Driving With A Suspended License In Cincinnati Ohio
If you have been charged with driving in Ohio on a suspended license, you may face harsh penalties, including jail time, fines, and even permanent license revocation.
The first offense of Driving While License is Suspended (DWLS) will result in a misdemeanor charge. However, if you are a repeat offender, it is imperative that you hire an experienced traffic attorney who can help strategize defenses and pinpoint mitigating factors to your charge.
Sometimes you are not aware that your license has been suspended. If your DWLS offense is caused by an underlying offense that resulted in your license being suspended without your knowledge, contact an experienced traffic defense attorney who can help resolve the underlying charge and get your license reinstated.
Suspended License Defense Attorney In Cincinnati, Ohio
If you have been charged with a DWLS in Cincinnati, Ohio, contact an experienced criminal defense attorney at Joslyn Criminal Defense Law Firm today. Brian Joslyn of Joslyn Criminal Defense Law Firm can assist you in finding possible defenses or mitigating factors to your charges.
Contact Joslyn Criminal Defense Law Firm at (513) 399-6289 or submit an online form for a free, confidential consultation today.
Information On Driving With A Suspended Or Revoked License In Ohio
- Ohio’s Laws for Driving with a Suspended License
- Reasons a Driver’s License May be Suspended
- Penalties for Driving with a Suspended or Revoked License
- Classes Of License Suspension
- Other Types Of Driver’s License Offenses In Ohio
Ohio’s Laws For Driving With A Suspended License
Ohio law provides that no one may operate a motor vehicle on public or private roads, highways, or property if their license is canceled or suspended or in violation of their limited driving privileges if they were granted limited driving privileges.
Ohio law gives the definitions of different types of suspensions and limited driving privileges, which include:
- Licensure Cancellation: Licensure cancellation occurs when the DMV terminates your license, permit, or limited driving privileges and disallows you from operating a motor vehicle until your license, permit, or privilege is reinstated.
- Ignition Interlock Device: An ignition interlock device connects a breath analyzer to the ignition system, meaning if you cannot pass the breathalyzer, your car will not turn on.
- Immobilizing Device: This device will monitor the car to ensure you are not violating your limited driving privileges.
- Suspension: Licensure suspension occurs when your license, permit, or limited driving privilege is terminated for a designated amount of time.
Reasons A Driver’s License May Be Suspended
Ohio law provides several different reasons why a person’s driver’s license may be suspended. Some common grounds for licensure suspension in Ohio include:
- Failure to appear;
- Failure to pay fines;
- Certain medical conditions or disabilities;
- A conviction for aggravated vehicular homicide;
- A conviction for vehicular homicide;
- A conviction for vehicular manslaughter;
- A conviction for soliciting;
- A conviction for any operating a vehicle while intoxicated (OVI);
- A court order or judgment revoking or suspending a license;
- Failure of a driving test;
- Incurring too many driving points; and
- Failure to comply with civil penalties.
Penalties For Driving With A Suspended Or Revoked License
Driving with a suspended license is punishable by a misdemeanor of the first degree, which can result in a sentence of up to 180 days in jail or a fine of up to $1,000, or both. Additionally, a person who is convicted of this offense will face a class seven suspension of their driver’s license. A class seven license suspension results in a suspension for a definite period not exceeding one year.
If a person’s license has been suspended for a failure to appear or pay a fine, they can be convicted of an unclassified misdemeanor, meaning the offender will be required to pay a fine of up to $1,000 and serve up to five hundred hours of community service. However, these offenders will not be punished by a jail sentence or other community residential sanctions.
If an individual has been convicted of two or more violations of driving with a suspended license within the preceding three years, they can be convicted of a misdemeanor in the first degree. For a first misdemeanor in the first-degree DWLS offense, an alleged offender can also be ordered to have the vehicle involved in the incident immobilized; additionally, the vehicle’s license plate may be impounded for 30 days. Subsequent offenses will result in vehicle immobilization for 60 days and license plate impoundment for 60 days. A third offense may result in criminal forfeiture of the vehicle involved in the offense.
Classes Of License Suspension
There are several different classes of licensure suspension:
- Class One – A class one suspension is for a definite period for the life of the person subject to the suspension.
- Class Two – A class two suspension is for a definite period of three years to life.
- Class Three – A class three suspension is for a definite period of two to ten years.
- Class Four – A class four suspension is for a definite period of one to five years.
- Class Five – A class five suspension is for a definite period of six months to three years.
- Class Six – A class six suspension is for a definite period of three months to two years.
- Class Seven – A class seven suspension is for a definite period not exceeding one year.
- Class A – A class A suspension is a suspension for three years.
- Class B – A Class B suspension is for exactly two years.
- Class C – A class C suspension is for exactly one year.
- Class D – A class D suspension is for exactly six months.
- Class E – A class E suspension is for exactly three months.
- Class F – A class F suspension is a suspension until the conditions of your suspension are met.
The court may also require a person to complete driving courses as a condition for the return of full driving privileges after the suspension period is imposed.
Other Types Of Driver’s License Offenses In Ohio
In Ohio, the law provides for several different ways that a crime related to a driver’s license violation can be prosecuted, including:
- Failure to reinstate license;
- Driving under financial responsibility law suspension or cancellation;
- Operating a motorcycle without a valid motorcycle license or endorsement;
- Operating a motor vehicle with an expired license;
- Operating a motor vehicle when you have not been issued a license;
- Operating a motor vehicle in violation of license restriction; and
- Operating a motor vehicle under a suspended license.
Finding A Criminal Defense Attorney In Ohio
Contact Joslyn Criminal Defense Law Firm today for a free consultation if you have been charged with driving while your license is suspended in Cincinnati, Ohio. Brian Joslyn of Joslyn Criminal Defense Law Firm is an aggressive and knowledgeable Cincinnati traffic defense attorney who will listen to the particular facts of your case and will make every effort to aggressively fight the charges against you.
Call Joslyn Criminal Defense Law Firm at (513) 399-6289 or submit an online form for a free, confidential consultation about your license-related traffic offense in Hamilton County and surrounding counties.
