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Massachusetts DUI Law allows for the issuance of limited 12 hour work or hardship licenses for the purposes of allowing a DUI offender to get to work, school, or medical appointments. Hardship licenses are also available for certain other Massachusetts license suspension such as those imposed for 7 surchargable events, drug convictions, and being a […]

On January 1, 2006, the ignition interlock requirement of Melanie’s Law (Chapter 122 of the Acts of 2005) when into effect. The law requires anyone with 2 or more driving under the influence convictions or alcohol program assignments on his or her record to use an ignition interlock device while on a Massachusetts hardship license

The Massachusetts Appeals Court recently affirmed that the Mass. Board of Appeal has considerable power and discretion when deciding whether or not to grant a hardship license. The Mass. Appeals Court recently upheld the Board’s decision to deny hardship relief to a candidate who had a substantial driving record and made the mistake of representing

Pursuant to G.L. c. 90 § 34J, automobile insurance is mandatory in Massachusetts and it is illegal to drive an uninsured motor vehicle or allow an uninsured motor vehicle to remain on a public or even private way. The goal of the Massachusetts compulsory insurance law is to ensure that drivers and passengers involved in

In the case of Ronsethal v. Registry of Motor Vehicles and RMV Board of Appeal, the Superior Court upheld the Ignition Interlock Device requirements of Melanie’s Law. The facts of the case are as follows: Mark Rosenthal was arrested twice for operating a motor vehicle under the influence (OUI). His first offense occurred on April

The Mass. RMV imposes an automatic and mandatory license suspensions for Massachusetts Junior Operators who have been found responsible for speeding. A first offense will result in a 90 day loss of license and a second offense will result in a mandatory one year loss of license. Also, junior operators who are caught speeding will

I just read a rather interesting article on the subject of Massachusetts traffic citations. It was written by Joe McKinney, a former police officer and police academy instructor. In “More than Just a Ticket,” McKinney discusses an interesting statistical study done on Massachusetts traffic tickets. The study showed that local Massachusetts police officers were 24 percent

The Boston Globe recently reported on proposed legislation which would require the Mass. RMV to administer mandatory vision screenings for drivers over 75 years old, who are attempting to renew their Massachusetts driver’s licenses. The bill would also provide immunity to physicians who report patients to may be unsafe to drive and it would prohibit

Late Traffic Citation Hearings The Legal authority that gives the RMV the right to grant a customer a late hearing, before being suspended, on a civil traffic citation is G.L. c. 90C § (A)(4) which states in pertinent part, “[a] violator who does not, within twenty days of the date of the citation, request a