9A. Assisting with Suspensions for Nonpayment of Forfeiture

When a client has lost their license due to nonpayment of forfeitures, there are several options.

1. Pay the forfeiture. this is often not an option for our clients who have low incomes.

2. Seek a payment plan to pay off the forfeiture over time.

3. Seek a modification of the judgment, such as a permanent stay, based on a poverty hearing, or request community service, based on a poverty hearing. A request other than a payment plan requires that the client include an affidavit with reasons that support the request. We will be learning more about asserting poverty soon–these are paths that often require a client to have the continued assistance of a volunteer like you. Here are some sample forms that you can use to help a client ask for a payment plan or for community service.

• Motion for a payment plan

• Motion for community service and community service tip sheet

  4. Allow the suspension to expire. Sometimes, a client has a suspension that has expired or will soon expire. In this case, the only barrier to recovering a driver’s license is paying the DMV’s $60 reinstatement fee.