A Michigan man went viral for attending a virtual court session while he was driving with a suspended license, but, as more details came out, his license was supposed to be reinstated but was never sent over for clearance.
Corey Harris has been the butt of jokes this past week after the virtual court session was released on social media. The video shows Harris joining the call while driving his wife to the doctor, and once he was parked, the judge confirmed that he was driving with a suspended license. Harris’s face after learning about his license sent shock waves around social media.
A Michigan district judge was shocked after a man with a suspended driver’s license joined his court Zoom call *while driving a car*
"Mr Harris, are you driving?"https://t.co/AdDfO5MVskpic.twitter.com/mh3eZXX9wb
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) May 29, 2024
The judge then ordered Harris to turn himself in at the Washtenaw County Jail by 6 p.m. Harris’ face continued to look shocked after the judge’s order.
This is Corey Harris. The world owes him an apology. Corey went viral because of a Zoom court hearing for driving on a suspended license charge. He was driving during the Zoom court hearing which left the judge and world in disbelief. What's not told is that Corey was innocent… pic.twitter.com/1ErhsJ2mKs
— BIG MALCOLM X PLAY COUSIN (@Omowale99949437) June 2, 2024
Harris told 7 News Detroit how he felt about the situation — which wasn’t how everyone else felt.
“With the type of ties that I have with the church and the community, it’s very embarrassing,” Harris said. “What was I thinking? I was thinking about getting my wife medical help. That’s what I was thinking. I wasn’t thinking about the fact that I got a suspended license. I don’t care about all that.”
In January 2022, a judge ordered that Harris’s suspension be lifted to allow Harris to drive again, but according to the Michigan Secretary of State’s office, the Saginaw County Friend of the Court never sent over the clearance, so his suspension was never lifted.
31 Responses
The Saginaw friend of the court and state of Michigan owe Mr. Corey Harris some money for there mistake. He should be compensated for the great error at least $1000 if not more plus the embarrassment he and his family suffered.
Why should he be compensated? It was an honest mistake that our wonderfully incompetent Secretary of State office made. I think a formal apology would be enough and maybe a free year of license plate tabs. If it was me, I would not expect anything more!
An “honest” mistake that could have made life a lot harder for this man… these people have one job. And they need to do it right the first time. I do think that he should be compensated for the embarrassment he suffered…
It wasn’t the Secretary of State it was (no surprise here) the incompetent friend of the court. They are out for one thing and that’s to take all your money and when you can’t pay they’ll dismantle your life piece by piece. They’re the real ones at fault. Mecosta county friend of the court and Montcalm are both just as incompetent as Saginaw county. I’ve caught both in numerous lies and have found both to cheat the Michigan child support formula in favor of the mother regardless of child custody. Friend of the court statewide needs to be investigated and exposed for the clerical errors and monetary errors they make on a daily/weekly/monthly and yearly basis.
Absolutely! I completely agree that the F.O.C. Statewide needs a complete review of their policies and procedures. The court system needs to be revamped and reminded that the civil servants work for the citizens of Michigan.
In this case, the individual it certainly owed an apology, and elected officials should see this as a call to action in their efforts to better serve the public. The taxpaying public that funds the courts.
He was blasted an it wasent made right, and still his name was slander cause this video and report to the jail yeah being wrongful in jail not ok at all u ever been there innocent?
Became he was embarrassed in front of the whole world due to a clerical error
No, he was guilty. That’s why he was embarrassed. Regardless of why his license was still suspended, it was nonetheless suspended and he knew it.
No most times in Michigan they don’t tell you that your license is suspended. The courts don’t have enough accountability for the crap they pull on us.
If u was having surgery and a honest mistake happen would you be satisfied with and apology and free checkups for the next few years.
Well it’s not u
Sec of state didn’t make the mistake. Friend of the court did! Read the article again. Friend of the court forgot to send his clearance paperwork from their office sweetie.
I think the Secretary of State (Jocelyn Benson) is doing a great job! It was the underfunded friend of the court that dropped the ball. You want to make this situation political,WE CAN!!!
Absolutely not! There is still a process, and if he hadn’t received a letter of reinstatement, he didn’t have a valid DL. Especially after 2 years, one would’ve thought to do his due diligence and follow up. Just jumping behind the wheel and driving was not the right choice.
My apologies for being shell shocked!
I pray that the wife is okay.
It is very difficult to get everything in order sometimes – but 2022 to 2024?
God bless everyone in the family and the Judge.
Well, well I can tell by the response that these responses are racial. Those with no sympathy are definitely not the same as him. This is a messed up world we live in, we you can’t make a judgment call about your wife’s emergency illness. Lol.Peace. p.s. please don’t kill me people.
IT IS NOBODYS BUSINESS SIR…IM SO SORRY THIS WENT VIRAL…I ALMOST CRIED WHEN I SAW WHAT WAS HAPPENING…NOW, THE JOURNALISTS THAT TOOK THIS AND RAN WITH IT, OWE YOU A HUGE APOLOGY…🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾PRAYERS…
So DRIVING! while ON THE PHONE!!!… isn’t illegal!?!? Sweet good to know I’ll tell everybody 🙏🏼 THANKS
Well what can I SAY ? ONLY IN MICHIGAN ! Even the judge didn’t seem to care giving him a feedback about DISTRACTED DRIVING …..going ONCE GOING TWICE STRUCK OUT ! 😂 😂
Smart cars have phone on steering wheel.
Look in most cars. People text, Facebook, tweet and everything else while driving. I drive truck so I see it all the time!
You can talk on your phone or do whatever on your phone, as long as you’re doing it hands-free. You could just cannot have your phone in your hand.
God bless you and your wife a wonderful and healthy life after this with love 😍
The poor many should file a complaint with the appropriate people… It is bull.. the man should Sue the news outlet that ran with it.
Try paying over $30,000 in support that you do not owe. St. Joseph County.
Admits to not caring if his license was suspended or not. So no respect for the law anyway. Also still on his phone while driving. How many other laws does he not care about. And still tries to invoke his good standing in the church and community. That makes everything else ok?
If it were your honest mistake you would have had to pay and or go to jail abd the humiliation and embarrassment he’s going to suffer from now on because tgr Internet don’t recant
He did the right thing his wife was ill so he took care of the situation as best he could under the circumstances.
Bravo to you dude .
Distracted driving is illegal! And I don’t care what it is or who you are if you’re going in-front of a judge whether it’s in person or zoom your should dress to impress! He knew about the court case and time. He had his lawyer there. If this doctor appointed was an emergency his lawyer could explain that and get it changed. This day with social media no one person is safe. The embarrassment is his own cause. He could have left earlier to make the appointment and then zoomed. In most states distracted driving is illegal. What if he caused an accident? And he should be embarrassed we are trying to teach people to stay off the phone when you are driving and if he is in a church community what example is he teaching? How many families who lost loved ones or had loved ones injured because of distracted drivers?
He can sue for deformation of character just on the fact that he got sculled through media and ppl making memes and how the judge reaction
Yesterday (June 5), there was an update. At a hearing, the judge set the record straight. This man NEVER has had a drivers license. Not ever. At 19, he applied for a state issued ID card and has renewed it since. In December 2023, he renewed his ID card again with the Secretary of State which means he knew he did not have a license.
The “suspension” due to child support only would have kept him from applying for a license.
At the end of the hearing, he agreed to apply for a license between now and August.