Driving on Expired License

**brianh123** · 04-09-2011, 11:55 AM

The 20-year-old male son of a friend of mine was recently ticketed in Louisiana for driving with an expired license (expired eight months ago). He was also charged with speeding (doing 50 in a 35 MPH zone) and reckless driving. The reckless driving was because he changed lanes without using a turn signal.

At the time he was also driving without insurance

, but for whatever reason, he wasn't charged with that.

Does anyone know what the typical penalty is for driving with an expired license in Louisiana? And is this something it would make sense to retain a lawyer for, or would that be overkill? The cop told him that if he showed up in court with everything in order, some of the charges would probably be dropped. Is that typically what happens? (He's never had a ticket before or been in trouble with the law.)

I guess what I'm asking in a nutshell is, is hiring a lawyer worth it in this case?

**Mr. Knowitall** · 04-11-2011, 08:39 PM

If your son doesn't trust the police officer's description of what typically happens in court in your particular parish, and it's perfectly reasonable to be skeptical of a police officer's legal advice, he should consult a local lawyer for a reality check. Traffic court practices vary enormously between states, and also within states.

Speaking generally, it's not unusual for a defendant who comes to court with all of his past issues resolved (unpaid tickets, reinstated license, proof of insurance if that's an issue, etc.) to get some of the charges dropped or reduced.

**brianh123** · 04-12-2011, 07:45 AM

Thanks for your response. Let's assume we don't distrust the officer's advice and also that we have all past issues resolved when we show up at the initial hearing. Do you think that showing up at the initial hearing with a lawyer would make a significant difference in the charges, or would that be overkill? In other words, do you think it's worth paying for a lawyer in this case to save money in the long term?