It happens to many people. They get charged with driving without insurance due to an insurance lapse or driving on a suspended license because they forgot to pay a fine. Maybe they had a few too many beers and received a DUI. The steps they take between the date of the offense and the trial date can be the difference between avoiding jail and a conviction.

It is really simple. An individual should immediately take steps to rectify the problem and then bring proof to court. The individual charged with driving without insurance should get the vehicle insured. The person charged with driving on a suspended license should pay the fine and get the suspension lifted. The individual charged with a DUI should abstain from alcohol and begin a certified alcohol treatment program.

The fact is that taking these steps may even cause the more serious charges to be dropped (with the exception of a DUI) or at least give you a good chance of avoiding a conviction. A person charged with driving without a license who gets his license before court stands a good chance of getting the State to drop the charge and perhaps go on a payable citation like failure to display a license which does not carry points. Even someone who receives a simple speeding ticket can do a driver improvement program and enhance their chance of getting probation before judgment.

However, if the individual does nothing, there is a good chance the judge leaves the conviction intact which results in points or worse yet send the person to jail. In such a case, the conviction and points make it difficult to get a license or lift a suspension thus resulting in a vicious cycle.

The judge and State's Attorney simply want a defendant to resolve the issue. They do not take pleasure in punishing people. You can get in front of the problem by resolving the underlying issue and you will get a much better result in court.