People understand that driving after their license has been suspended or revoked is illegal, but they may not realize how serious the penalties can be. Even though many individuals are allowed a restricted license after a conviction of driving under the influence, they may continue to drive outside of those parameters. If they get caught, they need the assistance of a criminal defense attorney in Mankato, MN. The charge is a misdemeanor, but it can still result in jail time and another hefty financial penalty in addition to the previous DUI fine. The court will likely extend the license suspension as well.
Under Minnesota state law, a person who drives under these circumstances can be sentenced to a full three months in jail and a financial penalty of up to $1,000. A criminal defense attorney in Mankato, MN works to show the court that the person was not being flagrantly irresponsible or rebellious in regard to the suspension. It may help if the individual and other people can verify there was a compelling reason for that person to get behind the wheel. Heading to the store for a pack of cigarettes is not going to impress a judge, but responding to a call from a friend in the emergency room may justify leniency.
The situation is even worse when someone drives after the license is canceled because that person was determined to be a threat to public safety when behind the wheel. This type of cancellation is usually imposed when the individual is a habitual offender in regard to DUI. Now, the potential sentence escalates to a full year of incarceration and a monetary penalty of up to $3,000. These are obviously very serious consequences for an act as simple and seemingly harmless as driving a car. It may seem unfair if the person had an important reason to drive and had not been drinking at all. Nevertheless, the individual did not comply with the terms of the punishment and now faces severe consequences. Anyone dealing with these kinds of scenarios may contact a firm such as the Blatz Law Office for help. The official website is Blatzlawminnesota.com.
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