What all will happen at court with a first offense of driving on a suspended license that i did not know about?
I got in a wreck and did not know the insurance didn’t go through and got sued for damage costs of $5,000 and a year suspension but talked to a lawyer and they said i wasn’t suspended since i setup a payment plan to pay for the damages and said not to worry about it, and then I recently got pulled over and got a ticket for driving while suspended, the officer placed me under arrest but released me on scene and gave me a ticket and said to appear at court on the dated court date
Justin Hunt, Dui Defense Attorney’s Answer
You will have to speak to a local traffic attorney to get a detailed offer. I will tell you that DWS is a jailable offense in Missouri, up to 6 months in jail for a first offense. Ignorance of the suspension is not a defense as driver’s are expected to keep track of their license status. A conviction also comes with 12 points on your license, which equals a point suspension.
When you appear at the first court date, it is NOT your time to tell your story to the judge: the judge is just going to advise you of the charge and ask how you plead. Some judges offer to have you plead “guilty with an explanation.” Do not do this! You will be pleading guilty to the charge and taking the points. You can ask the judge for more time to find an attorney. If you can’t afford an attorney, you can ask the judge to appoint one. However, you will usually not be given an attorney for this charge.
In my area, an attorney can generally help you get your license back and get the DWS reduced to keep you out of jail and keep points off your record. I do not know if prosecutors allow this practice in Bolivar, so you will have to speak with a local attorney.
