The summer I was in San Luis Obispo, my friend and I were waiting for a bus, and this guys comes up to us and asks, with huge deep breaths at each pause, "Would you marry ... and have children with ... an aging hippie ... from the Woodstock ... era?" We both declined.

That's awful, Allyson! If the world were at all fair you would be able to just mail in a copy of your receipt and be off the hook entirely.

Yeah, "Here's my receipt," really shouldn't require a hearing.

I feel like I need a lawyer. I never feel like I need a lawyer.

Also, the tax is based on them saying I earned over $100,000 every year, for the past three years.

OTOH, if you go down there, it's taken care of, whereas if you send in the receipt, you have to wait for them to get their shit together. I'm dealing with this with the personal property tax on my car. I was like, hello Virginia, I moved in September! I called them and said why did you send me a bill for a car that is no longer in Virginia, that demands payment by October 07, and is postmarked March 4. I sent you a letter to that effect. They said "oh, yeah, we have your letter, but we need you to send us a copy of your registation" I said "well, why didn't you say that in the first damn place. And when I didn't send in the registration, you didn't tell me that was the problem" Now I have to fax a copy of my new car registration. of course, in DC, your registration is a sticker on your windshield.

Also, the tax is based on them saying I earned over $100,000 every year, for the past three years.

go down there, take copies of your tax returns for the last three years. I can only presume that you would not be dealing with the chemical jackholes if you'd been making that kind of money on a 1099.

I am guessing that a well documented written explanation will be the hearing. That is the way my unemployment audit ( due to the city not properly reading the directions for filling out the audit form ) worked.

copies of receipt, lisence and offer to include tax records as needed

hearing doesn't necessarily mean standing in front of a judge , more like reviewed by a judge

Seriously? I can't believe they can steal the wages from a day at work due to their incompetence, or that it can't be resolved with a phone call.

The really screwy thing is that the case number doesn't match the case number on all of my paperwork. It is so obviously a mistake on their part in every way.

I would at least call them, Allyson, and ask to talk to a supervisor. Maybe you can get it fixed without the hearing.