Update on Joe's Arrest

[tropicalescape]

happy for ya that its over ..sorry about the money and the blimish on his record...DVC

[vintageray]

The rules are not suited to people who live on boats and don't stay in one place with a physical address for years at a time. I'm in a silly situation right now with drivers lic. and tags expiring and running out of checks. Currently in a slip in NC, TX CDL, and my my bank (Chase) doesn't even have a branch in the whole state of NC. I use the address of a property that I own in TX for my DL and veh. reg., but haven't been there in years. Can't open a checking account here because I don't have a physical address, only a post box. Bank won't mail checks to a PO box, won't let me change my address to a PO Box. Can't use: On board, Paoti Vahine, wherever I am, as an address. A mail forwarding service might work, but the prices are ridiculous and it would be very cumbersome to use. It's really frustrating. Not sure what I'm going to do, but need to come up with something pretty quick.

[cburger]

I was just wondering if a live aboard had a friend that would let them use their address to receive all important mail, like taxes, motor vehicles,etc. if that wouldn't solve the problems of address issues on registrations.

[sarafina]

I know when we were in the military and we lived overseas we had a designated residency. Can only military do that I wonder?

Also, I know I have seen mail houses that offer a street address instead of a box. UPS among others offers the service.

That might help with banking and stuff.

[vintageray]

Originally Posted by cburger

I was just wondering if a live aboard had a friend that would let them use their address to receive all important mail, like taxes, motor vehicles,etc. if that wouldn't solve the problems of address issues on registrations.

Would work with some things, but some require proof of residence, like copies of utility bills in your name to the address you want to use.

[bstreep]

Originally Posted by sarafina

I know when we were in the military and we lived overseas we had a designated residency. Can only military do that I wonder?

Also, I know I have seen mail houses that offer a street address instead of a box. UPS among others offers the service.

That might help with banking and stuff.

This reminds me of my brother-in-law's California Drivers License that said "valid without picture or signature" stamped across it! It's from a few years ago, but he kept it.

[webejammin]

Originally Posted by vintageray

Would work with some things, but some require proof of residence, like copies of utility bills in your name to the address you want to use.

As a small apt complex ( morgage ) owner that uses our (office/ wearhouse) one br apt as perminate residence. We have removed the mailbox on the apt for our apt and all mail goes to a PO Box. We have used the excuse of being the landloard that gets our mail tampered with to get the mail to go to the PO Box when some agencies ask about the mailing and resedence and everything is going ok for now but in a year or so we want to sub-lease this apt and go crusing. I guess if I lease the apt as utilities included it would still keep everything ok sence a we'll have a utility bill to prove residence. How do some marina residence get resgerted to vote if they have no utility bill or lease agreement???

[w1651]

Originally Posted by Tori

For those of you who followed Joe's arrest in August for failure to change his address on vehicle registration while we live aboard the criminal part is complete.

This was a class 2 misdemeanor charge with significant fines and jail time so we hired a defense attorney. A secondary traffic citation for expired tags was issued we did not fight this.

Nothing happened at arraignment the judge elected a bench trial which was today. In the meantime while waiting Joe lost several job opportunities since he is an armed officer who was out on bail. The arresting officer also came to the marina twice to try to prove this was our permanent residence.

The state attorney elected to Nolle Prosse the criminal charge today so it was thrown out essentially. We have a ticket to pay for the tag being expired. For those of you who wondered, yes in the state of Florida you can be arrested for failure to change your address on vehicle registration!

We are out alot in attorneys fees and part of the bail and court costs and a civil suit is pending.

I read your first post and am glad you got the charges dropped. I know all to well about the justice system in the Great State of Florida.
You may just want to chock this up to a lesson learned. If you go after the state it will cost more time and money and the state doesn't loose a dime. The people in the judges seat and court house have to be there. They get paid to be there everyday so it costs them or the State nothing.
I think IMHO the best advice here is talk to your lawyer and find out how you can protect yourself from this happening in the future. As well as getting your husbands record expunged or sealed what ever is better for his career. I had mine sealed so it's like it never happened.
Unless you go for a job in law enforcement a hospital position something like that.
The real problem is the state makes money off of people in jail. So the more that are there the more they make. That's why it's so over crowded in the system. They lock up rapists yes but also someone that just has a address in question on their registration. It's not there for you or me it's there to make a profit. People may not want to admit that but statistics and numbers don't lie.
Maybe we could start some kind of grass roots movement to change the way things are done. Florida needs tourism and are getting to like the cruisers money as it all spends the same.

Fair winds and good luck!

[vintageray]

Sillier yet for cruisers, I had to bring slip rental reciepts on the marina's letterhead as proof of a physical address even to get a P.O. Box.

[DeepFrz]

The problem of addresses is, as I see it, one of taxes. If you could have a legal address in another state, while living in say, FL, what would stop you from setting up an address in the lowest tax state in the union. The low tax state would have a huge ex-pat population... I think that corporations can do this, however states don't like people who do it.

The other problem with Joe was that he was driving a vehicle with expired registration. That is an offense, for sure, and then with the out of state address while living in state, I can understand the cop's position. I think it was lucky that the prosecutor declared "nulle prosse".

Where I live, we have 15 days to notify the government of a change of address. I can move to another province and drive on my out of provence license and registration for 3 months max. before I must get in province license and registration. If I don't change my registration and license in that time period, I am committing a criminal offense if I drive an unlicensed, unregistered vehicle without a driver's license. Pretty serious offenses.

[cat man do]

Originally Posted by Rakuflames

I suggest you go back and read the whole thread instead of asking questions that were answered some time ago.

I would have done just that if the link was put up.

Here it is for those that have missed it like I did.
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ted-67042.html

[senormechanico]

Originally Posted by Tori

You are absolutely correct!

IOW, they couldn't figure a way to make more MONEY off you from a conviction than the cost of a conviction.

Plain and simple.
The MOB at work.

(Hemmingway, whack me if you want, but I stand by my words)