Articles Posted in License Suspensions

In May of 2022, MH, a 30 year old designer from Andover, was stopped by the police and issued a citation for No Inspection Sticker and Unregistered Motor Vehicle. He took care of the registration and the sticker, but failed to either pay the ticket or request a hearing. He went into default on the ticket and the Registry suspended his license. He continued to drive. On December 13, 2022 he got pulled over by the Amesbury Police for driving after suspension of his license. He was summonsed to court in Newburyport. MH consulted with and retained Attorney Robert Lewin from Andover.

Attorney Lewin immediately obtained the police reports and both MH’s criminal record and driver history from the Registry. Attorney Lewin made certain that MH got his license reinstated before the Court date. Prior to MH’s arraignment, Attorney Lewin spoke with the Assistant DA at Newburyport District Court and advocated with the Assistant DA to dismiss the case. The Assistant DA agreed.

On March 28, 2023, Attorney Lewin and MH appeared in Newburyport District Court. The case was called and Attorney Lewin and the Assistant DA told the Judge that there was an agreement to dismiss the case. The Judge ordered the case dismissed.

On June 20, 2020, MG, a 23 year old musician was driving northbound on Route 1 near the jug handle in Peabody. Suddenly he rear ended the vehicle in front of him which had come to a stop in traffic. The police responded to the accident scene and it was determined that MG’s license was suspended for non-payment of a speeding ticket. The police cited MG for operating after suspension (a criminal offense) and for  failure to use care (a civil offense).  MG’s driver record was not good. This was his second surchargeable (at fault) accident in less than a year and he also had an out-of-state conviction for using a hand held phone while driving.

MG received a summons to go to Peabody District Court. His arraignment was scheduled for July 13, 2021. On July 12, 2021 (!!!), the day before the scheduled arraignment, MG’s father contacted Attorney Robert Lewin from Andover and asked if he could go to court the next morning. Attorney Lewin said he could rearrange his schedule and he could go to court in Peabody at 8:30 AM for MG’s arraignment. MG’s family hired Attorney Lewin late in the day on July 12. That evening, Attorney Lewin spoke with MG on the phone and took a complete statement of the facts from MG as well as a complete personal history. Attorney Lewin ran MG’s driver record from the Registry of Motor Vehicles. The next morning Attorney Lewin appeared with MG and his father in Peabody District Court. Fortunately MG had paid the speeding ticket that was causing his license to be suspended and he paid a reinstatement fee to the Registry so that when they went to Court on July 13, 2021 MG’s license was active.

Attorney Lewin spoke with the Assistant District Attorney at Peabody District Court and pointed out that MG had NO criminal record in MA and that his license was fully reinstated. Attorney Lewin asked the Assistant DA to dismiss the criminal case and the Assistant DA agreed.

On Wednesday, July 28, 2021 Attorney Robert Lewin from Andover received a phone call from AL, a 48 year old gentleman from Florida. AL told Attorney Lewin that Florida had suspended his license because AL’s right to drive in Massachusetts was suspended due to a 29 year old warrant out of Gardner District Court. Attorney Lewin told Al that Attorney Lewin would call Gardner District Court to see what the warrant was all about. Attorney Lewin called the Court and learned that in 1992 AL had been arrested and charged with the following offenses in Gardner:

  • Operating After Suspension of his License
  • Giving a False Name to a Police Officer

RW, a 57 year old owner of a landscaping/irrigation business in Tennessee, received a notice from the Tennessee Department of Motor Vehicles that his Tennessee License was being suspended because Massachusetts had suspended his right to operate a motor vehicle due to an outstanding warrant in a Massachusetts Court. RW needed a license to run his business and to do all the things that we all do with a license. Unfortunately for RW the warrant was a probation violation warrant. Thirty years earlier, in 1987, RW had been found guilty of Larceny Over $250.00 in Cambridge District Court. He was given a 1 year suspended sentence and placed on probation for 2 years and ordered to pay restitution. Now, 30 years later, he was at risk of having that 1 year suspended sentence put into effect. On Tuesday, October 10, 2017 RW called Attorney Robert Lewin in North Andover, MA and explained the situation. Attorney Lewin told RW that he would call him back. Attorney Lewin called the Clerk-Magistrate’s Office and was able to get the details on the case including the bank to whom the restitution was owing. The bank was no longer in business. Attorney Lewin called the probation office at the Court. It turns out that RW’s probation officer from 30 years earlier still worked in the probation department! He was now the Chief Probation Officer. Attorney Lewin explained RW’s situation to the Chief Probation Officer and explained that the bank was no longer in existence. As promised, Attorney Lewin called RW back (that same Tuesday) and explained the situatuion to RW and explained that he felt he could get the warrant canceled and the case resolved without RW coming to Massachusetts. The next day, Wednesday, October 11, 2017, RW hired Attorney Lewin. The following day, less than 24 hours after being retained, Attorney Lewin went to Cambridge District Court and had the case sent into the Courtroom. Attorney Lewin explained to the Judge that the bank was no longer in existence and that the probation office was not looking for any additional sanction. Attorney Lewin explained that RW had left Massachusetts and moved to Tennessee shortly after being placed on probation. Attorney Lewin asked the Judge (a) to waive (excuse) RW’s appearance in court, (b) to allow Attorney Lewin to appear in RW’s absence, (c) to order the warrant canceled, (d) to terminate RW’s probation, and (e) to discharge RW from any further responsibility to the Court. The Judge granted the request and the case was closed.

