In Massachusetts, license suspensions can have criminal consequences.  So long as you have been provided notice of a suspended license, Massachusetts punishes a person charged with operating with a suspended license with fines of up to $1000 and up to 10 days in jail.  If you have been previously convicted of driving with a suspended license, the penalty increases drastically to up to 1 year in jail.  Furthermore, a conviction for driving with a suspended license carries an additional 60 day license suspension. 

 

Oftentimes, operating with a suspended license will be dismissed upon the payment of court costs, especially if you bring proof that you have a reinstated Massachusetts driver’s license.  However, some courts will treat a Massachusetts license suspension more seriously if you have been charged multiple times with driving with a suspended license.  You can face probation and even jail time. And if are charged with driving with a suspended license for OUI, then there is a mandatory minimum sentence of 60 days in jail. 

 

There are a variety of ways to receive a Massachusetts license suspension.  Some of those reasons are as follows:

 

• Too many moving violations within a certain time frame

• Conviction for a variety of criminal offenses (Operating with a Suspended License, OUI, Negligent Operation, Leaving the Scene of an Accident, Trafficking a Controlled Substance, etc.)

• Immediate Danger to the Public

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If the time period of the Massachusetts license suspension has ended, your license does not automatically become active.  You still need to go to the RMV to obtain a reinstated driver’s license, which requires the payment of a substantial fee.  Until you reinstate your Massachusetts driver’s license, you are still considered to have a suspended license.  Massachusetts courts do not look at what you need to do to get your license reinstated – they only care that it was, in fact, suspended when you were caught driving.  Attorney Thaler is experienced in handling motor vehicle offenses involving suspended licenses.  It is important to hire a lawyer as soon as possible if you have been charged with driving with a suspended license in Massachusetts because there might be some defenses that you can present that need to be raised quickly, such as the right to a clerk’s hearing.  Attorney Thaler will provide a full assessment of your case and a specific plan for how to obtain the best possible result.