Source: https://ricelawmd.com/criminal-defense/suspended-license-lawyer/
Timestamp: 2019-04-24 12:18:13+00:00

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Driving on a suspended license in Maryland is considered a serious traffic offense and requires the charged driver to appear in Court. If you’ve been charged with driving on a suspended license in Maryland, the help of an experience lawyer can increase your chances of avoiding jail time and high fines.
Have you recently been charged with driving on a suspended license in Maryland? Did you know that driving on a suspended license is considered a “serious” traffic offense in Maryland and carries the possibility of jail?
Don’t panic, we can help! We have helped defend thousands of driving on a suspended driver’s license cases and we can help you as well.
Below you will find everything you need to know about a suspended license ticket, if you have any questions or looking for legal representation, call our office at (410) 694-7291 to speak with an attorney today.
What is driving suspended in Maryland?
Driving while privilege is suspended is the act of operating or attempting to operate a motor vehicle while on a Maryland public highway while the driver’s license is suspended by the Motor Vehicle Administration.
What is the Legal Definition of Driving on a Suspended License in Maryland?
Now, let’s define some of the terms under this statute….
“Drive” means to drive, operate, move, or be in actual physical control of a vehicle, including the exercise of control over or the steering of a vehicle being towed by a motor vehicle. Transportation Article Section 11–114.
“Motor vehicle” means a vehicle that is self–propelled or propelled by electric power obtained from overhead electrical wires and is not operated on rails. “Motor vehicle” includes a low speed vehicle. “Motor vehicle” does not include a moped, a motor scooter, or an electric bicycle. Transportation Article Section 11-135.
“Highway” means the entire width between the boundary lines of any way or thoroughfare of which any part is used by the public for vehicular travel, whether or not the way or thoroughfare has been dedicated to the public and accepted by any proper authority; and the entire width between the boundary lines of any way or thoroughfare used for purposes of vehicular travel on any property owned, leased, or controlled by the United States government and located in the State. Transportation Article Section 11-127.
“License”, as used in reference to the operation of a motor vehicle, means any driver’s license; and any other license or permit to drive a motor vehicle that is issued under or granted by the laws of this State, including: any temporary license; a learner’s instructional permit; a provisional license; the privilege of any individual to drive a motor vehicle, whether or not that individual is formally licensed by this or any other jurisdiction; any nonresident’s privilege to drive, as defined in this subtitle; and a commercial driver’s license. Transportation Article Section 11-128.
“Suspend”, as used in reference to any license to drive a vehicle, means to withdraw temporarily, by formal action of the Administration, an individual’s license to drive a motor vehicle on highways in this State, but only for a period specifically designated by the Administration. Transportation Article Section 11-164.
How Do You Get out of Driving Suspended License?
Getting out of a suspended license ticket is a lot hard than you think. Since the State is prosecuting the charges, they make the decision. When you appear for the trial, the prosecutor will decide if they want to pursue the charges, reduce the case or dismiss/nolle prosequi the case.
If the prosecutor decides to prosecute your case, then you have the option of pleading guilty or pleading not guilty and electing a bench or jury trial (jury trial is only available if the one of the charges carries with it a maximum penalty of more than 90 days in jail).
Can You Go to Jail for Driving With a Suspended License in Maryland?
Yes, you can go to jail for driving on a suspended license in Maryland. If you are convicted, a Judge can send you to jail for driving with a suspended license. That is why it is so important to take these types of charges seriously. The consequences can be devastating to your future if you don’t handle it the right way.
One of the the related types of traffic tickets you can get for driving suspended is driving on a revoked license. Driving revoked or driving on a revoked license means that the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) has revoked your privilege to drive in the State of Maryland. Driving on a revoked license is considered a “jailable” offense and is a must appear ticket. That means you must appear in Court and answer the charges asserted by the State. There are two section of the Transportation Article the the crime of driving with a revoked license, sections 16-303(d) and 16-303(g).
How to find lawyers for suspended license?
Looking for lawyer for a suspended license charge? In Maryland, traffic defense lawyers are attorneys that defend drivers who have been charged with any type of driving on a suspended license charge.
