KANSAS DRIVING WHILE SUSPENDED CRIMINAL DEFENSE LAWYER
An ordinary day can turn into a nightmare if you are caught driving while your license is suspended, canceled or revoked. This is an arrestable, misdemeanor, offense that comes with potential jail time. This can happen even if you had no idea you lost your driving privileges. Here's what you can expect:
Driving while suspended in Kansas is charged as a misdemeanor but can escalate to a felony if you are deemed a "habitual offender". You are facing serious time in jail, and you should not fight this alone. Call Attorney T. Morton (913) 602-7288.
- If it is your first time being charged with driving while suspended, you will likely be charged with a misdemeanor crime;
- If this is your only charge your bond will probably be between $1,000 to $2,000;
- Depending on your criminal history, you may qualify for a signature bond (OR or PR bond) and your attorney will need to be prepared to argue for that in court;
- The potential penalties are up to 6 months in jail, and $1000 in fines;
- If this is your second or more offense you will be facing up to 1 year of imprisonment, and there may be mandatory minimum jail times;
- In cases where you are also charged with other violations (ex. DUI, DWI, No Proof of Insurance, Reckless Driving, etc.), your case involves and accident, or bodily injury to another, in addition to those charge's potential jail time, you may loose your licenses for years;
- Additionally, you must face the Kansas Department of Motor Vehicle, in all circumstance, to request reinstatement of your driving privileges. This is separate process with added fines and costs.
Driving while suspended in Kansas is charged as a misdemeanor but can escalate to a felony if you are deemed a "habitual offender". You are facing serious time in jail, and you should not fight this alone. Call Attorney T. Morton (913) 602-7288.
KANSAS CITY, KS DRIVING WHILE SUSPENDED DEFENSES
DEFENSES TO DRIVING WHILE SUSPENDED
You may have a number of defenses to driving while suspended, including:
You may have a number of defenses to driving while suspended, including:
- No the person driving
- No prior conviction that would justify suspension
- Vehicle no operating at the time of stop
- Mistaken facts, and more.
DRIVING WHILE SUSPENDED DEFINED - KANSAS STATUTE
8-262. Driving while license canceled, suspended or revoked; criminal penalty; fine; confinement required in certain circumstances; extension of time of suspension or revocation. (a) (1) Except as provided in subsections (a)(3), (a)(4) and (c), any person who drives a motor vehicle on any highway of this state at a time when such person's privilege so to do is canceled, suspended or revoked or while such person's privilege to obtain a driver's license is suspended or revoked pursuant to K.S.A. 8-252a, and amendments thereto, shall be guilty of a class B nonperson misdemeanor on the first conviction and a class A nonperson misdemeanor on the second or subsequent conviction. In addition to any other criminal penalties provided by law, any person convicted of a violation of this section shall be subject to a fine of not less than $100.
(2) No person shall be convicted under this section if such person was entitled at the time of arrest under K.S.A. 8-257, and amendments thereto, to the return of such person's driver's license.
(3) Except as provided in subsection (a)(4) or (c), every person convicted of a violation of this section, committed while the person's privilege to drive or privilege to obtain a driver's license was suspended or revoked for any violation other than a violation of K.S.A. 8-2110, and amendments thereto, or any ordinance of any city, resolution of any county or a law of another state that prohibits the acts prohibited by those statutes other than K.S.A. 8-2110, and amendments thereto, shall be sentenced to at least five days of confinement and, upon a second conviction, shall not be eligible for parole until completion of five days of confinement.
(4) Except as provided in subsection (c), if a person: (A) Is convicted of a violation of this section, committed while the person's privilege to drive or privilege to obtain a driver's license was suspended or revoked for a violation of K.S.A. 8-2,144 or 8-1567, and amendments thereto, or any ordinance of any city, resolution of any county or a law of another state that prohibits the acts prohibited by those statutes; and (B) is or has been also convicted of a violation of K.S.A. 8-2,144 or 8-1567, and amendments thereto, or any ordinance of any city, resolution of any county or law of another state that prohibits the acts prohibited by those statutes, committed while the person's privilege to drive or privilege to obtain a driver's license was so suspended or revoked, the person shall not be eligible for suspension of sentence, probation or parole until the person has served at least 90 days of confinement, and any fine imposed on such person shall be in addition to such a term of confinement.
(b) (1) Except as provided in subsection (b)(2), the division, upon receiving a record of the conviction of any person under this section, or any ordinance of any city or resolution of any county or a law of another state which is in substantial conformity with this section, upon a charge of driving a vehicle while the license of such person is revoked or suspended, shall extend the period of such suspension or revocation for an additional period of 90 days.
(2) For any person found guilty of driving a vehicle while the license of such person is suspended for violating K.S.A. 8-2110, and amendments thereto, such offense shall not extend the additional period of suspension pursuant to subsection (b)(1).
(c) (1) The person found guilty of a class A nonperson misdemeanor on a third or subsequent conviction of this section shall be sentenced to not less than 90 days of confinement and fined not less than $1,500 if such person's privilege to drive a motor vehicle is canceled, suspended or revoked because such person:
(A) Refused to submit and complete any test of blood, breath or urine requested by law enforcement excluding the preliminary screening test as set forth in K.S.A. 8-1012, and amendments thereto;
(B) was convicted of violating the provisions of K.S.A. 40-3104, and amendments thereto, relating to motor vehicle liability insurance coverage;
(C) was convicted of vehicular homicide, K.S.A. 21-3405, prior to its repeal, or K.S.A. 21-5406, and amendments thereto, involuntary manslaughter while driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, K.S.A. 21-3442, prior to its repeal, or involuntary manslaughter as defined in K.S.A. 21-5405(a)(3) and (a)(5), and amendments thereto, or any other murder or manslaughter crime resulting from the operation of a motor vehicle; or
(D) was convicted of being a habitual violator, K.S.A. 8-287, and amendments thereto.
