Plymouth Suspended License Lawyer

Driving on a suspended or revoked license in Plymouth is a criminal charge under MCL 257.904, prosecuted before a judge at the 35th District Court. This is a separate matter from license restoration, which is an administrative process handled entirely outside the court system. Our firm handles both, but they call for very different strategies.

What Are the Real Penalties for Driving on a Suspended or Revoked License?

A first offense under MCL 257.904 is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 93 days in jail and a $500 fine. A second or subsequent offense raises the exposure to up to one year in jail and a $1,000 fine. Felony-level charges only come into play in rare cases involving serious injury or death.

In the vast majority of cases our firm handles in Plymouth and the surrounding communities, jail is not the real risk. The judge decides guilt, jail exposure, and fines — but under MCL 257.904(10), the Michigan Secretary of State, not the court, must automatically impose an additional period of suspension or revocation on top of whatever the judge decides. That happens regardless of the sentence, and it’s the consequence that catches most people off guard.

The court may also order your vehicle impounded, and for a first violation, the Secretary of State cancels your license plate as soon as it’s notified by police. For anyone whose license is already revoked from a prior DUI, the automatic additional suspension or revocation is the piece that matters most — a new conviction can push back the earliest date you’re even eligible to seek your license back.

The 35th District Court Also Covers Canton

The 35th District Court, based in Plymouth, also has jurisdiction over Canton. A suspended-license charge from either community lands in front of the same three judges — Barone, Gerou, and Plakas — but can involve different city attorneys or the county prosecutor depending on where the stop happened. (Northville is a partial exception: the larger part of it actually falls under the Novi District Court’s jurisdiction in Oakland County, a geographic quirk worth knowing if that’s where your stop happened.)

We also represent clients facing this charge in Canton, and familiarity with how each jurisdiction’s prosecutor approaches these cases is part of what we bring to a case.

How Our Firm Builds a Defense in a Suspended License Case

Jail is technically possible under MCL 257.904, but in most of the cases we handle, it’s not really what’s on the menu. The priority is protecting your ability to drive, and that comes down to exactly what a proposed resolution does to your driving record — not just what it looks like on the criminal side.

A charge like NO OPS (no operator’s license on person) can look like a favorable plea on paper, but it still gets reported to your driving record and can trigger the same automatic suspension or revocation you’re trying to avoid — which defeats the purpose of negotiating in the first place. Our approach is to push for a resolution to an offense that doesn’t abstract onto your driving record at all, so the outcome actually protects your license rather than just changing the paperwork.

If you’re also pursuing a license restoration case to get a revoked license back permanently, showing the court that effort is already underway can sometimes help that negotiation further. Our firm handles that separate process too — ask us about it directly, and we’ll walk you through how the two connect.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is driving on a suspended license a misdemeanor or a felony in Michigan?

In almost every case, it’s a misdemeanor. A first offense carries up to 93 days in jail, and repeat offenses carry up to a year. Felony charges are reserved for cases involving serious injury or death, which are uncommon.

What happens if I’m pulled over on a suspended license in Plymouth?

You’ll be cited or arrested, and the case will be heard at the 35th District Court. A prior suspension already on your record makes an early, well-prepared defense more important, not less, since a new conviction can extend how long you’re without a license.

Will this affect my ability to restore my license later?

It can complicate the timeline. Our firm handles both the criminal charge and, when it’s needed, the separate restoration process, so we can plan around how one affects the other from the start.

Do I need a lawyer, or can I just pay the fine?

You can technically resolve it without one, but a conviction and the consequences that come with it are often avoidable or reducible with the right defense. Given what’s at stake for your ability to drive, most people are better served by having someone in their corner who knows the court.

Talk to Our Firm About Your Plymouth Suspended License Charge

If you’re facing a suspended or revoked license charge in Plymouth, Canton, Northville, or one of the surrounding communities, our firm can help. Call us at 586-465-1980 for a free, confidential phone consultation, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. An after-hours answering service, our contact form, and the chat box on our website are all available if you reach out outside business hours.

Learn more about our DUI and criminal defense practice, or contact our office today.