ANN ARBOR, Mich. – A Washtenaw County man who went viral for joining a video court hearing for a suspended license case while driving reportedly had his license at the time.
Update: Viral Michigan man didn’t have driver’s license suspended because he never had license to begin with
A segment of a Washtenaw County Trial Court livestream on May 15 was spread widely after Corey Harris called into the hearing while driving. He was charged in April after reportedly driving with a suspended license in Pittsfield Township, but court documents claim he had a license at the time.
The alleged reinstatement of Harris’ license was not on record at the time of the hearing and court officials were visibly shocked when he called in while driving.
The incident and Judge Cedric Simpson’s response made headlines nationally and Harris quickly became a meme online.
“Maybe I don’t understand something, this is for driving while license suspended?” Simpson asked during the hearing.
“That is correct, your honor,” replied Harris’ attorney, Natalie Pate.
“And he was just driving. And he didn’t have a license,” Simpson said.
“Those are the charges, your honor, yes,” Pate replies.
“No. I’m looking at his record. He doesn’t have a license,” Simpson said. “He’s suspended and he was just driving.”
According to court documents obtained by USA Today, Harris had already had his license suspension rescinded after the case that suspended it was settled. His license reportedly should have been reinstated in January 2022, but state officials were not notified of the ruling due to a clerical error.
