Court Summons

edelmcsweeney

Hi, im new to this forum, have received summons to court as i failed to produce licence when demanded at checkpoint and also within 10days as i realised i did not have my licence. . Any one ever go through this. This is my first ever motoring offence and really am clueless as to what will happen. I really need my licence and car
Thanks in advance

murphym7

Best to post this on the Motors Forum, you'll get your answer there. A kindly Mod may move this over for you.

namloc1980

Driving without a license for 2 years! Get a solicitor.

Dave 101

had you got everything else but licence, tax, insurance, nct etc? (technically you hadnt got insurance without having a licence)
it will depend on the judge on the day in court, expect a fine and possible ban, if you need car etc for work get a solicitor

edelmcsweeney

Dave 101 wrote: »

had you got everything else but licence, tax, insurance, nct etc? (technically you hadnt got insurance without having a licence)
it will depend on the judge on the day in court, expect a fine and possible ban, if you need car etc for work get a solicitor

I had no Nct everything else was ok. Got rid of the car 2 weeks later as it wouldnt pass Nct. I paid fine and accepted penalty points for same. I plan on getting soliciter as i need my car to travel to and from work uve a 45 minute trip each way at unsociable hours. Hopefully the judge will be leniant.

Esel

Dave 101 wrote: »

had you got everything else but licence, tax, insurance, nct etc? (technically you hadnt got insurance without having a licence)
it will depend on the judge on the day in court, expect a fine and possible ban, if you need car etc for work get a solicitor

This is incorrect, afaik. An expired licence is not the same as no licence.

4ensic15

Dave 101 wrote: »

had you got everything else but licence, tax, insurance, nct etc? (technically you hadnt got insurance without having a licence)
it will depend on the judge on the day in court, expect a fine and possible ban, if you need car etc for work get a solicitor

Insurance policies only require that a person has or once had a licence. Under European Law a third party claim cannot be refused on the grounds the driver had no licence. The o/p was insured if nothing else.

namloc1980

edelmcsweeney wrote: »

I had no Nct everything else was ok. Got rid of the car 2 weeks later as it wouldnt pass Nct. I paid fine and accepted penalty points for same. I plan on getting soliciter as i need my car to travel to and from work uve a 45 minute trip each way at unsociable hours. Hopefully the judge will be leniant.

Driving with an expired license is an offense but a minor one.

Blitzkrieger

You could try talking to the Garda involved as well. I had something similar where I forgot to produce insurance (exam time ) but when I did produce it late the case was dropped. If you admit responsibility and show that you resolved it, they may not want to pursue such a minor offence.

Roger Hassenforder

Go down to Garda that pulled you ( you might have to ring in advance), show your documents, apologise profusely for wasting his/her time. He might/probably quash it.
Half the AGS cases in the District courts are these type minor offences, theyd sooner not be there if they can avoid it.

roundymac

Do let us know how you got on Edel.

punisher5112

Op have you a full license??
Was it out of date within 10 years then you still technically have one just that it's expired.
Have you renewed it?

As above if all in order contact garda and ask.

If it does go to court it would be advisable to get a solicitor and you can find one in the court as there will be many.

You just ask one you see sitting up near the front and they will tell you their prices.

Best of luck

Skedaddle

If you just failed to produce a valid licence at a Garda station after being stopped, go to the Garda station in the area you were stopped and bring your licence and apologise for the mix up and wasting their time.

If it does go to court, bring your licence (and all of your car documents) and be prepared to apologise and explain why you didn't produce the documents at the Garda station.

If your licence was expired start by engaging with the Gardai and explaining it was an oversight and apologise.

It may still go to court but just be ready with the facts.

If you had no licence, bring a solicitor.

Traffic sessions at the District Court are very, very fast moving. So have your documents ready and be ready to explain yourself. Keep things as clear as possible and avoid going off on tangents.

You'll just sit in the court room and when you're called you just stand up and address the bench. In sessions I've seen, they didn't even call people to the stand unless there was some complex situation.

It's quite "relaxed" but it's very busy and fast moving. Most of the cases are fairly minor offences and queries about people being unlicensed and uninsured. It's not a pompous environment - it's more like Judge Judy but with less of the theatre and formality.

Dress sensibly - fairly conservative business attire and address the judge as "your honour".

All I would say is just don't stress too much. Stick to the facts and deal with it.

4ensic15

Skedaddle wrote: »

Dress sensibly - fairly conservative business attire and address the judge as "your honour".

Judges in Ireland are not addressed as "your honour" "Your Honour", other than by people who are ignorant of the rules of court. The Judge should be addressed as "Judge"or "The Court" or the Irish language equivalents same.

run_Forrest_run

4ensic15 wrote: »

Judges in Ireland are not addressed as "your honour" "Your Honour", other than by people who are ignorant of the rules of court. The Judge should be addressed as "Judge"or "The Court" or the Irish language equivalents same.

or 'Judy' - that will work too so it will.