Attorney Lewin left the courthouse at 9:35 AM and called RW. RW could not believe the news. Attorney Lewin explained to RW that it would take 24 hours for the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles to remove the suspension of RW’s right to drive and an additional 24 hours for that to get entered into the National Driver Registry. Two days later RW walked into the Tennessee Department of Motor Vehicles and got his Tennessee License reinstated.

After 42 years of criminal defense practice and 4 years before that as an Assistant District Attorney, Attorney Lewin knew just whom to call and what to say to get the quick and most favorable result possible.

KH, a 54 year old landscaper living now in Vermont, was arrested in Lawrence, MA in 2003 and charged with Unlawful Possession of Heroin, Conspiracy to Violate the Controlled Substance Act, and Operating After Revocation of License, 2nd Offense. KH failed to appear in Lawrence District Court following his arrest and a default warrant issued for his arrest. KH left Massachusetts and moved to Vermont. Vermont revoked his right to drive and told him he could not get a Vermont license until his revocation in Massachusetts was cleared. In order to clear his Massachusetts revocation KH had to get the warrant in Lawrence District Court cleared. KH contacted and retained Attorney Robert Lewin from North Andover, MA.

Attorney Lewin went over to the Court and obtained copies of all the relevant papers in KH’s case (the Court Docket, the Criminal Complaint, the Police Report, and a copy of KH’s Criminal Record). When Attorney Lewin read the police report he recognized the name of the arresting officer and was aware of the fact that the arresting officer had been fired from the police department for misconduct. The police report did mention that a second officer had assisted in the arrest. That second officer was still around. Attorney Lewin met with the Assistant District Attorney at Lawrence District Court and discussed the case at length. The DA’s Office took the position that KH should not be rewarded for “skipping town” for 14 years and they refused to dismiss the case in his absence.

On September 25, 2017 KH came down to Massachusetts and KH and Attorney Lewin went into Lawrence District Court. KH was booked into Probation and then KH and Attorney Lewin went into the First Criminal Session to address the warrant and the case. Attorney Lewin was prepared to address the court when the Assistant District Attorney stood up and told the Judge that the DA’s Office could not go forward because the officer was no longer available. Attorney Lewin then moved to have the warrant recalled (cancelled) and the case dismissed. The Judge granted Attorney Lewin’s motion (request) and ordered the warrant cancelled and the case dismissed.

On November 4, 1988, HT, a then 21 year old fellow from Cambridge, walked into a bank and presented a check to the teller to be cashed. The check was made out to HT. Unfortunately the signature on the check had been forged. The teller suspecting there was a problem with the check alerted the branch manager who in turn notified the police. The police responded to the bank and HT was arrested and charged with forgery and uttering (trying to pass) a forged check. Both charges are felonies. HT was bailed out and then left Massachusetts. He failed to appear in Court. A subsequent criminal complaint was taken out against HT for Failing to Appear and a warrant was issued for his arrest on that charge as well.

Twenty-nine years passed. HT married and now has six children and nine grandchildren. HT lives in Wyoming and is a truck driver. The warrants finally caught up with HT and Wyoming suspended his license due to the outstanding warrants in Massachusetts. HT contacted Attorney Robert Lewin from North Andover, MA. HT retained Attorney Lewin. Attorney Lewin went over to Cambridge District Court (now in Medford) and reviewed all the Court papers. It became immediately clear to Attorney Lewin that the Commonwealth could not prove either case against HT. The bank closed decades ago and all the witness would be long gone. Attorney Lewin approached the Assistant District Attorney and she agreed to a dismissal of the charges.

On August 16, 2017 Attorney Lewin had the case put on the Court list for hearing that day. Attorney Lewin prepared a Motion to Excuse HT from appearing in Court. Attorney Lewin appeared before the Judge without HT. The Judge granted Attorney Lewin’s Motion and ordered the warrants against HT recalled (canceled) and the Judge ordered all the charges against HT dismissed without any court costs.

On July 19, 2015 KC, a 22 year old woman from Lawrence, was driving to work in Lexington when she was pulled over by the State Police. Her Massachusetts Driver’s License had been previously suspended by the Registry of Motor Vehicles because she had accumulated three speeding tickets and because she had failed to pay speeding tickets. Because she had 5 convictions for speeding and because she had two payment defaults, her driver record from the RMV was a mess. The State Trooper cited KC for operating after suspension of license and she subsequently received a summons to go to Concord District Court for an arraignment. KC retained Attorney Robert Lewin from North Andover. Attorney Lewin immediately ran KC’s driver record and obtained a copy of the police report. As always, the devil is in the details.

