Michigan man with suspended license participates in court hearing via video call while driving

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – A Washtenaw County man had his bond revoked and was ordered to turn himself in after participating in a video hearing on driving without a license.

Corey Harris attended his May 15 court hearing from his driver’s seat, holding his cellphone and actively driving, violating Michigan’s hands-free law. He was charged in April after allegedly driving with a suspended license in Pittsfield Township.

When Harris joined the Zoom hearing, Judge Cedric Simpson immediately asked him if he was driving. Those were the first words he said.

“I’m driving to my doctor’s office,” Harris replied. “Give me a second.”

It takes about a minute for Harris to park the vehicle.

After Judge Simpson looks at the documents before him, his tone becomes more serious.

“Maybe I don’t understand something, is this about driving without a license?” he asks.

“That is correct, Your Honor,” Harris’s lawyer Natalie Pate replies.

“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 look at his record. He doesn’t have a license. He’s suspended and he was just driving,” Simpson said.

“That is correct, Your Honor.”

“I don’t even know why he would do that,” Simpson said, shaking his head. “The defendant’s bail is revoked in this matter. The defendant must surrender to the Washtenaw County Jail by 6 p.m. If he does not surrender, a no-bail warrant will be issued.”

You can watch the video of the hearing below.