There are several California statutes under which your driver’s license may be suspended, and multiple charges that may be filed if you are stopped while driving with a suspended license. If you are caught driving during a suspension, you will likely be cited for violation of VC §12500. Under this provision, you may be charged with either an infraction or a misdemeanor, depending on the circumstances. Either way, a citation for violation of VC §12500 requires that you or your attorney go to court to advocate on your behalf and protect your driving privileges going forward.

DUI License Suspension

If your license is suspended as a result of a DUI conviction or plea, and you are stopped during that period of suspension, you will be cited for violation of VC §14601 or 14601.5, both of which are misdemeanors. For a first time violation of this section, penalties include fines of more than $1500 and from 5 days to 6 months in jail. The court may also require installation of an Ignition Interlock Device, and the DMV will add 2 points to your driving record. A second offense within five years carries with it mandatory jail time of at least 10 days.

Failure To Appear

Another common basis for license suspension is for repeated “Failures to Appear” (“FTA’s”), for failing to attend scheduled court dates. This can result in a warrant being issued for your arrest and criminal misdemeanor charges being filed against you. Under California Vehicle Code sections 40508 and 40509.5, your driver’s license can be suspended missed court dates and/or non-compliance with payment requirements. If your license has been suspended for one or more “FTA’s,” contact attorney Grace Ayers today to help clean up your traffic record and get your driver’s license back faster. We can oftentimes get your license back even before finishing the case in court! But your time is limited – and the longer it has been since the actual violation, the more difficult it can be to fight in court. Don’t wait – call us today.

Actions that can result in License Suspension include:

Speed Contests/Reckless Driving
A person convicted of driving recklessly or engaging in a speed contest which causes bodily injury to another person is subject to:

• Imprisonment in a county jail or state prison for a minimum of 30 days to 6 months,
• A fine ranging from $220— $1,000 or
• Both, a fine and imprisonment (CVC §§23105 and 23109.1).

Possessing Firearms

• Suspend or revoke the driving privilege of any minor convicted of possessing a concealable weapon or live ammunition, or
• Impose driver license sanctions for minors convicted of misdemeanors involving firearms.

Suspension or Revocation by DMV
If you get too many negligent driver points, the DMV will place you on probation for one year (which includes a six-month suspension) or revoke your driving.

• Your suspension or revocation order informs you of your right to a hearing.
• At the end of the suspension or revocation period, you may apply for a new driver license, and must show proof of financial responsibility.

Suspension by Judge
A judge may suspend a person’s driver license, if the driver is convicted of one of the following:

• Breaking speed laws or reckless driving.
• Driving Under the Influence (DUI) of alcohol or drugs.
• Hit-and-run.
• Engaging in lewd conduct and prostitution in a vehicle within 1,000 feet of a residence.
• Assaulting a driver, passenger, bicyclist, or pedestrian when the offense occurs on a highway (road rage).
• Failure to stop as required at a railway grade crossing.
• Felony or misdemeanor offense of recklessly fleeing a law enforcement officer.

Contact Los Angeles defense attorney Grace Ayers today to discuss your potential license suspension – we will do everything we can to restore and protect your driving privilege and for most cases, you do not even need to come to court. Call us today!

Running a red light is the cause of about 1/5 of all traffic fatalities, and is one of the most heavily fined traffic citations in the State of California. Not only can a red light citation lead to thousands of dollars in fines, it will also result in a “point” on your license, which will remain there for three years and will undoubtedly cause your insurance rates to increase. But all hope is not lost – a skilled defense attorney such as Grace Ayers can fight on your behalf and in many cases, protect your driving privileges and keep your driving record clean.

Los Angeles Red Light Ticket Lawyer

Failure to Stop

California Vehicle Code §21453 provides: (a) A driver facing a steady circular red signal alone shall stop at a marked limit line…and shall remain stopped until an indication to proceed is shown… Under VC §22450, a driver must also come to a complete stop at a marked Stop Sign.

Red Light Cameras

Now, with statewide installation of Red Light Cameras, it is possible to be cited for running a red light without a police officer even being present! Instead, your image is captured on camera, and you are mailed a citation within a few weeks, which typically includes a copy of your cameo. Caution: don’t trash that ticket! Enforcement of Red Light Camera Tickets varies depending on the area in which you got the ticket, but the only way to “beat” a red light ticket is to do it in court. Contact attorney Grace Ayers today to fight your Red Light Camera Ticket!

Fighting a Red Light Camera Ticket

1. False ID: If you received a ticket in the mail from when someone else was driving your car, you do have a defense. But again, you must present that defense to the court, either on your own or with the assistance of an attorney.
2. Technical Glitch: Red Light Cameras are really nothing but faulty computers, which can be falsely triggered if not properly maintained. It is therefore possible to challenge the validity of a citation by calling into question the specific machine used to capture the image.
3. Right on Red: Sometimes images are captured when drivers turn right on red, alleging that the driver did so without first coming to a full stop. In these instances, a review of the video footage can reveal that the camera did not actually capture the alleged violation, making dismissal a near certainty.

There are many other ways to challenge the validity of red light and stop sign citations, but again, they can only be challenged in court. Contact attorney Grace Ayers today for your free 30-minute consultation on what we can do to clean up your traffic record.

From speeding tickets to driving on a suspended license, attorney Grace Ayers has represented more than one hundred people on various traffic matters throughout the greater Los Angeles area. Whether you were recently stopped and cited by law enforcement or are now suffering the consequences of past traffic offenses, we can help. Your driving record is a precious thing – especially when it comes to insurance premiums. We will take your speeding ticket all the way to trial and you never even have to go to court. Contact attorney Grace Ayers to start cleaning up your driving record today!

Speeding Ticket Lawyer Los Angeles

Speeding Tickets

There are two main statutes that form the basis of a speeding ticket, Vehicle Code §22350 and Vehicle Code §22351.

VC §22350 makes it unlawful to drive at an unreasonable speed: No person shall drive a vehicle upon a highway at a speed greater than is reasonable or prudent having due regard for weather, visibility, the traffic on, and the surface and width of, the highway, and in no event at a speed which endangers the safety of persons or property.

VC §22351 makes it unlawful to drive above the posted speed limit: (a) The speed of any vehicle upon a highway not in excess of the limits specified in Section 22352 or established as authorized in this code is lawful unless clearly proved to be in violation of the basic speed law.

Special Speeding Circumstances

There are also several statutes for going above certain speeds, including VC §22349 – speeding above 65mph, and VC §22356 – speeding above 70mph.

If you were stopped for going above 100mph, you were probably cited for violation of VC §22348(b), which provides specific penalties for an offender:

• For a first time offense, punishable by up to $500 and up to 30 days license suspension.
• For a second offense within three years, punishable by up to $750 and mandatory license suspension of up to 6 months. (VC §13355).
• For an offense within five years of two prior offenses, punishable by up to $1000 and mandatory 1-year license suspension. (VC §13355).

Speed Contests

Under VC §23109, a speeding citation can actually be charged as a misdemeanor when the person has engaged in a “speeding contest,” on the highway. The “contest” can be against another vehicle or just the clock or other timing device. A conviction or guilty plea to a violation of VC §23109 can result in jail time, from 24 hours to 90 days, along with 40 hours of community service, thousands of dollars in court fines, and will leave you with a criminal record. In addition, your license will likely be suspended for 90 days to 6 months. If you were stopped and cited for violation of §23109, it is crucial that you contact an attorney right away, to ensure your rights and interests are protected in court. Call us today for your free 30-minute consultation!