Viral man from Michigan didn’t get his driver’s license revoked because he never had one

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The story of a Washtenaw County man who became known for participating in a court hearing in a suspended driver’s license case via video while driving has taken a new twist.

A clip from a May 15 Washtenaw County Trial Court livestream was widely shared after Corey Harris walked into the hearing while driving. He was charged in April after allegedly driving with a revoked license in Pittsfield Township.

“I’m going to my doctor’s office,” Harris told the judge. “Give me a second.”

The incident and Judge Cedric Simpson’s response to a man whose license was suspended and who was driving during a court hearing made national headlines.

Harris’ bail was revoked and he spent the next two days in the Washtenaw County Jail.

A USA Today report claimed there was a misunderstanding and Harris’ license was supposed to be reinstated in January 2022, but was not due to a clerical error. During a follow-up hearing on Wednesday, June 5, Simpson said the reinstatement was related to Harris’s driving privileges in the state and that he had not had a license to begin with.

“He has never had a Michigan driver’s license. Ever. He hasn’t had a license in the other states and Commonwealths either,” Simpson said. “They’re not revoking his license, they’re revoking his right to drive in this state.”

Harris told the judge he had been unable to visit a State Department field office to take care of his driver’s license suspension because he was injured in an accident. Simpson disputed that, saying there was a record of Harris going to a State Department office in December to apply for a new Michigan ID.