RI Driving on a Suspended License Lawyer

The Law Offices of Michael J. Zarrella

Attorney Zarrella provides aggressive defense of Suspended License cases.

If you have been arrested in Rhode Island for driving on a suspended license, operating on a suspended license (OSL) or driving without a license, the charge can be the beginning of a long and painful journey with the RI DMV and with trying to keep your license. Many people find that a criminal charge of operating without a valid license leads to future suspensions and makes it nearly impossible to keep your license active.

If you been charged with a suspened license crime, do not wait until your license suspension becomes a major problem! Hire a criminal defense lawyer that will protect your driving priviledges and your criminal record. The Law Offices of Michael J. Zarrella, have been helping people get their license charges dismissed for 20 years. Michael J. Zarrella knows that without a valid license it is almost impossible to keep steady employment and live a normal life. That is why it is Attorney Zarrella's goal in every case to get your driving on a suspened license dismissed, and at the very least make sure there is no future suspensions.

Attonery Zarrella knows that the real danger of driving on a suspended license is the snowball effect. Often when a defendant goes to court without a good criminal defense attorney, he can lose his license even for a longer period of time than the time it was already suspended for. This in turn leads to more suspended license charges. That is why you need to hire an attorney that will stop the snowball effect and prevent future suspensions and help you get your license reinstated.

Driving on a suspended license penalites under Rhode Island Law

Operating on a suspended license (OSL) or driving without a license are considered misdemeanor offences under Rhode Island law. The penalties for a OLS can effect your driving priviledges, employment and your life. Often a person will plead to an operating on a suspended license charge and not realize that the OLS conviction may prevent other charges from being expunged. In addition, if you plead to an OLS the DMV will suspend your license further unless you can convince the judge to order them not to do so.

Driving after denial, suspension, or revocation of license-

First offense OSL-

Up to 30 days in jail, a fine of $250-$500 shall be imposed, suspension of license up to 90 days.

Second and any subsequent OSL charge-

Up to 1 year in jail, a fine of $350- $1,000 may be imposed, suspended license up to 6 additional months.

Driving on a suspended license after a DUI, Refusal, or Reckless Driving

If your license is suspended based on a DUI, Refusal, or Reckless Driving charge, you are subjected to enhanced penalites if you are convicted of an operating on a suspended license charge. Under Rhode Island General Laws, a person that is convicted of this crime is looking at the following penalties:

First offense OSL after a DUI, Refusal, or Reckless Driving-

Mandatory 10 days in jail and up to 1 year in jail, fine of five hundred dollars ($500) , an additional three (3) months loss of license.

Second and any subsequent OSL charge after a DUI, Refusal, or Reckless Driving-

Mandatory 1 year in jail, a fine of $1,000 , no case less than an additional (6) months loss of license.

These penalites are servere. If charged you are looking at jail. You need a lawyer that can help you avoid jail. Although jail is mandatory, a good lawyer can often find a way around jail. There are many tactics that an experienced lawyer can use in fighting this charge.

Common ways to avoid jail if charged with Driving on a Suspended License after a DUI, Refusal, or Reckless Driving

  • Show that the case factually cannot be proven.
  • Argue that the police had no reason to conduct an automobile stop.
  • Have charges reduced to a lesser charge which does not carry mandatory jail.
  • Have client serve his or her sentence on home confinement.
  • Show that the license was no longer suspended for the DUI, Refusal or Reckless, but was just suspended for not having it reinstated.
  • Show that you never received proper notice from the DMV that you license was suspended.
  • Do not go to court alone to defend your Driving on a Suspended License.

    Contact the Law Offices of Michael J. Zarrella to help you in defending your criminal license suspension cases! Call him at 401-523-5271 or 401-490-6820. Get a professional on your side.