Orlando Suspended License Lawyer
If you are arrested for DUI or other driving offenses, you could have your driver’s license suspended or revoked. Driving While License Suspended or Revoked is a criminal offense, carrying significant criminal and administrative consequences. Depending on the circumstances, you could be charged with a misdemeanor or even a felony. Being arrested for driving on a suspended license is no joke, and it’s important to have a seasoned legal advocate in your corner in order to avoid significant consequences.
A seasoned Orlando suspended license defense lawyer at the Joshi Law Firm, PA can help you protect your driver’s license against suspension or revocation and fight charges alleging that you drove on a suspended license. Call our Florida driving offense legal defense team today to start building your case and protecting your rights.
Reasons for License Suspension
The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) can suspend or revoke a driver’s license for a variety of reasons. Common reasons for license suspension include:
- Arrest or conviction for DUI
- Delinquent in child support payment
- Suspension for points accumulation
- Failure to pay court fines, judgments, or costs
- Drug convictions
- Failure to maintain car insurance
- Conviction for driving-related offenses such as racing
- Refusal to submit to a BAC test
- Conviction for petit theft
Penalties for Driving With a Suspended License
A conviction for knowingly driving on a suspended license carries significant criminal and administrative penalties. Under Section 322.34 of the Florida Statutes, a first conviction for driving while license suspended, revoked, canceled, or disqualified is punishable as a second-degree misdemeanor. For a second-degree misdemeanor, a defendant can face significant fines as well as imprisonment for up to 60 days.
For a second offense, the defendant faces a first-degree misdemeanor, punishable by up to $1,000 in fines and up to a year in jail.
If the defendant already has two or more convictions for driving on a suspended license, the third or subsequent conviction is punishable as a third-degree felony. A defendant convicted of a third-degree felony can owe up to $5,000 in fines and face up to five years in prison.
Moreover, if the third offense occurs within five years of the first two offenses, the defendant will be labeled by the DHSMV as a Habitual Traffic Offender (HTO). HTO status results in a five-year driver’s license revocation and other consequences; for example, a person classified as HTO cannot even obtain a hardship license until at least a year has passed since their last conviction.
Any conviction for driving with a suspended license can affect the term of your license revocation or suspension and lead to an increase in car insurance premiums, among other things.
Defending Against a Suspended License Charge
If you are facing charges for driving with a suspended license, you have many potential defenses available to you. Depending on the nature and circumstances of your arrest, your Orlando suspended license defense attorney may be able to argue, for example:
- The defendant was not the person driving the car
- The defendant was not aware of the license suspension or revocation
- The arrest resulted from an unlawful traffic stop or other improper police procedure
- The defendant was not operating their vehicle on the highway
- The defendant’s license had already been reinstated, or the defendant had a good faith and reasonable belief that it had been reinstated
These are just a few examples of the defenses that may be available in your case. Talk to a dedicated Florida criminal defense attorney at the Joshi Law Firm, PA to discuss your case and explore your possible defenses.
Experienced Advice and Assistance from a Florida License Suspension Lawyer
The license suspension defense legal team at the Joshi Law Firm, PA is ready to fight for you, your family, and your rights. If you’ve been arrested for driving with a suspended license in central Florida, please contact our office for further inquiry or to set up a consultation. Call today at 407-661-1109 to start building your defense.
