Driving While License Revoked Lawyer in Raleigh
Driving While License Revoked (DWLR) is a serious offense in North Carolina. A DWLR conviction can result in a loss of driving privileges, heavy fines, and even jail time. It is important to note that under North Carolina law, your privilege to drive can be revoked or suspended for a variety of reasons. The most common are
- Accumulating too many driving record points
- Unresolved traffic matters,
- Convicted of a DWI
- Unpaid fines
- Implied-consent revocations ( otherwise known as impaired driving revocations)
- Failing to appear in court
No matter the specific charge a driver’s license suspension becomes part of your official, permanent North Carolina driving record. So instead of pleading guilty and hoping for mercy from the court, take initiative and seek out legal representation through an experienced criminal defense attorney. Our top rated legal team will help you reduce or eliminate the possible consequences of a driving while license revoked conviction.
Additionally, Coolidge Law Firm helps guide Raleigh residents through this complicated process, and we fight to defend residents of such areas as Raleigh, Cary, Holly Springs, Apex, Knightdale, Morrisville, Wendell, and many more. Call right now to set up a confidential free consultation that will let our firm review your case and discuss your legal options.
Why You Need DWLR Lawyer in Raleigh?
Most people drive every day of their lives. Losing your driving privilege due to any form of criminal offense can adversely affect school, work, child care, and virtually every aspect of your life. You may have lost your license for a variety of reasons. But for whatever reason, you cannot ignore a revoked or suspended license. Doing so can result in you being pulled over by an officer, arrested, and forced to face enormous penalties that include jail, fines, increased insurance rates, and even further revocation of your driving privilege.
Once a person is arrested for driving while license revoked (DWLR) they will then have two issues to address instead of one: reinstating the revoked or suspended license as well as criminal charges for driving without a valid license. In some cases, individuals can be charged with this crime despite not knowing that their licenses had been suspended or revoked. In these situations the evidence collected needs to be carefully assessed by our traffic ticket team. They will assist you in restoring your driving privilege and getting the DWLR charge dismissed.
Issues in a DWLR Case in North Carolina
- Reasons for Drivers License Revocation in Raleigh
- North Carolina DWLR Charges
- Wake County Penalties for DWLR
Reasons for Drivers License Revocation in Raleigh
A North Carolina driver’s license may be suspended or revoked for any one or combination of several circumstances, including:
- Accumulating 12 Driver License Points within three years
- Accumulating eight Driver License Points within three years of having license reinstated following a suspension
- Driving While Impaired (DWI) conviction
- Failure to appear in court
- Misdemeanor or felony death by vehicle conviction
- One conviction for speeding over 75 mph, otherwise known as reckless driving
- One conviction of speeding over 55 mph and one conviction of reckless driving within a 12 month period
- Speeding in excess of 55 mph, at least 15 mph over the legal limit
- Two convictions of speeding over 55 mph within a 12 month period
- Unpaid traffic tickets
- Unpaid court costs
- Willful racing with another motor vehicle
- Willful refusal to submit to a blood or breath test
North Carolina DWLR Charges
Under North Carolina General Statute § 20-28, any person who drives any motor vehicle on North Carolina highways while his license is revoked can be charged with a Class 3 misdemeanor. However, this offense is classified as a Class 1 misdemeanor if the person’s license was originally revoked for an impaired driving revocation.
An impaired driving license revocation is defined in North Carolina General Statute § 20-28.2 as a revocation pursuant to a violation of one of the following offenses:
- North Carolina General Statute § 20-13 — Alleged offender less than 21 years old willfully refused to submit to chemical analysis or was convicted of an offense involving impaired driving
- North Carolina General Statute § 20-16(a)(8b) — Alleged offender violated a regulation of a military installation prohibiting conduct substantially similar to conduct that constitutes impaired driving
- North Carolina General Statute § 20-16.2 — Refusal of implied consent to chemical analysis
- North Carolina General Statute § 20-16.5 — Immediate civil license revocation for certain persons charged with implied-consent offenses
- North Carolina General Statute § 20-17(a)(2) — Impaired driving
- North Carolina General Statute § 20-17(a)(12) — A second or subsequent conviction of transporting an open container of alcoholic beverage
- North Carolina General Statute § 20-138.5 — Habitual impaired driving
- North Carolina General Statute § 20-16(a)(7) — Alleged offender committed an offense in another state, which if committed in North Carolina would be grounds for suspension or revocation
- North Carolina General Statute § 20-17(a)(1) — Manslaughter (or negligent homicide) resulting from the operation of a motor vehicle
- North Carolina General Statute § 20-17(a)(3) — Any felony in the commission of which a motor vehicle is used
- North Carolina General Statute § 20-17(a)(9) — Felony and misdemeanor death by vehicle, felony serious injury by vehicle, aggravated offenses, repeat felony death by vehicle, or any other offense listed under North Carolina General Statute § 20-141.4
