Expired vehicle registration case thrown out
Last Updated: Thursday, November 12, 2009 | 8:49 PM AT
CBC News
Therese Rousseau-Brown argued the province broke the past practice drivers relied on when it stopped mailing out renewal notices. (CBC)A New Brunswick woman has successfully challenged in court a provincial change in policy regarding vehicle registration notifications.
Therese Rousseau-Brown of Hanwell, near Fredericton, was issued a ticket for $172.50 in July because her vehicle registration had expired.
She pleaded guilty to the offence, but argued against paying the fine, saying the province hadn't followed its past practice of notifying drivers before their registrations expired.
The province used to mail out renewal notices, but stopped this year, saying it will save taxpayers $1 million over three years.
'You have to fight for what you believe in, and that's what I did.'—Therese Rousseau-Brown
The lack of a renewal notice broke the past practice that drivers relied on, argued Rousseau-Brown.
"This was past practice. And when you change a past practice, you have to advise the people properly. And that's what I was basing my complaint on," she said.
The provincial court judge agreed, not only letting Rousseau-Brown off from paying the fine, but giving her an absolute discharge.
"People thought that it was pretty good," Rousseau-Brown said about her fighting the ticket and winning.
"If people don't say anything, then things will happen like that. You have to fight for what you believe in, and that's what I did."
The Department of Public Safety had no comment on its ticket being thrown out of court.
The province has no plan to mail out notices again, a department spokesperson said. It's up to drivers to check when their registrations expire.