How to Find out if license in suspended in Maryland?
The MVA will notify you by U.S. mail that your driver’s license is suspended.
Is Driving on a Suspended License a Misdemeanor in Maryland?
Yes, driving on a suspended license in Maryland is classified as a misdemeanor.
How do you get a suspended license reinstatement? The easiest way to have your license reinstated is to clear or satisfy the underlying reason your license is suspended. For example, your license can be suspended because you did not pay a Court fine. Once you pay the fine, then the Court will notify the MVA that you have satisfied the fine and the MVA will lift or recall the suspension.
What are Reasons Driver’s License is Suspended?
Too many points on your driving record – If you have accumulated too many points on your Maryland driving record, then the MVA will suspend your license to drive.
Violation of License Restriction – If you have been placed on a license restriction and you violate that restriction, then the MVA can suspend your driver’s license.
Medical Advisory Board suspension – If you have exhibited some medical condition or you have too many DUI charges, then the MVA will start an investigation into your ability to drive from a medical perspective.
Child Support – If you don’t pay your child support, then the Child Support Office may inform the MVA of your arrearages and they will suspend your license until your child support is current.
Too many DUI / DWI convictions – If you have been convicted of DUI or DWI and you have multiple convictions, then the MVA will suspend your license. They MVA may allow you to participate in the ignition interlock program as an alternative.
Failed to take a breath or blood test after a DUI / DWI investigation – If you are stopped and the police officer suspects you have consumed alcohol, then they can request you take a blood or breath test of the presence of alcohol. If you refuse to take the test or you take the test and the reading is too high, then the MVA can suspend your license to drive. Again, you may have the option of participating in the ignition interlock program.
Failed to pay a ticket – If you have been issued a “payable” traffic ticket and you did not pay that ticket within 30 days, then the Court will notify the MVA and they will suspend your license.
Judgment – If you have a civil judgment against you, then the holder of that judgment can file a notice with the MVA and ask that your license be suspended until you satisfy or pay that judgment.
Do you have a suspended license in another State? If your license is suspended in a State other than Maryland, then you could be charged with driving on a suspended out of State license. Driving on a suspended out of state license can result in jail time in Maryland.
Is My License Suspended Maryland (MD)?
After reading this post you may ask yourself – Is my license suspended in Maryland? The only way to determine if your license is suspended is to contact the MVA at 410-748-7000 or to obtain a copy of your Maryland driving record. The MVA will inform you if your license is suspended and at the top of all Maryland driving records, it will indicate the current status of your driver’s license status.
How Many Points Until You Lose Your License in Maryland?
If you receive 8 or more points on your driving record in Maryland, the MVA will suspend your driver’s license. If you receive 12 or more points on your license in Maryland, the MVA will revoke your license.
You can do a check driver’s license status in Maryland? You can contact the MVA or order a copy of your driving record online.
What is the Maryland driving on suspended license penalty? It depends on the section of the transportation code in which you were charged with and convicted of.
First offense: a fine of not more than $1,000, or imprisonment for not more than 1 year, or both.
Second or subsequent offense: a fine of not more than $1,000, or imprisonment for not more than 2 years, or both.
All offenses: a fine of not more than $500.
What is failure to comply suspension Maryland? This is a annotation that is placed on a record in the Maryland Judiciary Case Search. What does failure to comply suspension Maryland means? It means that you have failed to comply with an order of the Court. Typically it means that you have failed to pay a fine in a traffic case. If you fail to pay a fine for a traffic ticket, then the Court will notify the MVA and the MVA will suspend your license.
What is MVA suspended registration? An MVA suspended registration means the MVA has suspended the registration for a vehicle. This can happen when a driver fails to complete a task assigned by the MVA or the Maryland laws. Such as failing to have your vehicle inspected for vehicle emissions.
Should I Pay the Other Tickets?
It is not unusual for the police office to issue other citations in addition to driving on a suspended license. There are two types of tickets you can receive; payable and must appear.
