Bert, if your tags had expired, you were driving illegally. Period. The :"grace period" is not a legal concept, it is a courtesy which does not have to be honored by any cop. So, legally, you didn't have a leg to stand on, and it wasn't the cop's fault that you didn't renew your license tags when it was due.

My ex wife got pulled over and given a ticket for "Criminal speeding"..she was doing 80 mph in a 35 mile zone. The cop could have arrested her, thrown her in jail until the court was ready for her, and he could have impounded her car.
Instead, he reduced the complaint to 50 mph and let her go on her way.
Then, she has the nerve to complain that it was a speed trap!


Some woman from Massachusettes was stopped for speeding, 50 in a 35 zone, was issued a ticket, and she said to the cop, "Don't you Maine cops give warnings"? He replied,
"Yes, there's one over there, it says SPEED LIMIT 35.

In 55 years of driving I have gotten two tickets. I was guilty as sin both times.