Tennessee Criminal Lawyer Blog

Knoxville criminal defense attorneys realize how important it is for your Tennessee driver license to be valid. Once you are declared an HMVO (Habitual Motor Vehicle Offender), your driving privileges are automatically revoked and you are not allowed to drive while the court order remains in effect. It is important to contact a Knoxville HMVO lawyer to minimize the risk of losing your license. A routine trip to the grocery, work, or school becomes inconvenient for your friends and family. No license to operate any motor vehicle in Tennessee can be issued for at least three years from the entry date of the order finding someone as an HMVO.

According to Tennessee law, Habitual offender means any person convicted of three offenses listed below within a five year period or five offenses within a ten year period:

• Voluntary manslaughter resulting from the operation of a motor vehicle;
• Vehicular homicide;
• Involuntary manslaughter resulting from the operation of a motor vehicle;
• Vehicular assault;
• Violation of meeting or overtaking school buses;
• Violation of the duty to stop at the scene of an accident resulting in injury or death;
• Violation of the duty to stop at the scene of an accident resulting only in damage to a vehicle driven or attended by any person;
• DUI;
• Aggravated vehicular homicide;
• Adult driving while impaired;
• Reckless driving;
• Drag racing;
• Evading arrest in a motor vehicle;
• Reckless endangerment by use of a motor vehicle; or
• Driving on a cancelled, suspended or revoked license if the underlying offense resulting in such cancellation, suspension or revocation is any of the above offenses. Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-10-603 (2007).

If you are found guilty of driving while HMVO, the offense is punishable as a Class E felony. Class E felonies are punishable by imprisonment of 1 to 6 years and a fine not to exceed $3,000.00. If you or someone you know is charged with driving while HMVO, contact a Knoxville HMVO lawyer. Our Tennessee attorneys handle these charges in Knoxville, Newport, Maryville, Loudon, Morristown, Johnson City, Bristol, Greeneville, and Kingsport.