DUI Is Not The Only Reason The Court Can Take Away Your Driver’s License
When you meet with a criminal defense lawyer, it is a relief to find out that, with or without a plea deal, a conviction for the charges you are facing will not result in jail time. If driver’s license suspension is part of your sentence, though, it can still feel like you are losing a substantial part of your freedom. It is hard to get anywhere in South Florida without a car; there are few options for public transportation, and certain parts of Palm Beach County are notoriously pedestrian-unfriendly. The even worse news is that, in some cases, the driver’s license suspension begins before you even get convicted of a crime, or even in cases related to civil offenses, where no criminal charges are involved. Whether or not the incident that led to your driver’s license suspension relates to the criminal court, a West Palm Beach license reinstatement lawyer can help you get it back.
4 Ways to Lose Your License in Florida
These are some of the reasons that the court can take away your driver’s license:
- Severe or repeated traffic violations – You can get your driver’s license suspended if you get a certain number of points on your license; the period of license suspension varies according to the number of points. This can result from a serious traffic violation, such as reckless driving, with or without criminal charges, or from several minor traffic citations (such as making an illegal turn) over a short period of time.
- Driving without insurance – If you get pulled over, and you do not have valid car insurance, the court can suspend your driver’s license immediately, even if you do not have any points on your license.
- Drug possession – Driver’s license suspension is a possible consequence of a drug possession conviction, whether or not you were driving while the illegal drugs were in your possession.
- Drunk driving – DUI is the most obvious reason for a court to suspend someone’s driver’s license. How long your license remains suspended depends on how much alcohol you consumed before driving and whether you have any prior DUI convictions.
A Criminal Defense Lawyer Can Help You Get Your Driver’s License Back
No matter why the court took away your driver’s license, a criminal defense lawyer can help you get your license reinstated. For this reason, it is a good idea to have a lawyer represent you in traffic court if the citation carries a penalty of driver’s license suspension or of points on your license. The Public Defender’s office does not assign lawyers to defendants in traffic court, only in criminal court, but you still have the right to hire a lawyer if you are being accused of traffic offenses that do not carry criminal penalties.
Contact a West Palm Beach Criminal Defense Lawyer Today
Attorney William Wallshein has more than 38 years of experience, including five years as a prosecutor in Palm Beach County. Contact William Wallshein P.A. in West Palm Beach, Florida to discuss your case.
Source:
flhsmv.gov/driver-licenses-id-cards/driver-license-suspensions-revocations/
