OT: State of Massachusetts DMV sucks...

[EricLA]

So I have lived in California for 26 years. Apparently in 1989 (12/6/89 to be exact) I got a moving violation in Worcester. When I just tried to renew my DL here in California, I was told the state of Mass had a hold on it. I called the DMV and was told it's the Worcester courts for a moving violation.

The phone number the DMV gave me was to the Jury Info Line, not even the correct number. Now I can't get a hold of any one at the DMV (higher than normal call volume - you an schedule a call back time for a later date or end this call).

I doubt any one has a solution, but isn't there a statute of limitations on something like this? 26 years? Not sure there is anything I can do but I'd appreciate any input or advice... Thanks...

 

[Penfield]

I am not sure if this will help, but you can try the Merit Rating Board - 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM at 857-368-8100.

https://www.massrmv.com/MeritRatingBoard/AbouttheMeritRatingBoard.aspx

 

[bmayuc]

First of all, its the RMV. Massachusetts is weird.

Secondly, @Penfield just hooked you up. MRB is the way to go, they are very helpful.

 

[TasteofUConn]

I doubt any one has a solution, but isn't there a statute of limitations on something like this? 26 years?

The federal, interstate statute of limitations for vehicular moving violations is 28 years.
Really, though, the charge was likely brought in a timely manner. They will argue that you moved away, and that you did not appear to contest/et cetera. Your guilty plea/conviction was therefore timely, and there is no statute of limitations on a govt agency collecting a fine like this - at least, that I've ever seen. Same logic as if you skipped town after a felony guilty conviction. There is no statute of limitations for your punishment.

Best advice - you're dealing with government stooges. They have close to zero accountability. Many are slovenly and feckless. Some are outright sadistic. If the fine is a few hundred bucks or so, I'd advise to pay it and get on with your life. You can piss away many hours trying to argue with a person who will bear no responsibility for screwing you over and/or not doing his or her job.

You win by living well.

 

[bmayuc]

Best advice - you're dealing with government stooges. They have close to zero accountability. Many are slovenly and feckless. Some are outright sadistic.

Where do you live, Mordor?

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

I was going to correct the mistaken reference to statutes of limitation but then I figured the OP was a perfect invitation for a longwinded FrankIvy post, and he didn't disappoint.

 

[EricLA]

The federal, interstate statute of limitations for vehicular moving violations is 28 years.
Really, though, the charge was likely brought in a timely manner. They will argue that you moved away, and that you did not appear to contest/et cetera. Your guilty plea/conviction was therefore timely, and there is no statute of limitations on a govt agency collecting a fine like this - at least, that I've ever seen. Same logic as if you skipped town after a felony guilty conviction. There is no statute of limitations for your punishment.

Best advice - you're dealing with government stooges. They have close to zero accountability. Many are slovenly and feckless. Some are outright sadistic. If the fine is a few hundred bucks or so, I'd advise to pay it and get on with your life. You can piss away many hours trying to argue with a person who will bear no responsibility for screwing you over and/or not doing his or her job.

You win by living well.

That was my thought as well. I realize the people I'm speaking with are just trying to do their jobs. Not their fault. Better to pay and move on than to bang my head against a proverbial wall trying to battle them.

 

[Doheny]

ALL DMV'S SUCK.

A few years ago, I received a letter from the DMV saying that my driver's license had been suspended because I was quilty of comitting a 14-229. When I called the DMV they explained that I had stolen a car, pleaded guilty, and paid a $25 fine. Finally, talking to a supervisor, I asked what the code was for running a red light and was told it was 14-299. He agreed that there was a typo, but explained that it was my responsibility to go to the court, get the paperwork and bring it to the DMV.

 

[alexd]

Eric...I have to ask.....have you not renewed your license in the last 25 years???

 

[temery]

That was my thought as well. I realize the people I'm speaking with are just trying to do their jobs. Not their fault. Better to pay and move on than to bang my head against a proverbial wall trying to battle them.

I agree you are better off paying and moving on. But they are not doing their job if they are not using a little common sense.

 

[Robertelamin]

You are definitely going to jail.

 

[intlzncster]

So I have lived in California for 26 years. Apparently in 1989 (12/6/89 to be exact) I got a moving violation in Worcester. When I just tried to renew my DL here in California, I was told the state of Mass had a hold on it. I called the DMV and was told it's the Worcester courts for a moving violation.