(2) The person convicted shall not be eligible for release on probation, suspension or reduction of sentence or parole until the person has served at least 90 days of confinement. The 90 days of confinement mandated by this subsection may be served in a work release program only after such person has served 48 consecutive hours of confinement and only if such work release program requires such person to return to confinement at the end of each day in the work release program. The court may place the person convicted under a house arrest program pursuant to K.S.A. 21-6609, and amendments thereto, or any municipal ordinance to serve the remainder of the minimum sentence only after such person has served 48 consecutive hours of confinement.
(d) For the purposes of determining whether a conviction is a first, second, third or subsequent conviction in sentencing under this section, "conviction" includes a conviction of a violation of any ordinance of any city, resolution of any county or a law of another state that is in substantial conformity with this section.
(2) No person shall be convicted under this section if such person was entitled at the time of arrest under K.S.A. 8-257, and amendments thereto, to the return of such person's driver's license.
(3) Except as provided in subsection (a)(4) or (c), every person convicted of a violation of this section, committed while the person's privilege to drive or privilege to obtain a driver's license was suspended or revoked for any violation other than a violation of K.S.A. 8-2110, and amendments thereto, or any ordinance of any city, resolution of any county or a law of another state that prohibits the acts prohibited by those statutes other than K.S.A. 8-2110, and amendments thereto, shall be sentenced to at least five days of confinement and, upon a second conviction, shall not be eligible for parole until completion of five days of confinement.
(4) Except as provided in subsection (c), if a person: (A) Is convicted of a violation of this section, committed while the person's privilege to drive or privilege to obtain a driver's license was suspended or revoked for a violation of K.S.A. 8-2,144 or 8-1567, and amendments thereto, or any ordinance of any city, resolution of any county or a law of another state that prohibits the acts prohibited by those statutes; and (B) is or has been also convicted of a violation of K.S.A. 8-2,144 or 8-1567, and amendments thereto, or any ordinance of any city, resolution of any county or law of another state that prohibits the acts prohibited by those statutes, committed while the person's privilege to drive or privilege to obtain a driver's license was so suspended or revoked, the person shall not be eligible for suspension of sentence, probation or parole until the person has served at least 90 days of confinement, and any fine imposed on such person shall be in addition to such a term of confinement.
(b) (1) Except as provided in subsection (b)(2), the division, upon receiving a record of the conviction of any person under this section, or any ordinance of any city or resolution of any county or a law of another state which is in substantial conformity with this section, upon a charge of driving a vehicle while the license of such person is revoked or suspended, shall extend the period of such suspension or revocation for an additional period of 90 days.
(2) For any person found guilty of driving a vehicle while the license of such person is suspended for violating K.S.A. 8-2110, and amendments thereto, such offense shall not extend the additional period of suspension pursuant to subsection (b)(1).
(c) (1) The person found guilty of a class A nonperson misdemeanor on a third or subsequent conviction of this section shall be sentenced to not less than 90 days of confinement and fined not less than $1,500 if such person's privilege to drive a motor vehicle is canceled, suspended or revoked because such person:
(A) Refused to submit and complete any test of blood, breath or urine requested by law enforcement excluding the preliminary screening test as set forth in K.S.A. 8-1012, and amendments thereto;
(B) was convicted of violating the provisions of K.S.A. 40-3104, and amendments thereto, relating to motor vehicle liability insurance coverage;
(C) was convicted of vehicular homicide, K.S.A. 21-3405, prior to its repeal, or K.S.A. 21-5406, and amendments thereto, involuntary manslaughter while driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, K.S.A. 21-3442, prior to its repeal, or involuntary manslaughter as defined in K.S.A. 21-5405(a)(3) and (a)(5), and amendments thereto, or any other murder or manslaughter crime resulting from the operation of a motor vehicle; or
(D) was convicted of being a habitual violator, K.S.A. 8-287, and amendments thereto.
(2) The person convicted shall not be eligible for release on probation, suspension or reduction of sentence or parole until the person has served at least 90 days of confinement. The 90 days of confinement mandated by this subsection may be served in a work release program only after such person has served 48 consecutive hours of confinement and only if such work release program requires such person to return to confinement at the end of each day in the work release program. The court may place the person convicted under a house arrest program pursuant to K.S.A. 21-6609, and amendments thereto, or any municipal ordinance to serve the remainder of the minimum sentence only after such person has served 48 consecutive hours of confinement.
(d) For the purposes of determining whether a conviction is a first, second, third or subsequent conviction in sentencing under this section, "conviction" includes a conviction of a violation of any ordinance of any city, resolution of any county or a law of another state that is in substantial conformity with this section.
ATTORNEY T. MORTON
7500 College Blvd., Suite 500
Overland Park, KS 66210 (by appointment only)
Phone: 913.602.7288
Fax: 913.624.3311
Google Map Link
7500 College Blvd., Suite 500
Overland Park, KS 66210 (by appointment only)
Phone: 913.602.7288
Fax: 913.624.3311
Google Map Link
Serving Johnson County District Court, Overland Park Municipal Court, Leawood Municipal Court, Shawnee Municipal Court, Merriam Municipal Court, Lenexa Municipal Court, Mission Municipal Court, Prairie Village Municipal Court, Roeland Park Municipal Court, Olathe Municipal Court, and a host of other courts in Johnson County Kansas.