Busted.

If they're expired, and you know (or should know) that expired tabs can get you a ticket, then you're in a culpable mental state...it doesn't really matter if they are expired and you thought they weren't, so far as this discussion goes.

On a different note, however, if you really did think they were valid, and have a reasonable explanation for feeling that way, then that's an extenuating circumstance that a judge may give you some leeway on.

Two different situations...

In the first, the question is whether or not you are mentally capable of knowing what expired tabs are, and what the penalty is for having expired tabs.

In the second, you know that expired tabs can get you a ticket, but you reasonably thought your tabs were not expired...a "mitigating circumstance".

Your lawyer would argue in the first that his client is not capable of making the distinction due to some lack of mental acuity...i.e., he's legally insane.

In the second you'd argue that you understand that having expired tabs is a bad thing, you just didn't think that they were expired.

Still with me?

Fish on...

Todd