The phone number the DMV gave me was to the Jury Info Line, not even the correct number. Now I can't get a hold of any one at the DMV (higher than normal call volume - you an schedule a call back time for a later date or end this call).

I doubt any one has a solution, but isn't there a statute of limitations on something like this? 26 years? Not sure there is anything I can do but I'd appreciate any input or advice... Thanks...

The state of Massachusetts government 'anything' sucks. And this isn't coming from an anti-govt-everything guy. Mass knows bureaucracy.

 

[Letsgohuskies11]

DMV sucks everywhere

 

[EricLA]

Eric...I have to ask.....have you not renewed your license in the last 25 years???

That's what is so mystifying - I've had a CA license for the past 26 years. We have to renew them every 4 years so when I went to do it this time around, I never received the DL (we can do it via the internet).

It wasn't till I called them that I got the lovely news about the RMV for Massachusetts. That's part of my gripe - I've had a valid DL for 26 years now, and suddenly this comes up? Letsgohuskies got it right - DMV's suck everywhere.

Side note - I got a hold of the Worcester clerk's office and spoke with a lovely lady who said "wow - that is so old we don't have it in our computers. I have to go pull the physical file from the records room". REALLY? All I could do was shake my head...

 

[bmayuc]

That's what is so mystifying - I've had a CA license for the past 26 years. We have to renew them every 4 years so when I went to do it this time around, I never received the DL (we can do it via the internet).

It wasn't till I called them that I got the lovely news about the RMV for Massachusetts. That's part of my gripe - I've had a valid DL for 26 years now, and suddenly this comes up? Letsgohuskies got it right - DMV's suck everywhere.

Side note - I got a hold of the Worcester clerk's office and spoke with a lovely lady who said "wow - that is so old we don't have it in our computers. I have to go pull the physical file from the records room". REALLY? All I could do was shake my head...

I've worked with MASS RMV professionally. I'd guess that with some of their modernization efforts, as well as the national DMV/RMV trend of data sharing agreements, this is "new" old information for the California DMV. Not uncommon. If MRB can't help, I'd be surprised. Literally just got my letter in the mail that the MRB overturned an "at-fault" accident from last year. They are generally pretty good.

Good Luck!

 

[TasteofUConn]

Where do you live, Mordor?

Where do you live? Mr. Roger's neighborhood?

 

[bmayuc]

Where do you live? Mr. Roger's neighborhood?

ohhhhhhhh, burnnnnnnn. I have a realistic, complex, generous and hopeful view of the people that live in the same community as me. AHHHH IT STINGS SOOO BADDDDD. #cheerupcrankypants #stepbackfromtheledge

 

[temery]

So I have lived in California for 26 years. Apparently in 1989 (12/6/89 to be exact) I got a moving violation in Worcester. When I just tried to renew my DL here in California, I was told the state of Mass had a hold on it. I called the DMV and was told it's the Worcester courts for a moving violation.

The phone number the DMV gave me was to the Jury Info Line, not even the correct number. Now I can't get a hold of any one at the DMV (higher than normal call volume - you an schedule a call back time for a later date or end this call).

I doubt any one has a solution, but isn't there a statute of limitations on something like this? 26 years? Not sure there is anything I can do but I'd appreciate any input or advice... Thanks...

Go to Mexico, cross back to the U.S. illegally, then you'd likely be eligible for a California license, no questions asked.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

About a year or two after I moved from Mass to NH, I got a summons notice from Mass advised that my driver’s license and car registration were expired and that I had to pay both and a fine to keep active. I called Mass RMV and noted that I moved to NH and notified Mass at the time and thus I was curious as to why I received such a notice. The lady’s response was basically, ‘just in case you wanted to keep both?’ So, it was basically a scam to see who many people would pay because one cannot have a license in two states and once money is sent to a state, it’s never coming back.

Using the same data more likely than not, I got a summons from Suffolk County (Boston) the same year advising that as I did not respond to a jury duty obligation, I was going to be arrested or would have to pay a significant fine. It took a while; but, I finally spoke to a manager within the court system who did finally agree that a resident of Rockingham County NH could not be summoned for jury duty in a Suffolk County MA court.