Experienced Attorneys Help with Revoked and Suspended Licenses in Tavares, Inverness & Clermont, FL

Helping you retain and restore your driving privileges

In Florida, drivers can lose their licenses for a variety of reasons, such as a DUI conviction, refusing to take a roadside Breathalyzer test, a poor driving record and a drug conviction. For virtually every driver, a license suspension or revocation is a hardship that costs time, money and aggravation. At Largey Law, our experienced defense attorneys help motorists retain and restore their driving privileges. We assist during criminal procedures and at administrative hearings of the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. We understand the full range of issues relating to revoked and suspended licenses and take proactive steps to obtain the relief you need.

Driving with a suspended license: penalties and pitfalls

If your license has been suspended, you certainly should not drive until you clear up the suspension. However, it’s common for drivers to be unaware that their license is under suspension due to an unpaid ticket traffic ticket. An officer has the discretion to ticket or arrest the individual for Driving While License Suspended (DWLS), and can charge either without knowledge or the more serious infraction, with knowledge:

• DWLS without knowledge — A civil infraction equal to a three-point moving violation
• DWLS with knowledge — A misdemeanor of the second degree for a first offense

The difference between these two charges is enormous, so you must consult a qualified attorney immediately to limit the possible consequences.

Drivers charged without knowledge are generally eager to clear up the situation. So they quickly pay whatever outstanding traffic violations exist, not knowing that this can backfire. Those infractions may all be credited within the payment period, so all their penalty points are added to the license at once. Then the driver gets labeled a habitual offender and faces a permanent suspension. This is another reason you always want to contact an attorney to look into your license suspension.

Protecting your license after a DUI arrest

There are two ways to lose your license over a DUI incident. One is obvious: get convicted. Even a first DUI conviction comes with a six month license suspension. The second way is to refuse the roadside Breathalyzer. In the first instance, depending on the facts of the case, an attorney may be able to negotiate a plea to a lesser offense, such as reckless driving, to avoid a suspension. In the case of a refusal, the only way to avoid the suspension is to prove the traffic stop was not valid. This is a much more difficult task, since the police must only demonstrate reasonable suspicion. However, under the right set of circumstances, a knowledgeable attorney can invalidate the stop.

Fight for your driving privileges in Tavares, Inverness & Clermont, FL

A license suspension is generally a hardship and can lead to added expense and frustration. For quality assistance with license suspensions, call Largey Law at 352.508.1485 or contact the firm online. Your initial consultation is free, and we can represent you in traffic courts throughout Central Florida. Se habla español.