Florida Suspended Drivers License Issues and Defenses
Orlando Criminal Defense Attorney Eric J Dirga can answer your questions...
Never plead guilty to driving with a suspended drivers license (with or without knowledge) offense in Florida without first talking to a traffic lawyer experienced with suspended drivers licenses issues. The punishment may seem light but the future consequences are never fully explained. The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles [DMV] keeps track of every traffic ticket you receive. When you just pay traffic tickets points begin to add up. If you fail to pay a traffic ticket they will suspend your license immediately. Get caught three times driving with a suspended drivers license and you will be facing another suspension, this time for years.
We know the law and we know your situation. There are defenses to drivers license suspension cases and possibilities to get your drivers license back. Let us represent you and defend you from the consequences that the law causes and the prosecutor will pursue. Every driving with a suspended license citation is serious because it can lead to habitual traffic offender status - but no one will explain that clearly to you.
Driving while your license is suspended or revoked is commonly referred to by traffic court attorneys and judges as a DWLS or DWLSR. Get three of those without the benefit of an experienced traffic violations attorney and you will be a habitual traffic offender or HTO. Drivers who are labeled a Habitual Traffic Offender will have to endure a 5-year drivers license suspension. We fight these charges and we motion the court for your drivers license reinstatement. It helps no one to have you out of work because of a license suspension. We try to get your license back immediately.
Driving with a suspended Florida drivers license is taken very seriously by the Florida Courts and the State Attorneys
Believe it or not, more people are arrested for driving on a suspended license each day than for any other offense. Multiple tickets for driving with a suspended drivers license can lead to being labeled a Habitual Traffic Offender (see above). Once you are classified as a Habitual Traffic Offender [HTO] the offense can become a felony punishable by up to five years prison (in some situations it may be classified as a misdemeanor with a maximum 60 to 365 days in jail).
Suspended drivers licenses are often "without knowledge" yet they are charged "with knowledge." There are defenses to this "over-charging" by the police. If you are in this situation contact us for answers to your questions because the charges for driving on a drivers license suspension can be severe if not properly defended.
Legislative Trends regarding Suspended Drivers License cases
The current trend in the Florida Legislature is to increase the punishment of some criminal offenses by requiring that the defendant's driving license be suspended if the defendant is found guilty. These offenses use to be related to driving, such as DUI. However, today this form of punishment includes non-driving offenses such as possession of marijuana. And all drivers license suspensions can lead to being labeled as a Habitual Traffic Offender.
Can you survive without a Florida drivers license?
Ask yourself one question - what would you do if you could not drive a car for 6 months? a year? two years? five years? Could you still keep your job? Could you feed your children, spouse, or self? Maintain your household? Maintain your home? If caught driving on a suspended license, could you afford to post bond? Sit in jail?
I'm not trying to scare people. This is the truth. Get a traffic ticket, call us. We will help you out and a lot of times it is for free or very little money. Just don't pay tickets - this will get you points. Don't forget to address traffic tickets because this will suspend your drivers license (and that leads to driving with a suspended drivers license). Here is the easy answer - get a ticket on a Sunday, call us on Monday. We will help you whether you need to hire us or not.
The following offenses carry drivers license suspensions listed below:
| Offense | Duration of Suspension | Additional Info |
| Failure to Render Aid at an Accident | Revoked Indefinitely | Section 322.26(4), Florida Statutes |
| Reckless Driving x3 within 12 months | Revoked Indefinitely | Section 322.26(6), Florida Statutes |
| Use of Vehicle in Prostitution | Revoked Indefinitely | Section 322.26(7), Florida Statutes |
| Failure to Pay Citation | Suspended (Until Paid) | "Paid" includes late fee ($12), D6 clearance fee ($6), and reinstatement fee ($47.50). |
| Failure to Pay Child Support | Suspended (Until Paid) | |
| Drunk Driving Arrest | 6 months to Lifetime Suspension | You do not need to be convicted! Suspended upon arrest. |
| Possession Controlled Substance | 2 Year Suspension | Automobile need not be involved. |
| Theft, Shoplifting | 6 to 12 Months | Mandatory for subsequent convictions. |
| Gas and Go (stealing gasoline) | 6 to 12 Months | |
| Graffiti | 1 Year Suspension | |
| Habitual Traffic Offender | 5 Years | For more info click on Habitual Traffic Offender |
| 12 Points in 12 Months | 30 Day Suspension | |
| 18 Points in 18 Months | 90 Day Suspension | |
| 24 Points in 36 Months | 1 Year Suspension |
Our Office...
We represent people with suspended drivers licenses. More info can be found for Driving with a Suspended License and Habitual Traffic Offender suspensions through those links. We defend them in criminal court and we help them try to get their drivers license back. Our goal is to get your driving situation in order. Contact us or call (407) 841-5555.
Our consultations are always free.