- North Carolina General Statute § 20-17(a)(11) — Conviction of assault with a motor vehicle
Penalties for DWLR Cases in Raleigh
Because North Carolina utilizes a complex “structured sentencing” method of determining punishments, the possible consequences of being convicted for DWLR depend on the alleged offender’s criminal record. A higher prior conviction level increases the maximum sentence for an alleged offender, and misdemeanor prior conviction levels are as follows:
- Prior Conviction Level I — No prior convictions
- Prior Conviction Level II — One to four prior convictions
- Prior Conviction Level III — Five or more prior convictions
With the misdemeanor class level and the prior conviction level, a judge can impose one of three forms of punishment for a conviction:
- Active Punishment — This type of sentence requires an alleged offender to be incarcerated in a local confinement facility (jail) if the sentence is 90 days or less, or he is committed to the Statewide Misdemeanant Confinement Program and serves the sentence in a local confinement facility designated by the program if the sentence is more than 90 days
- Intermediate Punishment — This requires a sentence of supervised probation and may include one or more conditions such as drug treatment court, house arrest with electronic monitoring, community service, substance abuse assessment, or other requirements
- Community Punishment — Any sentence other than active punishment that may include assignment to drug treatment court, special probation, house arrest with electronic monitoring, community service, period or periods of confinement in a local confinement facility, substance abuse assessment, monitoring, or treatment
Alleged offenders charged with DWLR face the following possible sentences:
- Class 3 Misdemeanor, Prior Conviction Level I — 1 to 10 days Community Punishment
- Class 3 Misdemeanor, Prior Conviction Level II — 1 to 15 days Community or Intermediate Punishment
- Class 3 Misdemeanor, Prior Conviction Level III — 1 to 20 days Community, Intermediate, or Active Punishment
- Class 1 Misdemeanor, Prior Conviction Level I — 1 to 45 days Community Punishment
- Class 1 Misdemeanor, Prior Conviction Level II — 1 to 45 days Community, Intermediate, or Active Punishment
- Class 1 Misdemeanor, Prior Conviction Level III — 1 to 120 days Community, Intermediate, or Active Punishment
Because the list of potential legal consequences range in severity of simply paying fines to extensive time in prison you should not waste time hiring a criminal defense attorney to protect your current and future driving privileges. At Coolidage Law Firm you will be appointed a criminal defense lawyer with extensive success in winning criminal cases related to traffic violations. Call (919) 239-8448 or fill out the form below today to schedule a free consultation.
How Long Can Your License be Revoked in North Carolina?
After facing criminal charges related to the act of driving while license revoked, it is possible that you will have your license suspended for 1 year. Following the ticket being issued your license may expire within three weeks. This means that you are no longer permitted driving privileges of any motor vehicles on a public roadway.
Defense Against Charges of Driving While License Revoked
When you have faced a criminal charge dealing with suspension of you driver’s license, just ignoring the issue won’t resolve the problem. In fact if you do choose to ignore the reality of your situation, in certain circumstances, these charges can result in jail sentences, additional drivers’ license restrictions, and an enormous rise in car insurance costs.
The important thing to remember is that there are options to pursue a defense in any case where your license is suspended. A licensed criminal defense attorney can argue to common reasons the situation may have occurred and help prevent the case from going to trial.
Reinstatement of Your North Carolina Drivers License
Now that we have discussed reasons you may have received a Driving While License Revoked Charge, ways a person’s license may have become suspended, and the official penalties that can result from the charge. It’s also important to know that simply paying court fines as a resolution to the DWLR citation itself won’t lead to a reinstatement of your license.
All relating issues that caused the initial suspension must be resolved before the license may be reinstated. Given this, it is strongly suggested to have professional legal counsel to resolve your pending charge for DWLR as quickly and accurately as possible. Our goal is to help you figure out when and how we can get you back on the road legally.
How Long Does a Suspended License Stay on Your Record?
Your driving record may show a felony conviction, license suspension, or driving record revocation within three years or five years. Don’ forget you can always reduce your driving record by taking online defensive driving courses.
Contact a DWLR Lawyer in Raleigh Now!
If you have been arrested for DWLR, driving while your license was suspended, a speeding ticket, or any other traffic violations you should immediately contact a criminal defense attorney who will work to achieve the most favorable outcome to your case. Coolidge Law Firm will stand by your side and fight get charges reduced or dismissed.
Our firm serves clients throughout the greater Wake County area, including such communities as Raleigh, Fuquay-Varina, Wake Forest, Zebulon, Garner, and Cary. We can provide a complete and thorough evaluation of your case when you call (919) 239-8448 or fill out the form below today to schedule a free consultation.
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