Plead Guilty When Not. Can I Appeal?
Hi I have a couple questions so I'll explain my situation and any advice would be appreciated.
Can't remember exact date so lets call it some time in 2008 I got a fine for $5000.00 for driving without in insurance. I never paid the fine and in 2012 I was pulled over and the officer asked to see my license. Although I had it on me I figured it would be under suspension for the unpaid fine from years before for insurance and I didn't want him to take my only form of phtoto id from me so I told him I don't have one because it's under suspension (as I assumed it was) so he charged me with driving under suspension. I was unrepresented in court and plead guilty to the charge which further suspended my liscence for 6 mnths and a $1000 fine. (I never paid that fine either) Then I was pulled over this last year and same scenario I told officer I was under suspension received another charge.
I always thought I was in a hopeless situation for my fines that I could never afford to pay them then recently learned I didn't have to risk driving suspended as long as I made any consistent payment even if its only $20 per month so I decided to see how much I owed and was going to set about trying to get legal. Upon doing so I found out the only fine suspending my license was the one I hadn't paid in 2012 for driving while suspended! Which means in 2012 I was not driving while suspended after all! I had plead guilty to something I wasn't.
SO I have some questions:
1. Would it possible to appeal the 2012 conviction (drive while suspended)?
2. IF so and that is overturned would I have any possibility of leaniancy from the courts when I go to deal with the current charge considering if I had not been wrongly convicted the first time I wouldn't have had that fine that would have put me in suspension this time? I know technically I am still guilty this time but the first time I wasn't so just wondering if its at all possible they might consider some slack for that and maybe reduce the charge or something?
One thing I do know if there is any hope of the appeal and or dealing with the current charge I intend on getting representation this time for sure but I just wanted an idea of where I stand right now.
Thanks for any advice you can give!