Driving on a suspended license is taken very seriously in Hanover County, Virginia as such crimes carry significant penalties. If your license has been suspended or cancelled by the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles or a law court, and you are aware of it, and you drive a vehicle on any road or highway you are guilty of driving on a suspended in Hanover, Virginia.
Crimes of driving on a suspended license are considered as Class I misdemeanor which is one of the most sever crime classification. According to code 46.2-301, driving on a suspended license law require license suspension and jail time after multiple sentences.
Consequences for Driving On a Suspended License
The penalties for driving on a suspended license starts from an extra suspension of the similar period from the original suspension reason. There are also extra fines and punishments which also include time in prison.
Reasons for Driving License Suspension
There are so many reasons due to which your license might be suspended or cancelled for alcohol or driving offenses, criminal convictions or other reasons. Some of the reasons for your license suspension may include:
- Alcohol offenses including DUI
- Reckless driving or aggressive driving
- Providing wrong information in license application
A license can also get suspended in you are accused of following crimes in Hanover:
- Intended or unintentional homicide, by using a vehicle
- A felony relating to vehicle laws
- Failing to step in case you are involved in an accident with kills someone.
- Theft or unauthorized use of a vehicle
Criminal Charged for Driving on a Suspended License
You might be charged with a Class 1 misdemeanor if you are driving on a suspended or revoked license. The extreme penalty for a Class 1 misdemeanor is:
- 12 months in jail
- A $2,500 fine.
If you have two previous convictions for driving on a suspended license, you might be subject to a least sentence of 10 days in jail. A sentence might also result in your license being suspended or cancelled for an additional period.
Defenses
To be convicted of driving on a suspended license in Hanover Virginia, a prosecuting attorney has to prove a few things:
- You were driving a vehicle
- Your license was suspended
- You had notice that your license was suspended
Virginia law states you have to be informed that your license was suspended. If you were uninformed of the suspension, you might have a defense to the charge, for instance if you moved and the suspension warning wasn’t sent to you. This can be challenging to document, but a traffic defense attorney can help you decide if this is a legal option for your case. Sometimes the best cover is to take the steps to get your license back before you have to go to court. A judge might give you a delay if you’re making an honest effort to pay your fines or meet the requirements to restore your license.