Why was the driver’s license still confiscated two years later because of the viral video?

SOUTHFIELD (WXYZ) — Corey Harris’ viral video has garnered plenty of laughs, but it’s no joke for Harris, who is trying to understand how he ended up being charged with driving without a license in the first place.

RAW VIDEO: Man with suspended license appears for virtual court hearing while driving

Man with suspended license appears for virtual court hearing while driving

The suspension is related to a child support case before the Saginaw County Friend of the Court. And in January 2022, a judge ordered the suspension to be lifted so that Harris could drive again.

But according to Michigan’s Secretary of State, they never received approval from the amicus curiae in 2022, so Harris’ suspension was never lifted.

Harris recently appeared on a court video that showed him driving during a virtual hearing on the offense stemming from a traffic stop in Pittsfield Township in October 2023.

Harris said he drove his wife to the doctor because her health had worsened.

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When Judge Cedric Simpson noticed that Harris was driving, he asked the attorney representing Harris in his courtroom. The defense attorney confirmed that Harris was indeed charged with driving without a license.

It is unclear why Harris’ case was not resolved months ago by his public defender or the Pittsfield Township District Attorney’s Office.

7 News Detroit took less than five minutes to search Saginaw County court records to find that a judge lifted the order suspending Harris’ driver’s license in January 2022 so he could get it reinstated.

7 News Detroit has reached out to the district attorney’s office and Harris’ defense attorney. A district spokesperson said on behalf of the public defender that they do not comment on ongoing legal proceedings.

The Saginaw County Amica of the Court also did not return our calls. But on Friday afternoon, the Secretary of State’s office confirmed that they never received the approval from the Amica of the Court that would have allowed him to be reinstated after paying some fees.

Khyla Craine, deputy legal director for the Michigan Department of State’s Office, explained that the Road to Restoration program was created to help people recover from a driver’s license suspension. The program holds counseling sessions throughout Michigan to help people navigate the complications of getting their license reinstated.

“Sometimes it is quite simple because we in the Secretary of State’s office did not get approval from the court that everything was done, but something happened with the pipes and we had to talk to the court to get approval and clear things up for the residents,” says Craine.

Craine said the process can be complicated and people often don’t know what they need to do to get reinstated.

“That’s why we offer this one-on-one counseling with residents to help them understand what they need to do,” she said, adding that people are sometimes afraid to go to a secretary of state’s office or to the court for fear of being arrested.

Craine said the clinics provide a safe space for people to work on solving their problems.

“During our office hours, we can devote as much time as the resident needs to go through their traffic records and help them understand what they need to do,” Craine said.

Click here for information about Road to Restoration clinics including locations.

The Foreign Minister has also put together this statement on what to expect at the clinic.

Guide to the path to recovery from WXYZ-TV Channel 7 Detroit on Scribd