KC had actually received two notices on the same date (July 9, 2015) from the RMV. One notice was a notice of suspension for having accumulated three speeding tickets which informed her that her license was suspended effective July 19, 2015 (the same date she was stopped by the State Police). The second notice was a notice of INTENT to suspend her license for the same three speeding tickets. The effective date of that suspension was October 7, 2015. Attorney Lewin wanted KC to have her licernse back by the time they went to court for the arraignment. KC needed an additional month to complete her requirements to get reinstated. Attorney Lewin had the date of KC’s arraignment postponed until November 23, 2015. In late October 2015 KC got her license reinstated.

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On March 11, 1997 JL was stopped by the Andover Police for speeding. When the Police ran his license it came back as suspended. When the police checked his record he had three prior convictions for driving on a suspended license. JL went to court for arraignment. The case proceeded in Court and the DA was looking for JL to go to jail. The case was set down for trial in 1999 and JL defaulted on the trial date, a warrant issued for his arrest, and he went on the run. Fast forward 18 years. JL is living in Florida and has a Florida license. He goes to renew his FL license and FL will not renew because FL is now aware of the warrant in Massachusetts. JL continues to drive in FL and gets caught. The Judge in FL tells JL to get his warrant cleared in Massachusetts and get his license reinstated in Massachusetts otherwise the FL judge is going to send him to jail.

JL retains Attorney Robert Lewin in North Andover. It takes the Clerk’s Office in Lawrence Court two weeks to locate the papers from 1997; the papers had actually been misfiled. The papers are located. The police report is located and the police officer who stopped JL back in 1997 is still an active duty police officer on the Andover Police Department! Attorney Lewin meets with the District Attorney and convinces the District Attorney to dismiss the case upon the payment of $650.00 in Court Costs. The DA’s Office, however, insists that they will not dismiss the case until and unless JL comes to Court in MA.

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On August 24, 2015 JO, a 52 year old woman from Lawrence was driving her car and headed the wrong way down a one way street. There was an officer there who immediately pulled her over. Unfortunately for JO her license was suspended and had been suspended since 1993 when she was involved in a car accident and failed to pay a property damage judgment that had been entered against her. In Massachusetts if you are involved in an accident where you cause damage to another vehicle (or other property) and you fail to pay for the damage the Registry suspends your license until you pay the property damage judgment or work out a payment schedule. JO had never been able to pay or work out a payment schedule. JO was cited by the officer and was sent a notice to come to court for a Clerk-Magistrate hearing for a one-way street violation and for operating after suspension of license. JO retained Attorney Robert Lewin.
Attorney Lewin told JO the best approach in these cases is to get your license reinstated before the Court hearing. It turned out that the Attorney for the party that had the property damage judgment against JO had died. Attorney Lewin sent JO to the RMV and because there was no record as to whom the money was owing and there was no one to pay the RMV lifted the suspension and reinstated JO’s driving privileges. Because it had been 22 years, JO was issued a learner’s permit and must take the driving test again. Attorney Lewin spoke with the Police Prosecutor and told the Police Prosecutor the background of the case and that JO had been reinstated by the RMV. The police prosecutor agreed that he would not press for a criminal complaint to be issued against JO at the Clerk-Magistrate Hearing.
On September 24, 2015, JO and Attorney Lewin appeared at Lawrence District Court for a Clerk-Magistrate Hearing. Attorney Lewin showed the Clerk-Magistrate and the Police Prosecutor JO’s new learners permit. Attorney Lewin asked that a criminal complaint not be issued against JO. The Clerk-Magistrate then dismissed the application for the criminal complaint and she also entered a not responsible finding on the one-way street violation. JO won her entire case. JO walked out of the courthouse very happy.

CB, a 40 year old plumber who needs a license to work, got in trouble in Lynn District Court back in 2009. He left Massachusetts and moved to FL and got a FL license. In 2015 he went to renew his FL license and was told he could not because his license/right to operate had been suspended in MA due to an outstanding warrant in Lynn District Court. In fact CB had a 2009 criminal case in Lynn that was in warrant status due to unpaid money. When CB called Lynn District Court he was told he would have to come up to MA to clear the warrant. On Monday, September 21, 2015 CB retained Attorney Robert Lewin from North Andover. On Wednesday, September 23, 2015 Attorney Lewin went to Lynn District Court without CB and paid the moneys that were owing to the Court. The Court removed the default that had been entered against CB, cancelled the warrant, and ordered the case dismissed. The Registry of Motor Vehicles was notified, the suspension on CB’s license/right to operate was lifted, and CB is now able to renew his FL license.

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