We have all found ourselves in the situation where we are rushing out of the house and forget to grab our wallet with our money, credit cards, and identification cards along the way. This may be an honest mistake, but it may work to your disadvantage if you end up getting pulled over by a law enforcement officer. This is because one of the first things an officer may ask of you is to produce your driver’s license and vehicle registration. If this is your current predicament, please continue reading to learn what will happen if you are pulled over without a driver’s license and how an experienced Morristown traffic violation lawyer at Graves Andrews, LLC can help you rectify this situation.
What happens if I’m pulled over and missing my driver’s license?
At the time of your traffic stop, you may have to embarrassingly admit to a law enforcement officer that you forgot to carry your driver’s license with you that day. They may also hold the legal right to deny a scan or photo of this legal document. If so, they may charge you with an $180 fine, in addition to the traffic ticket for the reason they initially pulled you over. Rest assured, there is a means of fixing this mistake of yours. That is, you may go before a New Jersey prosecutor and judge and present them with your driver’s license, which was valid and in your possession at the time of your traffic stop. If all goes well, the judge may dismiss your charge, and you may only be responsible for paying a $33 court fee.
What happens if I’m caught driving without owning a license?
It may not be such an easy fix if you have never previously been issued a license in New Jersey or any other state. For this, you may be up against a fine of up to $500, a jail sentence of up to 60 days, and a mandatory suspension of up to 180 days until you regain your right to apply for a driver’s license with the New Jersey Department of Motor Vehicles. A similar fate arises if you were driving with an expired, suspended, or revoked license at the time of your traffic stop. This may also come with a $500 fine and a 60-day jail sentence. All in all, either of these incidents may be treated as a disorderly persons offense and handled by a New Jersey municipal court.
Before heading into your trial, your legal representative may try to negotiate a plea deal with the prosecution. Ideally, your potential jail time may be swapped for attendance at traffic classes, for example. Understandably, this may all seem like a headache during this especially overwhelming time. Well, to alleviate some of the pent-up stress, please turn to the legal aid of a skilled Morristown criminal defense lawyer. Contact our office, Graves Andrews, LLC, right now; someone will be more than happy to speak with you.