Pay it.
My brother blew off a speeding ticket he got in PA way back in the late 1980's when he had an Ohio driver's license (Michigan license was suspended... he was a reckless youth LOL).
5 years ago (as in 2003) he went to renew his Michigan chauffer's license (record nice and clean now, Ohio license LONG since expired) and there was a hold on his renewal regarding an unpaid ticket on his non-existent Ohio license. He told Michigan he had no Ohio license. They said Ohio has the hold, he would need to talk to them.
He contacted the Ohio DMV, who was able to confirm there was a hold on his non-existent Ohio license for an unpaid ticket from PA. Given the time involved he suspected PA didn't have it on their books, he called them and they had absolutely no record of the ticket and had no warrants, fines, or anything for him. As far as PA was concerned, my brother didn't exist.
Ohio insisted he needed to pay the fine. He told them he contacted PA and there was no fine to pay.
Ohio insisted he needed a signed, certified and notarized document from PA stating no such fine existed.
My parents had been planning a trip to PA anyway to visit relatives, so my brother made all the necessary arrangements via phone, my father picked up the paperwork in PA and delivered it in Ohio for him. Once they had the documents, Ohio then REINSTATED his Ohio license (because it didn't exist)and cancelled the hold. He then contacted Michigan who confirmed the hold was gone, allowing him to renew his chauffer's license. He then had to re-cancel his Ohio license.
Overall he wasn't out additional cash related to the fine, but there were a few fees for notarized paperwork, long distance calls, etc, and I think there was a nominal fee associated with the reinstatement of the Ohio license. Now, if he'd had to go to PA personally, then he would've had travel expenses and lost work time, which would've been WAY more than the fine.
How or why this all surfaced 20 years after the fact, with my brother renewing his license numerous times in those years, remains a mystery to this day.
Moral of the story: Stuff like this can come back and bite you when you least expect it. And in your case Denny you still have family and obligations in MI, so I'd DEFINITELY not let anything slide here.
Yeah, the fee is ******** but hey, you've got a lead foot
A wise man once said (as he was pulling his busted SHO into the garage), "you play you pay."