A payable ticket means that you can pay the ticket and there is no jail. A must appear means that you must go to Court and you are facing jail. If you have payable tickets in addition to a must appear, do not pay the payable tickets before the trial date.
Your attorney may be able to have those tickets dismissed or dropped and you would not have to pay for them.
If you are convicted of driving suspended in Maryland, the MVA will assess points to your Maryland driving record. This does not apply if you receive a probation before judgment (PBJ). If you are granted a PBJ, then you will not have points assessed on your driving record. It takes 2 years for points to “fall off” your driving record. If you are convicted of TA 16-303(c) or 16-303(f) then 12 points will be assessed to your Maryland driving record. If you are convicted or TA 16-303(h) or TA 16-303(i) then 3 points will be assessed to your Maryland driving record.
Is Driving With a Suspended License a Misdemeanor?
In Maryland, driving with a suspended license is classified as a misdemeanor.
Is Driving with a Suspended License A Felony?
No, driving with a suspended license in not a felony in Maryland. Driving with a suspended license in Maryland is classified as a misdemeanor.
Will I go to jail for driving on a suspended license?
You can go to jail for driving on a suspended license. Not every person that is charged goes to jail and it would be fair to say that most people do not go to jail, but it all depends on your case, the Judge and what the State’s Attorney is recommending.
Most first time offenders don’t receive jail time, but if the facts of your case are egregious enough, then a first time offender could face jail time.
How long do points stay on your license in Maryland?
In Maryland, points stay on your driving record until they are officially expunged by the MVA. See Driver Record Expungement by Request for more information on expungement of points from your driving record. After 2 years from the violation date, the points are no longer considered current on your driving record.
How long do you stay in jail for driving with a suspended license?
The length of time you stay in jail for driving on a suspended license depends on which Judge you appear before and the seriousness of your offense and record. A person with a lengthy driving record will face a longer period in jail than person with no driving record.
What type of crime is driving under suspension?
Driving suspended in Maryland is a violation of the Transportation Article 16-303. All violations of driving suspended are classified as misdemeanors.
What is the penalty in MD for driving with a suspended license?
The penalty for driving with a suspended license in Md. varies depending on the section of the Transportation article the driver has been charged with. The penalties vary from a $500 fine to 1 year in jail, depending on the type of license suspension you are facing.
Should you hire a lawyer for traffic ticket? Will a lawyer be helpful if you are facing a traffic ticket? If you have to go to Court and there is a penalty, in particular, if you are facing the potential of jail, then you should hire a lawyer for a traffic ticket.
Penalty for driving without a license in Maryland?
What is the penalty for driving without a license in Maryland? The penalty for driving without a license in Maryland is, for a first offense, a fine of not more than $500 or imprisonment for not more than 60 days or both. For a second or subsequent offense, a fine of not more than $500 or imprisonment for not more than 1 year or both.
Failure to comply suspension means a person has failed to pay a fine or comply with an order of the Court and the Court has notified the MVA and directed the MVA to suspend that person’s privilege to drive. The MVA will typically notify the driver by U.S. mail that their driving privilege will be suspended on a certain date.
If you are convicted of driving on a suspended out of state license in Maryland then you could face a fine of not more than $1,000, or imprisonment for not more than 1 year, or both.
If you are caught driving on an out of state driver’s license in Maryland and it is your second or subsequent conviction, then you can face a fine of not more than $1,000, or imprisonment for not more than 2 years, or both.
16-303(c): A person may not drive a motor vehicle on any highway or on any property specified in § 21–101.1 of this article while the person’s license or privilege to drive is suspended in this State.
16-303(f): A person may not drive a motor vehicle on any highway or on any property specified in § 21–101.1 of this article while the person’s license issued by any other state is suspended.
16-303(h): A person may not drive a motor vehicle on any highway or on any property specified in § 21–101.1 of this article while the person’s license or privilege to drive is suspended under § 17–106, § 26–204, § 26–206, or § 27–103 of this article.
