California Driver’s License Suspended Due To Massachusetts Warrant – Driver Back on Road in Four Days

By late February 2012, CJ had waited until the last days to renew his California driver’s license before it expired. When he went to renew his license, however, the California DMV told him that his license could not be renewed because his right to operate in Massachusetts had been suspended due to an outstanding Massachusetts warrant. CJ was dumfounded, as he had moved out of Massachusetts in 1983 and had not been in any trouble since. More importantly, CJ drives as part of his job and could not continue working if he did not have a valid license. Getting to the bottom of this issue and getting his license renewed quickly was critical. CJ called the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (the “RMV”) to find out what was going on. He was informed by the RMV that his right to operate had been suspended because of a Massachusetts warrant issued in connection with a 1982 criminal case in the Malden District Court. CJ recalled having a case in that court which was continued without a finding in 1983. He believed, however, that the case was over and did not understand why there was a warrant. CJ called Lewin & Lewin on Thursday afternoon March 1, 2012. Attorney Joshua Lewin went to the Malden court and obtained the paperwork from the case. He discovered a warrant had issued because CJ had not complied with all of the terms of his probation and was in default because he did not appear in court at the end of the continuance without a finding and had not paid moneys owing to the court. Attorney Lewin filed a motion with the Court and got the case brought before a Judge on Monday morning, March 5, 2012. Attorney Lewin persuasively argued to the Judge that the warrant should be recalled and the case dismissed and that CJ should not be made to return to Massachusetts to deal with the issue. The Judge agreed with Attorney Lewin’s arguments, cancelled the warrant and dismissed the case. Attorney Lewin then appeared at the Massachusetts RMV and arranged for CJ’s right to operate to be reinstated. The Massachusetts RMV lifted the suspension of CJ’s right to operate on Tuesday, March 6, 2012 and entered that information into the National Driver Register. California received that information and CJ was able to renew his California driver’s license. CJ never had to leave California and within four business days of contacting Lewin & Lewin was back on the road. The attorneys at Lewin & Lewin frequently deal with license suspensions due to outstanding warrants and we represent out-of-state clients whose have license suspensions due to Massachusetts court warrants.