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QuestionInsurance Question  I live in the state of Florida. I will be going to court on January 25 for three counts, they are: registration expired for more than 6 months, driving with suspended license with knowledge, and failure to display PIP insurance. What penalties should I expect when I go to court? And should I hire a lawyer? I have already missed the court appearance two times, this will be my third court date coming up which I will go to.

AnswerAuto Insurance Answer

You have three serious offenses to defend in court and since you have already missed your court appearances twice you may want to get legal advice on how best to handle this situation. As for what the penalties might be for driving with expired registration, with a suspended license and without the state required minimum car insurance see the information below.

Florida Statute 320.07 speaks of expiration of registration for vehicles in FL. It states that the registration of a motor vehicle or mobile home shall expire at midnight on the last day of the registration period. A vehicle shall not be operated on the roads of this state after expiration of the renewal period unless the registration has been renewed according to law.

Any person whose motor vehicle registration has been expired for a period of 6 months or less commits a noncriminal traffic infraction, punishable as a non-moving violation. Any person whose motor vehicle registration has been expired for more than 6 months shall upon a first offense be subject to the penalties such as paying a civil penalty and delinquent fee, if applicable, either by mail or in person, within 30 days after the date of issuance of the citation.

Driving with a suspended license is against Florida Statute 322.34 and a first conviction is guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree and comes with penalties such as a several hundred dollar fine. Or if your license was suspended due for Driving with an Unlawful Alcohol Level, or revoked for DUI, DUI Manslaughter or Vehicular Homicide, or for any other offense ordered by the court and who causes death or serious bodily injury to another person by operating a motor vehicle in a careless or negligent manner is guilty of a 3rd degree felony, punishable by both imprisonment of not more than 5 years, a fine not to exceed $5,000, or both.

Now if you do not keep insurance on your vehicle the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (HSMV) is authorized to suspend your driving privilege, including your vehicle tag and registration, for up to three years or until proof of Florida insurance is provided, whichever is first.

To reinstate your driving privileges after being caught uninsured a reinstatement fee of between $150 and $500 and show proof of auto insurance.

Depending upon how your court appearance goes you may receive these penalties or others that are allowable by Florida state statutes. If you still need to purchase insurance for your vehicle, you may want to do so before your court appearance. You can get a quick auto insurance quote here.

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