Washington, DC Taxi, Limo & Rideshare Driver Attorney

Sean Riley is an experienced traffic attorney practicing law in Washington, D.C. and Maryland. He represents Uber, Lyft and taxicab and limousine drivers in all major and minor traffic cases including:

• Moving and non-moving violations and license revocation hearings at the DC DMV and MD District Courts

• Hack violations for Uber, Lyft, limousine or taxicab drivers at the DC Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH)

• Taxicab company & hack license revocation hearings at the DC Department of For Hire Vehicles and OAH

D.C. issues at least 2 million traffic tickets each year. Too many of them are undeserved. If you drive a taxicab, uber or limousine there is no way you can afford to have points on your record or pay for costly tickets. Drivers who incur too many points could lose their license.

If you accumulate 8 points the DFHV may withhold or suspend your license. If you have 8-9 points on your record the DMV may suspend your license and it will revoke it if you accumulate 12 points.

Unlawful Traffic Stops

Can hack inspectors or police officers pull your taxi, uber or limousine over for any reason? 

No. The 4th Amendment requires police & hack inspectors to have a valid, legal justification to pull you over or stop you. If there is no legal basis for the stop then your ticket may be dismissed. When actually challenged, it may be difficult for DFHV to prove it's case against you. For one thing, 'suspicionless' stops of vehicles for hire are unconstitutional. Contrary to DFHV policy, hack inspectors and police cannot just stop and search your taxicab, limousine, rideshare or Uber vehicle whenever they want to! They must have a valid, legal reason to pull you over or stop you. You don’t lose your rights when you drive a vehicle for hire!

IMPOUND OF VEHICLE FOR HIRE. With the exception of private vehicles for hire (such as Uber or Lyft) if you are not licensed to operate a limousine or sedan in D.C. and are “observed providing intra District transportation” by a hack inspector your vehicle can be booted or towed. A vehicle for hire also may be impounded if; 1) the driver has two or more overdue unpaid moving violations or hack tickets, 2) the DTS is working improperly or 3) the vehicle has failed inspection or exhibited mechanical failure or is otherwise in an unsafe condition. If your vehicle for hire was impounded by hack inspectors for some other reason it may have been unlawfully impounded by the government.

TAXICAB COMPANY OWNERS. Has the DFHV suspended your operating authority or shut down your business for arbitrary reasons? There may be something you can do about it. As a business licensee you have due process property and liberty rights and you are entitled to protections from DFHV. In recent years the DFHV has aggressively targeted local owned taxicab businesses with unnecessary over-regulation. Contact Riley Legal to discuss your situation. 

Protect Your License and Livelihood

If you have been issued a D.C. "Notice of Infraction" or a MD. "Traffic Citation" do not delay. A failure to schedule a hearing could result in the suspension of your license or privilege to drive. In D.C. and MD. driving on a suspended license is a criminal offense. If the penalty for the ticket is a substantial fine, could result in points (D.C.) (MD.) or lead to the suspension or revocation of your license then fight your traffic ticket. 

Contact Attorney Sean Riley for professional, legal representation at the D.C. DMV, the D.C. Department of For Hire Vehicles (DFHV), D.C. Superior Court and Maryland District Court. Sign up online to get started now or to get a free consultation. Sean Riley is an experienced traffic attorney who will fight for your rights!