LogFAQs > #966380840

lilORANG posted...

I mean...maybe. but the Supreme Court has said its reasonable for a cop to assume the registered owner of a vehicle is the one driving it, so under the law the stop was technically justified, if my theory about running the plate is correct.

Which of course doesn't excuse his behavior after the stop.

Just wanted to say that your theory about running the plate is incorrect. Running the plate just pulls up the vehicle registration information. The registration does not include the driver's license status of the registered owner, because you don't need a license to register a car in your name. All it gives is a name and address of the owner / lienholder.

So the officer wasn't basing that statement on any actual evidence. He was fishing.