If you’ve been accused of or arrested for Driving on a Suspended License in Kansas, you need an experienced criminal lawyer to help you through it. Take advantage of our free consultation and make an informed decision about how you want to proceed. You have nothing to lose by calling. I’ll give you some free advice either way. Call now, 888-439-4244.
Your right to drive may depend on the best legal representation
Having a suspended license in Kansas is very difficult. Most everyone needs to get around by car, to work, school, and to get by everyday. Having to depend on other people for transportation can be a tremendous hardship.
Being charged with driving on a suspended license, and facing criminal charges makes it even worse. If you have been stopped for driving without a valid license in Kansas, suspended or revoked, call me for a consultation today. There are many reasons your license may have been suspended.
In Kansas, your license can be suspended or revoked for:
- DUI (Drunk Driving)
- Driving without insurance
- Failure to pay fines
- Speeding
- Refusal to submit to breath test
- Failure to Appear
- Reckless driving
- Leaving the scene of an accident
Regardless of the reason yours was suspended, you cannot be caught driving during the period of suspension, no matter what. Kansas law has no provisions for “hardship permits or licenses”. Hardship licenses are occasionally issued in other states for things like driving to and from work or school. In Kansas, if your license has been taken, no driving is allowed. You are completely out of luck.
This makes challenging a suspended license charge all the more important. It may be your only chance to legally drive, and keep your job.
Driving While License Suspended or Revoked – Penalties
If you get caught driving while your license is suspended or revoked you will face a Class B misdemeanor charge for the first conviction. This conviction carries a potential jail sentence of up to 6 months. The court will also likely add an additional 90 days to your suspension.
If you have a previous conviction (second offense), the charge is elevated to a Class A misdemeanor. A Class A misdemeanor is punishable by up to 1 year in jail and fines of $2,500. Again, the suspension of your license will also be extended.
Ref: Kansas Driving While License Suspended or Revoked Law KSA 8-262
I didn’t even know that my driver’s license was under suspension!
That can happen, you could easily be driving on a suspended license and not even know it. You may have an outstanding traffic violation that was never taken care of, or possibly to moved and either didn’t notify the Kansas Dept of Revenue, or maybe they just messed up the paperwork. Until you are pulled over, you may not even know that you are not supposed to be driving. However, just because you didn’t know that your license was suspended, that doesn’t automatically mean you are not guilty. We still will have to convince them in court that the criminal charge should be dropped.
How Likely am I to be caught while driving with a suspended license?
New technologies make it increasingly likely. There are now automatic video scanning license plate readers in many police cars. They scan all the license plates within camera range, up to thousands an hour, and instantly flag suspended licenses, or other issues. The officer is alerted in real time, and you will be pulled over and arrested.
Offenses like driving on a suspended license stay on your record for a long time. It is important when facing charges like this that you be very informed about the court process and your rights. An experienced attorney can be your advocate in the courtroom. There may be available defenses to your charge under Kansas law. The circumstances surrounding your charge can often clear things up in the courtroom.
Consulting with a knowledgeable professional about your crime and the potential outcome can put your mind at ease and allow you to focus more clearly on the situation at hand. If your license was already suspended, chances are you do not want any suspension time added onto that term.
I will do my best to ensure you get treated fairly in the Kansas court system. I know the criminal courts, and Kansas traffic law backwards and forwards. I’ve handled countless suspended license issues before, so you can be sure I know what it takes to fix this. Call me to discuss your case today.
Fight to keep your driver’s license! Call my Overland Park office at (888) 439-4244.
– Attorney Mark Hagen