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Losing The Right To Drive Through Drivers License Suspension

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This week's post focuses on an aspect of drunk driving sentencing that many Wisconsin residents may not completely understand: drivers license suspensions and revocations. In addition to fines and jail sentences, individuals facing drunk driving charges can have their drivers' licenses taken back temporarily or permanently by the state, thus prohibiting them from getting behind the wheel of a motor vehicle.

The recent arrest of a Wisconsin man on his eighth operating while intoxicated charge prompted a judge to place the man in jail pending payment of a cash bond due to the serious threat that he poses to his community. The man had his license revoked the prior year and therefore was not supposed to be driving at the time of his latest arrest. Individuals can lose their driving privileges based on a variety of factors and can lose the right to drive for varying lengths of time.

Many people many feel that drivers license suspensions or revocations are too unfair because they must commute by personal vehicle to and from work. Without a car, those people claim, they cannot earn a living and take care of their obligations. Courts can permit drivers convicted of drunk driving to have limited driving access based on hardship if they simply cannot function without driving privileges.

While the man in this story is facing up to a year in jail for operating a vehicle with a revoked license, others facing DUI and other drunk driving charges may fear losing the right to drive. Though no outcomes are ever guaranteed, working with experienced DUI and drunk driving attorneys can help individuals protect their driving rights and get through their legal dilemmas with dignity.

Source: Portage Daily Register, "8th OWI charge for Madison man on supervision for 7th offense," Shannon Green, Dec. 9, 2013