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MD license suspended in VA

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sparky13

Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Maryland

Hello,
This is the gospel truth, so please be gentle with me.

My 17-year-old daughter was handed a beer at a Virginia concert venue last summer. She didn't drink any of the beer and handed it back to her friend saying, "I can't hold this." A undercover police officer witnessed this exchange and issued my daughter a citation and summons to juvenile court.

Okay, that was the offense and for it my daughter and I went to court, where she plead guilty of underage possession of alcohol. She was sentenced to community service and alcohol education, and told that her license was suspended for six months. As we left the courtroom, my daughter was told to surrender her Maryland driver's license, which she did.

A couple of weeks ago, my daughter needed a state ID card in order to apply for seasonal jobs in our area. We went to the DMV to get this, and were told that although my daughter's license was suspended in Virginia, she was legally able to drive in Maryland and that Virginia ought not have confiscated her license. Apparently, her suspension was for Virginia only, something the court didn't mention. The Maryland DMV promptly issued her a new Maryland license, which she is using only to apply for jobs because I won't let her drive in our state until her six months are up.

My daughter is, of course, rather ticked off that I won't let her drive, but I'm afraid that when we appear in Virginia court again in a few weeks for a hearing to expunge her records and reinstate her driving privileges, the judge will get angry if he or she discovers my daughter has been driving--even though it's a valid license in our state.

My question is, does Virginia have any power over us in this situation? I'm cool with my daughter driving with a Virginia suspension as long as it doesn't affect us here in Maryland. Her license suspension has caused our family a lot of grief because we have to drive her to activities and to her school and to her job. If I knew we wouldn't get into trouble by letting her to drive, this would allow me to look for full-time work myself (I lost my job last summer due to the poor economy) instead of taking part-time, no-benefits jobs that fit my daughter's busy schedule. She is an Honor Roll student very busy with extra-curricular activities and a job to help her get into and pay for a good college.

Thanks for listening.
 


Just Blue

Senior Member
Not to be nasty...But it seems your daughter didn't listen to the advice you were given on this topic. :(

https://forum.freeadvice.com/juvenile-law-90/questions-about-underage-drinking-422559.html
 

sparky13

Junior Member
Not to be nasty...But it seems your daughter didn't listen to the advice you were given on this topic. :(

https://forum.freeadvice.com/juvenile-law-90/questions-about-underage-drinking-422559.html
Heh, truth be told, the Virginia thing happened a couple of days after my query here, before I'd had the sit-down with them. That's how things happen sometimes...just a little too late. Thank goodness she didn't drink anything--and the officer even said she hadn't been drinking. But possession...who knew? Now they know! We all do. And I'm glad this forum was able to help clarify the issue.

Do you have any advice on this driver's license business?
 

j991

Member
The VA court shouldn't have taken her MD license unless they had reasonable suspicious that she would continue to drive in VA. Nothing you can do about that now that she has a new OL. She can drive in MD and any other state that she is not currently suspended in. If she get stopped in MD the VA status won't matter. When the six months are up, she needs to pay the VA reinstatment fee before driving in VA though.
 

sparky13

Junior Member
Thanks for the info. I'm going to write to...someplace in VA to complain about their taking my daughter's license. I have no idea where to turn, but somebody really needs to stop this practice.
 

keepsitreal0055

Junior Member
yea same thing for me except mine was reckless driving in virginia doing 110 in VA.....I've been researching on websites and they say since Maryland and VA are in the DLC they must report traffic violations to each other....do I have to show up to the court, I would like to keep my license if its only bad in VA
 

FlyingRon

Senior Member
You should start your own thread.

Reckless for 110 MPH is more than likely not only involve license suspension but JAIL TIME.
You need a lawyer. Which county were you charged in?
 

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