Michigan Criminal Defense Lawyer Blog
NOTE: MY OFFICE CANNOT ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT YOU OWE, WHY YOU OWE IT, WHAT KIND OF PAYMENT ARRANGEMENTS ARE AVAILABLE OR ASSIST IN MAKING THOSE ARRANGEMENTS. YOU MUST CALL THE MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY AT: 1-800-950-6227.
Many Drivers who are required, for any of many reasons, to pay a Driver Responsibility Fee to the State of Michigan are unaware that there is a new Payment Plan option available, and it has recently become even better.
It goes without saying that in these tough economic times the last thing anyone needs are additional fees tacked onto their Driver’s License, but the Courts in Macomb, Oakland and Wayne County are filled with cases involving Suspended License Violations because drivers could not afford the Driver Responsibility Fees assessed against them, and wound up driving with a suspended license, and getting caught.
It becomes a vicious cycle of sorts, but those drivers face not only new Criminal Charges, but additional Driver Responsibility Fees on top of additional license sanctions and suspensions.
In April of 2009, the Michigan Secretary of State changed its policies regarding payment of these Driver Responsibility Fees. Perhaps the most significant and best part of the change is that outstanding fees can be paid over a 24 month (2 year) period. Prior to the April change, payment plans were limited to 12 months (1 year). Some drivers are even unaware that there has long been a Payment Plan which can be set up with the Secretary of State.
Anyone facing a Driving While License Suspended charge would be well advised to speak with an Attorney before appearing in Court. While many drivers simply want to put the mater behind them, eating a conviction for Driving While License Suspended not only requires and additional, like period of license suspension, but 2 points are also added to the driver’s record. Worse yet, another Driver Responsibility Fee will be assessed, making a bad situation much worse.
As part of my Criminal Practice, I routinely handle Driving While License Suspended cases, and am usually able to convince the Prosecutor to reduce the charge to something other than DWLS, thereby saving my client from having his or her license suspended any further, sparing them the two points that such an offense carries, and, most of all, saving them from incurring any additional Driver Responsibility Fees. Given the relatively small legal fees involved in handling this kind of case, and given the substantial benefit that results from having it properly handled, the overall savings quite literally means more money in your pocket.