handbook ( maybe your state has a similar one ) is an indispensible thing to have in your possession, for reference pertaining to a situation like this.
Here's one example why
I parked in a newly designated handicap spot, on a city street, adjacent to a friends house where I've been a regular visitor for years. Well they just put up the signs, literally that day or something, both of them were new, and the way it was situated, it was very possible to park there, get out of your car and not ever see the signs.
I felt like I got the shaft too, so I went into that hand book and found the legal description of the sign(s) placement, relative to the centerline of road/street, they signs were too high and the officer was 100% wrong to have written the ticket based on that alone. In laymans terms, the officer saw there were signs and just wrote the ticket, which is understandable, looks legit to him with the signs in place so he's going to write a ticket every time on that one, but it was not legal due to the signs being improperly installed, and if I had not been resourceful to research the facts, it would have been a minimum of $120, (was 10 years ago) + court fee. I took photos, wrote a brief statement explaining my plea and took measurements, documented same, they still wanted a court fee and I told them to stuff it on that too. If I honestly knew that section was now handicap I would not have parked there, if I saw the signs previously or that day I'd have known not to park there, I had parked there for years, then one day it's changed, and I get the ticket. Needless to say I understood the officers view, as there were signs and he/she is not going to reference the DMV V&T handbook for a detail like this, they'll write it first and you have to dispute it, this is why I firmly believe in researching these matters first, before just pleading guilty to be done with it, no hard feelings towards the cop or the neighbor who called them, but like I often tell people make sure you have your facts straight.
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Today's Featured Article - Listening to Your Tractor - by Curtis Von Fange. Years ago there was a TV show about a talking car. Unless you are from another planet, physically or otherwise, I don’t think our internal combustion buddies will talk and tell us their problems. But, on the other hand, there is a secret language that our mechanical companions readily do speak. It is an interesting form of communication that involves all the senses of the listener. In this series we are going to investigate and learn the basic rudimentary skills of understanding this lingo.
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