The 14th Circuit State Attorney’s Office has created a new diversion program for defendants charged with first offense No Valid Driver’s License or first offense driving without a license suspended or revoked (DWLS/R).
To be eligible they must have no criminal history and no history of previous No Valid Driver’s License or DWLS/R. At arraignment a qualifying defendant will speak with an Assistant State Attorney who will determine if they are eligible. The defendant will sign a diversion contract along with a backup plea agreement. They will then be given another court date approximately 60 days from that date to obtain a driver’s license. Once they obtain a driver’s license and provide proof of it to the State Attorney’s Office or the Clerk’s Office the case will be dismissed. If the defendant is unable to obtain a driver’s license, then the backup plea will be entered, and they will need to comply with that agreement.
This program is free, which encourages defendants to obtain their driver’s license and be diverted from the criminal justice system without a criminal history or court costs and fines.