Is the legal info that can be pulled up from the car computer only car related, not driver related..For example, valid car registration, stolen vehicle, etc. Not the driving record of the registered owner.
Now that I reread your question, I think I might have misread it initially. If you asking it is POSSIBLE for a cop to learn info about the driver by starting with the tag only, the answer is yes, but it is a two-step process. Step 1 - Cop runs tag, system responds with name of registered owner. Step 2 - cop runs check on registered owner for valid driver's license and any warrants.
A police officer must have reasonble suspicion to conduct a tracific stop and detain a person. Under most circumstances a plolice officer would not be able to get enough information about the driver by running th registration of the vehicle. Just becasue the registered owner has a suspended license doesn't mean the person driving the vehicle is the registered owner. Without some way of identifying who the driver is the officer would not be justified in pulling someone over for a suspended license.
Now if the vehicle doesn't have valid registration or there is some other reason to stop the vehicle the officer may do so and then ask you for your license, run it and learn that it is suspended.
I have handled cases where police officer knows or recognizes the driver though and in those situations the officer could stop the vehicle if they have knowledge of a suspended license.
Maybe if the registered owner has a unique facial tattoo the officer would be able to determine if the registered owner is in fact the driver.
Brian Andritch
Sure, assuming the person was not unlawfully detained for the purpose of running the plate. Typically cops run the tag while driving behind the car BEFORE they have initiated the traffic stop. Sometimes the cops do it during a traffic stop for other reasons (speeding, carpool lane violation, etc.).
I agree with Ms. O'Connor and would add the following...
If the officer is making a traffic stop based on the information that was obtained in this 2-step process, they then must have a reasonable belief that the driver of that vehicle matches the description of the supsended driver. If the suspended driver is a 60 year-old woman with grey hair, and the current driver is a 25 year-old man, they do not have the requisite belief that a crime is being committed and thus, a traffic stop resulting in criminal charges might be suppressed.
These situations are extremely fact-specific and must be thoroughly investigated by an experienced criminal defense attorney. If you were contacted by the police, you should seek representation immediately. Many qualified attorneys can be found here on .
Best of luck.
John Buckley