16-303(i): (1) This subsection applies only to a person whose license or privilege to drive is suspended under the traffic laws or regulations of another state for: (i) Failure to comply with a notice to appear in a court of that state contained in a traffic citation issued to the person; or (ii) Failure to pay a fine for a violation of any traffic laws or regulations of that state. (2) A person may not drive a motor vehicle on any highway or on any property specified in § 21–101.1 of this article while the person’s license or privilege to drive is suspended under the traffic laws or regulations of any other state as described in paragraph (1) of this subsection.
Attention: Don’t pay the “payable” tickets before you appear in Court for a “Must Appear.” An attorney can usually get the payable charges dropped when you appear for your driving on a suspended license case.
What is the Maryland Law for Driving With a Suspended License?
(a) Refused licenses. – A person may not drive a motor vehicle on any highway or on any property specified in § 21-101.1 of this article while the person’s license or privilege to drive if refused in this State of any other State.
(b) Canceled licenses. – A person may not drive a motor vehicle on any highway or on any property specified in S21-101.1 of this article while the person’s license or privilege to drive is cancelled in this State.
TA 16-303(c) Suspended License Generally. – A person may not drive a motor vehicle on any highway or any property specified in § 21-101.1 of this article while the person’s license or privilege to drive is suspended in this State.
(e) Licenses canceled by other states.- A person may not drive a motor vehicle on any highway or on any property specified in § 21-101.1 of this article while the person’s license issued by any other state is canceled.
TA 16-303(f) Licenses suspended by other states.- A person may not drive a motor vehicle on any highway or on any property specified in § 21-101.1 of this article while the person’s license issued by any other state is suspended.
(g) Licenses revoked by other states.- A person may not drive a motor vehicle on any highway or on any property specified in § 21-101.1 of this article while the person’s license issued by any other state is revoked.
TA 16-303(h) Licenses suspended under certain provisions of article.- A person may not drive a motor vehicle on any highway or on any property specified in § 21-101.1 of this article while the person’s license or privilege to drive is suspended under § 17-106, § 26-204, § 26-206, or § 27-103 of this article.
TA 16-303(i)(1)This subsection applies only to a person whose license or privilege to drive is suspended under the traffic laws or regulations of another state for: (i) Failure to comply with a notice to appear in a court of that state contained in a traffic citation issued to the person; or (ii) Failure to pay a fine for a violation of any traffic laws or regulations of that state. (2) A person may not drive a motor vehicle on any highway or on any property specified in § 21–101.1 of this article while the person’s license or privilege to drive is suspended under the traffic laws or regulations of any other state as described in paragraph (1) of this subsection.
What are the Penalties in Maryland for 16-303 (Driving Suspended and related charges)?
Is Suspended License a Felony or Misdemeanor in Maryland?
16-303(f) The maximum penalty for driving on a suspended license under 16-303(f) is 1 year in jail and a fine of not more than $1,000.00. The maximum penalty for a second or subsequent offense driving on a suspended license under 16-303(c) is 2 years in jail and afine of not more than $1,000.00.
16-303(h) The maximum penalty for driving on a suspended license under 16-303(h) is 60 days in jail and a fine of not more than $500.00.
16-303(i) The maximum penalty for driving on a suspended license under 16-303(i) is 60 days in jail and a fine of not more than $500.00.
What are the MVA Points for Driving While Suspended Violations in the state of Maryland?
Penalties for Driving While Suspended violations in the state of Maryland can include fines, court costs, or MVA points. If you receive a Probation Before Judgment (PBJ) then points will not be assessed against your license. However, if you are found guilty, then you will receive points on your Maryland driving record. Points can lead to additional suspensions and revocations.
Refused licenses: 12 MVA points.
Canceled licenses: 12 MVA points.
Suspended License Generally (16-303(c) & 16-303(f)): 12 MVA points.
Revoked licenses: 12 MVA points.
Licenses canceled by other states: 12 MVA points.
Licenses suspended by other states: 12 MVA points.
Licenses suspended under certain provisions of article (16-303(h) & 16-303(i)): 3 MVA points.
Is Knowledge an Element of Driving Suspended?
