Driving With a Suspended License

New York City Defense Lawyer for Arrest for Driving With a Suspended License (VTL 511)

Criminal cases for driving with a suspended license are common in New York City. Though these cases may not seem significant at first, individuals who have been arrested for Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle in the Third Degree (Vehicle and Traffic Law Section 511) can end up having permanent and public criminal records. As such, if you or a loved one have been arrested and charged with this crime, you should contact one of the experienced New York criminal defense lawyers at The Law Office of Matthew Galluzzo.

Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle in the Third Degree (VTL 511) is an unclassified misdemeanor with the potential for monetary penalties up to $500 and/or prison sentences up to 30 days. Individuals charged with this crime frequently do not realize that their license was suspended, however. Perhaps a notifying letter from the Department of Motor Vehicles came to their home in the mail but they never opened it, or the letter was sent to an old address. A person can even have a valid out-of-state license but nevertheless still have had their driving privileges within New York suspended as a result of unpaid tickets or too many accrued driving points. These arrests regularly result in defendants receiving Desk Appearance Tickets directing them to appear in court at later dates. Of course, this can be especially difficult for those defendants living abroad or out of state.

VTL 511(a) A person is guilty of the offense of aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle in the third degree when such person operates a motor vehicle upon a public highway while knowing or having reason to know that such person’s license or privilege of operating such motor vehicle in this state or privilege of obtaining a license to operate such motor vehicle issued by the commissioner is suspended, revoked or otherwise withdrawn by the commissioner.

VTL 511(b) Aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle in the third degree is a misdemeanor. When a person is convicted of this offense, the sentence of the court must be: (i) a fine of not less than two hundred dollars nor more than five hundred dollars; or (ii) a term of imprisonment of not more than thirty days; or (iii) both such fine and imprisonment.

If you or a loved one have been arrested for or charged with a vehicular offense like Aggravated Operation of a Motor Vehicle in the Third Degree (VTL 511), it is important that you speak with an experienced New York criminal defense attorney immediately. A conviction can be a major deterrent to employers, future landlords or anyone else performing a criminal background check. As former assistant district attorneys with over 17 combined years of prosecutorial experience, the New York Attorney’s at The Law Office of Matthew Galluzzo have dealt with these cases as both prosecutors and defense attorneys. Our attorneys understand how best to handle allegations of this nature in order to help our clients avoid jail and unnecessary convictions. The attorneys at The Law Office of Matthew Galluzzo works hard for his clients to ensure that they get the best defense possible, and have had tremendous success doing so in these matters.

For more information about vehicular license charges, and to schedule your consultation, contact us at (212) 344-5180.