Under 521.026(a), a judge may dismiss a charge of driving with an expired license if the defendant remedies the defect within which time frame?

• A. within 20 working days
• B. before the defendant's first court appearance date
• C. within 20 working days or before the defendant's first court appearance date, whichever is later
• D. never

Answer: (C)

The key idea here is that a judge can dismiss a charge for driving with an expired license if the defendant fixes the license issue within a specific window that accounts for when the case is heard. The required remedy must be completed by the later of two dates: 20 working days from the offense or the defendant’s first court appearance date.

Understanding why this matters: 20 working days means you count only business days, not weekends or holidays, giving you a realistic period to obtain a valid license or reinstatement. The “whichever is later” part ensures you’re not punished if your court date is set far in the future—you still get a reasonable window to remedy the problem. For example, if your first court appearance is in 10 days, the later date is 20 working days, so you must remedy by the 20th working day. If your first appearance is in 25 days, the later date is day 25, so you must remedy by then. Remedy means obtaining a valid license or reinstatement and presenting proof to the court for dismissal.