New York woman Beda Koorey has experienced legal trouble for more than four years because of a state-issued license plate which reads NCC 1701.

NCC-1701 is the registry number of the famous USS Enterprise – and appears on novelty plates sold to Star Trek fans around the globe.

Because many US states only require vehicles to display an official licence plate on the rear, many motorists can and do display unofficial novelty plates on the front.

Unfortunately for Ms Koorey, fines imposed on many of these motorists have instead ended up in her mailbox.

Attorney Kenneth Mollins has succeeded in overturning the 194 tickets issued in New York City, but is still working on hundreds of summonses issued in 23 other states, News 12 Long Island reports.

“This is a lady who was beaten up by a big bad corporation for four years,” he said.