Yes, the State must prove that you knew or should have known your license was suspended. If you didn’t know your license was suspended when you were ticketed, we can help. One element of the crime is “knowledge.” We can present a defense at trial arguing before the Judge or Jury that you did not know your license was suspended. We have been successful hundreds of times with this argument, let our experience in the Courtroom go to work for you.
The smartest, savviest, and most cost effective solution to a traffic ticket problem is to hire an experienced Maryland traffic attorney to fight on your behalf. Having a lawyer handle your ticket can keep your fines to a minimum, your insurance premiums low, and your driving record clean. Traffic tickets impact your insurance premiums and your right to possess a driver’s license.
Did you receive a Driving on a suspended license ticket in Maryland?
Driving on a suspended license is often called a “serious offense” in Maryland that carries the possibility of jail, fines, court costs, MVA points and probation. Don’t take chances when you appear in Court, retain an attorney that has handled thousands of driving on a suspended driver’s license cases in Maryland.
Contact attorney Randolph Rice to schedule a free legal consultation and discuss your driving on a suspended license case. You can call the office at (410) 694-7291 or email the office for immediate legal help.
Beginning October 1, 2017, certain penalties have changed/decreased for driving with a suspended license in Maryland. Under the Justice Reinvestment Act that was signed into law by Governor Larry Hogan on May 19, 2016, certain provisions of the Transportation Article 16-303 have changed.
Prior to October 1, 2017, if a driver was stopped for driving with a suspended license under certain provisions of the law or driving with a suspended license from another state, jail time was a possibility.
However, under the new law, driving with a suspended license 16-303(h) or 16-303(i) is a fine only offense. But, the driver must appear in court and may not pre pay the fine.
The new Maryland suspended license law also applies to driving with a suspended license from another state (other than Maryland) for failing to appear or pay a fine under Transportation Aticle 16-303(i).
Previously a driver could face up to two months in jail and a $500 fine, but now the maximum penalty is a $500 fine. The driver still must appear in court and may not prepay the fine. Most police are charging additional violations like 16-303(c), which can still result in jail time, and driving without a license.
Which sections have changed under the new suspended license law?
The two sections of the Transportation Article 16-303 that have changed are 16-303(h) and 16-303(i).
Pursuant to Maryland Transportation Article 17-106, if a person fails to surrender their registration after a security lapse, the motor vehicle administration May suspend that driver’s license to drive.
Pursuant to Maryland Transportation Article 26-204 if an individual fails to appear for court, the court may notify the MVA and the person’s driving privileges shall be suspended or if a person fails to pay a fine or post a bond for a traffic ticket the administration will suspend the driver’s license for that person.
Pursuant to Maryland Transportation article 26-206, if a person fails to appear in the US District Court the Motor Vehicle Administration may suspend the driving privilege of that person.
Pursuant to Maryland Transportation Article 27-103, if a person fails to pay a fine under the Maryland Vehicle Laws or federal traffic laws then the motor vehicle administration may suspend the driving privilege or license for the person who has not paid the fine.
Prior to October 1, 2017, a person could be put in jail for up to 2 months and pay a $500 fine if they failed to appear for court in another state or fail to pay a fine in another state and were caught and convicted of driving with a suspended license in Maryland.
The law has changed and now sets the maximum penalty for failing to pay a fine or appear in another state at $500. However, if issued a ticket under transportation article 16-303(h) or 16-303(i), a driver still must appear in court and may not pre-pay the fine.
While the laws have changed for two sections of the Maryland Transportation Article 16-303, police and law enforcement are still charging “must appear” incarcerable offenses if a driver is found to be suspended. Suspended license charges are serious in Maryland as they do carry the potential for jail time and the assessment of points to a driver’s record.
If a driver is convicted of driving on a suspended license they could face 3 to 12 points assessed to their driving record, depending on the subsection for the transportation article.
If you’re facing driving on a suspended license charges in Maryland it is wise to seek the assistance from an experienced Maryland suspended license lawyer. As there are various defenses to driving with a suspended license, such as notice and lack of license, a lawyer may be helpful in avoiding jail, fines, probation or other consequences and penalties. Contact the Law Offices of Randolph Rice today if you’ve been charged with driving with a suspended license in Maryland.

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