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info@glgmichigan.com Driving While License Revoked: The Vicious Circle
When you have your license revoked—typically after a repeat drunk driving conviction—you have no privileges whatsoever. You must apply to have your license reinstated through the Michigan Secretary of State, which is often a confusing, time-consuming and an expensive endeavor. What do many Michigan revoked drivers continue to do? They continue to drive while their license is revoked!
A significant percentage of people who have had their privileges revoked continue to drive, and continue to get pulled over and arrested, cited for driving while revoked. They then enter what Dan refers to as “The Vicious Circle.” Why? Because each time a revoked driver is cited for driving without privileges, the Michigan Secretary of State matches the previous period of revocation (called a “like-kind revocation”) and “piggy-backs” that time on top of their eligibility.
For example, drivers who have had their license revoked for a minimum of one year who get caught driving suddenly must wait two years before seeking restoration. If you have had your license revoked for a minimum of five years (usually following an OWI 3rd Offense) and get caught driving must wait ten years before seeking restoration. “The vicious circle” continues! As a result, we have met clients who aren’t eligible for restoration for 20-30 years!
Attorney Daniel T. Geherin, owner of MiLicenseLawyer.com and author of The Michigan Drunk Driving and Driver’s License Restoration Handbook, has dedicated his career to helping put drivers back on the road following a license suspension or revocation. He’s recognized as a license appeals specialist in Ann Arbor and throughout Michigan. He’s won license appeals hearings throughout the State, and boasts a 98% success rate in winning license appeals. In the last 10 years alone, he’s helped put hundreds of clients back on the road lawfully and legally. To prove that these results are legitimate, he posts the case numbers of successful appeals here so that potential clients can see his extensive success.
Each day, Dan takes calls from clients who have been charged with Driving While License Revoked, and are facing “The Vicious Circle.” They ask these questions:
“What are the courtroom consequences for Driving While License Revoked?”
“Is there any way to defend this charge and prevent the “like” revocation?”
“When will I be eligible to seek restoration of my license and end the “vicious circle?”
Driving while license is revoked as a first offense is a misdemeanor offense carrying the possibility of 93 days in jail. While most judges don’t impose jail time on these offenses—especially for first-offenses—some judges grow fed up with this offense and do jail offenders who shouldn’t be on the road. Second offenses carry up to one year in jail, and injuring or killing another while driving with a revoked license is a felony offense.
Unless you truly didn’t receive notice of the revocation, or the traffic stop was improper, there aren’t many available defenses for these charges. If the charge is negotiated to a lesser offense (like No Operator’s License on Person), the charge still gets abstracted to the Michigan Secretary of State and causes the like-revocation.
To determine when you’re truly eligible for restoration, Dan and his team will ask you the client to get a copy of your Master Driving Record at a Michigan Secretary of State Branch Office. Our team will form a plan on how and when to restore your license and break “The Vicious Circle.”
For a dedicated, experienced and successful license appeals attorney in Michigan, please contact Dan Geherin and his team at MiLicenseAttorney.com. We know the process inside and out, and we’ll fight zealously to restore your license. For more information, please call 24/7 (734) 263-2780.
