Driving with No Insurance - No Proof of Insurance
Salt Lake Criminal Defense Attorney for Utah No Insurance Charges
Utah's criminal code makes it a criminal offense to operate a motor
vehicle without insurance. The criminal code also makes it a
crime to operate a motor vehicle without having proof of insurance with
you in the vehicle. Both crimes are considered class B
misdemeanors,
making the maximum possible jail term on each 180 days. A conviction
becomes part of your Utah criminal record, and can count against you in
determining expungement eligibility.
Most judges will not impose jail time for a first offense.
But in addition to the possibility of jail time, a Utah
conviction for no insurance can mean a substantial mandatory fine and a
suspended driver's license. The
Utah
Driver License Division may require you to carry SR22
insurance to have your license reinstated.
Many driving without insurance cases are filed in
Utah's
justice court system.
But this does not mean that the charges should not be taken
seriously. Do not plead guilty to a Utah insurance charge without
speaking to an
experienced
Utah criminal defense
attorney first. There may be a valid defense for
your case.
Given the potential fines, driver's license suspension,
insurance consequence, you may
actually end up saving money by hiring a lawyer to handle your
case.
Utah criminal defense attorney Stephen Howard has spent his career
defending the rights of individuals facing criminal charges. He has
protected his clients' rights in thousands of serious felony and
misdemeanor cases. Based in Salt Lake City, Mr. Howard provides legal
services to clients throughout Utah. Contact us today to arrange for an
initial consultation.
A Few Potential Defenses
It is relatively common for individuals to be charged under Utah's no
insurance laws when they have borrowed someone else's vehicle.
Even if the owner of the vehicle did not have a valid
insurance policy on the vehicle, the individual driving the car may not
be guilty. Under such a circumstance, it is vital to consider
whether the individual had his or her own insurance policy that covered
the driver regardless of whether the vehicle was insured. If
you have an insurance policy that covers you as the driver, you are not
guilty of driving without insurance.
Under such circumstances, some police officers may try to cite you for not
having proof of insurance ("evidence of security") with you while
driving. If you are cited for not having proof of
insurance, but you had insurance that was in effect at the
time, you are not guilty. Under Utah's criminal code,
actually having insurance is a complete defense to the charge
of not having proof of insurance. While it may be true that
you did not have proof of insurance, you are not still not guilty.
Costs of Hiring an Attorney
Hiring an attorney can be
expensive. But the costs of a conviction can be even greater. While it
is not likely that a judge would impose the maximum
jail term (180 days) for a no insurance conviction, there are other consequences to consider.
We occasionally hear from individuals who are being denied
expungement eligibility
based on minor traffic-related criminal convictions, such as driving
without insurance. Employment and other opportunities can be missed
based on an inability to pass a criminal background check. Typically,
it is not the no insurance charge that is causing problems directly in
their lives. But a no insurance conviction can be enough, in some
cases, to prevent expungement of other more serious charges.
We
try to keep the costs of representation affordable by offering our
clients the option of hourly billing or reasonable flat-fee rates.
Consulting with an experienced criminal defense attorney can help you
understand your options.
Finding a Criminal Defense Lawyer in Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt
Lake criminal defense attorney
Stephen Howard is pleased to offer legal services to clients throughout
Utah. He has successfully protected his clients' rights in some of the
most serious charges on the books in Utah. He also recognizes that even
"minor" misdemeanor charges can have significant consequences, and
takes each case seriously.
If you are facing prosecution for no insurance or other
criminal charges,
contact us
today to schedule an initial consultation.
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