New Jersey DMV License Suspension Attorneys
The legal right to drive a car is essential to most people's daily lives in New Jersey. When your license is suspended by the Department of Motor Vehicles, you may be facing the loss of your livelihood as well as massive changes in your family's day-to-day activities. If you have been charged with driving with a suspended license and would like Lependorf & Silverstein to evaluate your case, contact us immediately for a free consultation.
A New Jersey DMV license suspension takes place when a driver is placed on the department's suspended driver list because of a traffic violation, failure to have proof of insurance, failure to pay a surcharge or too many points on his or her license. That is different from a court-ordered license suspension, which is done in a courtroom, usually with the driver present. In a DMV license suspension, the department is legally required to provide fair notice to the driver and explain why the suspension was ordered. If the DMV does not take reasonable steps to reach a driver with a notice of suspension, the driver may be able to defend him- or herself from a charge of driving while suspended. Even when the driver does receive notice of a pending suspension, there is often a reasonable chance that the upcoming suspension can be challenged and oversome. Every New Jersey licensed driver is entitled to a DMV hearing during which he can fight the upcoming suspension by presenting documents and an argument to oppose the suspension.
Driving with a suspended license isn't cheap -- a first offense can cost $500 in fines, plus three years of mandatory $250 surcharges when you renew your license. Subsequent offenses will cost more and open the possibility of jail time. And driving while suspended carries extra consequences if it leads to an accident, or is done under the influence of alcohol or drugs. In both cases, violators face increased fines, jail time and of course, another license suspension for even a greater period of time. A plea bargain, in which you plead guilty and waive your right to a trial in exchange for a lesser punishment, is also an option.
If you or someone you love has been charged with driving with a suspended license, it can seriously impact your life and your income. An experienced New Jersey traffic violations attorney like those at Lependorf & Silverstein can help you decide whether to fight the charge and potentially lower your fines, reduce your sentence or keep you out of jail. Often, we can even convince the DMV Hearing Officers and or prosecutors not to suspend your license. Contact an attorney in our Princeton office as soon as possible after your charge so we can fight to get you the best possible outcome.
Contact our team at Lependorf & Silverstein for a free consultation and let our smart, aggressive legal representation go to work for you today.
