Orlando Driving with a Suspended License Defense Attorney
Was your license suspended due to another crime? In some situations, this is an automatic consequence that can make your life much more difficult. It can be hard to get to school or to run errands when you have a suspended license. It’s not uncommon for people who have a suspended or revoked license to eventually tire of following the rules and to assume they are okay to get behind the wheel a few times. These people are banking on not getting caught, but it’s never guaranteed.
It can be alarming to realize that you’re now facing consequences especially if you did not know your license was suspended. This is true for many people who learn after being pulled over for a speeding ticket- the suspended license notice never made it to their house and the driver had no reason to believe they shouldn’t have been on the road.
If parking tickets or other citations piled up and your license was suspended, if you don’t know about it being told this can come as a surprise when pulled over. The officer might try to pressure you and could even refuse to believe you, but you do have rights. There are options to pursue ways to protect yourself if you have been accused of driving without a valid license. The important thing is to get yourself to a lawyer’s office in Orlando immediately to talk through options.
Handling an Allegation of Driving with a Suspended License
Have you been out on the road and were caught driving under a suspended license? The consequences for this can be serious in Orlando and you should not avoid consulting with an experienced criminal defense attorney. A criminal defense lawyer may be able to evaluate all of the facts of your case and to give you some options moving forward in order to protect yourself.
If you have been arrested and charged with driving while your license was suspended or revoked, the consequences of such a conviction can negatively impact your future. If you are convicted, and depending on your circumstances such as your criminal record and your prior driving record, you could be subjected to:
- Community service.
- Having your license revoked.
- Potential vehicle forfeiture
- Additional suspension of your driving privileges.
- Have steep fines.
- Lengthy probation terms.
There are many different situations in which you could have your license suspended or revoked in Orlando. Regardless of your situation, you need an Orlando criminal defense attorney who has extensive experience with the law and can help you navigate this complex situation with compassion and care.
What Charges Can Get Your License Revoked Or Suspended?
Some of the most common criminal charges in Florida that could lead to your license been suspended or revoked, include;
- DUI Conviction
- Criminal or traffic violation point accrual.
- Status as a habitual traffic offender.
- Drug conviction
- Illegal street racing conviction.
- Drinking and driving while under age.
- Failing to meet child support requirements.
- Failing to appear on court dates.
- Failing to pay traffic violation tickets or other fines.
- Some solicitation and prostitution conviction.
Whether it’s getting your children where they need to go, keeping an important appointment, or earning a living, driving while your license is suspended can turn these obligations for your life into nearly impossible challenges. Three or more charges of a certain type of driving offense that happens within five years could mean that you are classified as a habitual traffic offender and serious penalties may apply. This status could follow you around for life.
A habitual traffic offender in Florida may face jail or prison time, up to five years of a mandatory license suspension, steep fines and permanent marks on your driving record.
What Can You Expect from a Lawyer?
From the moment that you contact an experienced criminal defense attorney, you should be informed about how he or she intends to work on your case. Each lawyer has a unique approach to how he or she manages his or her practice and you will get a better sense of this person’s personality and their dedication to your case by scheduling a consultation. A knowledgeable attorney should be prepared to fight against all of these charges for you and to help you avoid the negative consequences of a driving with a suspended license allegation. Your lawyer should:
- Make you aware of your legal rights and options.
- Analyze, review and evaluate all evidence against you.
- Analyze the circumstances leading up to your arrest.
- Seek to have your criminal charges reduced, dropped or fight for a diversion program when appropriate.
- Analyze the actions of law enforcement officers leading up to or during your arrest.
- Recommend a compelling criminal defense strategy regarding your case.
- Protect your legal rights in court where necessary.
Your lawyer should be committed to keeping in touch with you. Going through the process of dealing with any infraction or other legal problem will most likely upset you and you want to ensure that your lawyer cares just as much about protecting your future and your driving ability as you do. Finding the right attorney makes a big difference, so as soon as you discover this problem, pick up the phone and make the call. No one wants to be in this position, but your ability to preserve your right to drive may depend on your willingness to take quick action with the help of an attorney.
One of the most common ways in which people find themselves facing these serious charges is by not even realizing that the driver’s license was suspended. In fact, certain people in Orlando don’t even know until they have been pulled over for a traffic stop and the office checks the motor vehicle record and informs them of a suspended license. Whether you have been arrested with a suspended or revoked licensed with or without knowledge, you need a lawyer who has experienced and is committed to fighting for you.
This is a serious offense in Florida, although many people fall into the myth that driving with a suspended or revoked license is a minor issue. If a prosecutor can illustrate that your violation of a revoked or suspended license was intentional, criminal misdemeanor charges may apply. This means you could be responsible for paying up to $500 in fines and could even spend up to 60 days in jail. For subsequent offenses, the consequences are even worse.
Penalties for Driving with A Suspended License in Florida
Whether or not the violation was intentional and whether you have prior convictions on your record, they’ll influence the penalties for a suspended license allegation in Florida. For a first offense, unknowingly driving without a license is categorized as a civil offense and is punished with a fine. Knowingly driving without a license, however, is a criminal misdemeanor.
For a second offense within a five-year period, you could be looking at up to $500 in fines and up to a year in jail. Furthermore, the police can seize your vehicle under the Florida Contraband Forfeiture Act.
For a third offense within five years, you will be classified as habitual traffic offender and be facing up to 5 years’ suspension of your driver’s license. Furthermore, you could be facing felony charges with up to five years in prison and a maximum of $5000 in fines. If you think that your license may be revoked or suspended, there are two different ways to identify this, so that you can avoid being pulled over and discovering this as a surprise. Going online to the DMV website is the fastest way to verify whether or not your license has been suspended or revoked, but you may also contact them Monday through Friday during typical business hours.
Make sure that you have your driver’s license number handy when you contact them to get this information. There are several different defenses available to driving while your license was suspended or revoked; one of these may be that you did not receive notice that your license was revoked. Finding an attorney who has experience in this field and who has successfully defended many other individuals in this situation will help you significantly. Make sure your lawyer has a reputation for working in the area of traffic offenses and driving with a suspended license. Someone who practices often in this area of the law will be familiar with all the options available to you so that you can make quick decisions about how to move forward. Try to handle this issue on your own and you run the risk of major problems. Your attorney should be someone you trust to take control of the situation and identify all your avenues to resolve the problem immediately. Waiting too long to get help could jeopardize your ability to put this matter behind you.
Think there are no consequences for driving with a suspended license? Don’t make the mistake of thinking that you can evade the problems linked to being pulled over. If the officer finds out you have no license, serious problems can follow. Contact an experienced and aggressive defense attorney for help with your driving with a suspended license charge today at (407) 670-5569.