Losing your licence may put you at risk of losing your job and the ability to support yourself and your family. In certain circumstances you may be eligible to apply for a Special Hardship Order and it’s important to seek professional advice to help you through this process.
Even though your licence may be suspended, successfully applying for a Special Hardship Order will enable you to drive under a set of specific conditions.
There is a range of criteria that the Court will assess in reviewing your eligibility for a Special Hardship Order. These include, but are not limited to :
- The category of your licence (Provisional or Open)
- Your driving history and prior suspensions, cancellations or convictions
- Your status as a ‘fit and proper person’
- The financial impact losing your licence will have on your family or living situation
- Your employer verifying the importance of your licence to fulfil your duties, and
- Other considerations as deemed appropriate by the Court.
Each case is unique and are treated accordingly.
Employing the services of a Specialist Traffic Lawyer at the initial stages of this process will provide you with the best advice and outcome. You must apply for a Special Hardship Order within 21 days of your license being suspended.
The court may impose a range of restrictions if you are granted a Special Hardship Order, for example :
- Specifying the days, weeks and times you can drive
- Mandating that you keep a record of your driving
- Preventing you from carrying passengers,
- Requiring you to wear a work uniform, and
- Others the Court may deem appropriate to your situation.
It is recommended that you seek legal advice before attempting to apply to ensure you have addressed the necessary criteria and met all time limit requirements.
If you are required to submit a Special Hardship Order Application, it is very important to seek the advice of a specialist Traffic Lawyer to ensure you have addressed the necessary criteria and have met all the time limit requirements.
Howden Saggers Lawyers are experts in Traffic Law and related offences, and we have been assisting people on the Gold Coast and Brisbane since 2002.
We can tell you what your options are and advise you of the best course of action.
With offices in Brisbane and on the Gold Coast, the team at Howden Saggers appear in Court every day. We know the Magistrates; we understand the procedures. We have a great relationship with many Barristers at the Queensland Bar. We understand how the Courts work. We understand the pressures that you may feel in having to go to Court.
We also believe that legal fees shouldn’t break the bank and for that reason we are quite often able to undertake matters on the basis of a fixed fee. This means you will know exactly how much your matter will cost.
Howden Saggers Lawyers is also a Preferred Supplier for Legal Aid Queensland. This means that we are able to undertake matters funded by Legal Aid Queensland as long as you meet the required eligibility criteria.
At Howden Saggers Lawyers our lawyers appear in Court every day, we understand that procedures, we know the law, we get the results.
We are on your side.
