Driving with a Suspended License
Traffic Ticket Lawyer Representing New Jersey Motorists
A New Jersey driver’s license is affected by a system of points. The state will issue points on your license for specific traffic offenses. Your license may be revoked or suspended if you accumulate traffic offenses or for certain other reasons. Sometimes convictions of drug crimes, for example, may result in a driver’s license suspension. Many people drive on a suspended license because they feel that they have no choice or because they may not realize that their license has been suspended. If you are charged with driving with a suspended license, you should consult a New Jersey traffic ticket attorney at the Grimes Law Firm to explore your options.
Driving With a Suspended License
NJSA 39:3-40 prohibits driving on a suspended driver’s license, as well as driving on a revoked license or driving if you have been prohibited from getting a driver’s license. Drivers are not allowed to personally operate a motor vehicle during a period of prohibition, revocation, or suspension. Moreover, they may not operate a car if its registration has been revoked.
Licenses may be suspended through a court-imposed suspension or through an administrative suspension. In most cases, people wind up on a suspended list kept by the New Jersey Division of Motor Vehicles because of accumulated points associated with various traffic violations. If drivers know that they are suspended, it may be challenging to defend against this charge. In some cases, however, a driver was not aware that their license was suspended, and there is more room for a defense in these cases. A valid suspension requires notice of the suspension to the driver.
If you are convicted under NJSA 39:3-40, you may be subject to a range of penalties. A first offense may carry a $500 fine as well as a yearly $250 surcharge. A second offense may carry a fine of $750 as well as a five-day period of imprisonment. A third offense may carry a $1,000 fine plus a maximum of five days in county jail. Enhanced penalties may apply to a driver who drives while their license is suspended for specific reasons, such as a DWI conviction or for driving without insurance.
In some cases, driving with a suspended license results in an accident that causes injuries to others. In addition to potentially facing a personal injury lawsuit, you may also face a 45-day term of imprisonment in that case. Driving under the influence while also driving with a suspended license may result in an extra fine, a yearly surcharge for three years, imprisonment in county jail for at least 90 days, and a suspension of your license for 1-2 years. A driver’s license may remain suspended until a restoration fee is paid.
Pleading guilty to a driving while suspended charge may add insurance surcharges. It may also make it difficult to get to work or school, or to handle other daily affairs that require the use of your car. However, a plea bargain may be possible in connection with a charge of driving on a suspended license. An experienced traffic violation attorney may be able to help you fight the charge.
Retain an Experienced Traffic Ticket Attorney in New Jersey
If you have been charged with driving with a suspended license in New Jersey, you may be able to fight the charge with the help of knowledgeable legal counsel. A New Jersey traffic ticket lawyer at the Grimes Law Firm can carefully investigate the situation and assert your rights. We serve drivers in the Neshanic Station area and elsewhere in Somerset County, as well as throughout the tri-state region. Call (908) 371-1066 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation with a criminal defense attorney.
