A Michigan driver who called into court on Zoom — while behind the wheel — for a charge of driving with a suspended license was the victim of a clerical error.

Corey Harris, 44, called into a Washtenaw County courtroom last month to address charges that he had driven with a suspended license. When Judge Cedric Simpson saw that he was driving while on the Zoom call, he immediately sentenced Mr. Harris to jail time.

Mr. Harris was driving his wife for medical treatment at the time of the call. He wanted to point out to the court a clerical error that made it appear as if his license was still suspended.

His license had first been suspended in 2010 due to missed child support payments, but the suspension was lifted by a Saginaw County judge in January 2022, per court records.

Nevertheless, he spent two days in jail as ordered by Judge Simpson.

“They were supposed to have been lifted it two years ago, but they didn’t. Always double-check behind these workers because they will say that they will do something and they don’t do it,” Mr. Harris told WXYZ-TV. 

The Michigan Secretary of State’s Office says it never received the clearance for Mr. Harris’ license from the Saginaw County Friend of the Court, part of the circuit court’s family division.

“Sometimes it is simple as we at the Secretary of State’s office did not get a clearance from the court that everything was done, but something happened in the wires, and we needed to talk to the court to get the clearance and clean it up for the resident,” the office’s Deputy Legal Director Khyla Craine told WXYZ-TV.

• Brad Matthews can be reached at bmatthews@washingtontimes.com.