Wrongful License Suspension, a summary.

This month has been an educational, enlightening, infuriating and prolonged affair. On January 6th, 2010 I discovered my license had been suspended.. Today, January 29th, 2010, I once again have a valid license.

Here is a summary of the fiasco:

1. Jan. 6th – Insurance company calls me, says their records show my license has been suspended (for months). I know nothing about this.
2. I go to the DMV where they tell me my license has been suspended and I learn:
   • There is a ticket from Riverside, CA for driving without a seatbelt, and my name is on the ticket
   • My license has been suspended since September 2009
   • If I attempt to drive w/o a license and get pulled over, I will be arrested and have my vehicle impounded.
3. My driver’s license has a hole punched through it and I’m told the Court of Riverside has to fix the problem.
4. I call the Court of Riverside where I learn:
   • Someone with my first name, last name and date of birth from Virginia got a ticket in Riverside.
   • The DMV is incompetent and thought anyone matching an entire three characteristics is the same person.
   • The Court believes me and this is entirely the DMV’s fault (see #3)
5. The Court makes a note on my record and says it should be cleared up in a few days.
6. Jan. 14th – I go back to the DMV, ready to renew my license.
7. The DMV keeps my license (before they punched a hole in it).
8. The DMV tells me the Court has to fix the issue (haven’t they already?) and the DMV will need an ‘abstract’
9. I call the Court and am told that nothing has been done to resolve my issue. I will need to appear in Court.
10. Instead of appearing in court physically (I have no transportation) I find out I can do a Trial by Declaration
11. I write a letter to the Judge, attach umpteen thousand pieces of proof I am who I say I am and mail it (certified).
12. Jan 22nd – The Court receives the letter.
13. Jan 26th – I still haven’t received notice from the Court. I call them and find out:
    • The Court had already reached a decision and mailed a notice.
    • The notice was mailed to the Virginia address (!!!)
14. The clerk from the Court is sympathetic and promises to call me back with more information.
15. The clerk’s supervisor actually calls me back! They write down my actual address to send me the notice.
16. The supervisor tells me to go to the DMV after a few days, the Judge ruled in my favor. (huzzah!)
17. Jan 29th – I return to the DMV for the last time.
18. The DMV shows that my license is not suspended, nor ever has been.
19. No record of the citation is present, so they don’t believe my story.
20. I pay $25 to pay for a duplicate license after mine was ‘lost’ and receive a temporary print out.

I have a developing belief that our DMV system was based off of an unpublished short story by Franz Kafka. On the plus side, my legs are in great shape from all the walking I’ve had to do…