When you are charged with DUI your driver’s license is taken from you. You have 10 short days from the date of arrest to make a request for a review of that action, and try to save your license. If you do not request a hearing within 10 days, you are prohibited from doing so later. This does not mean your hearing will be scheduled and take place in that time frame, but you do need to begin preparing for the administrative portion of a DUI case that deals with your right to drive right away.
We have experience helping people keep their driving privileges, or receiving a modified license while their DUI case is pending. Here is what you can expect at the driver’s license hearing:
- The hearing is an administrative proceeding, not a criminal trial or hearing.
- The purpose of the hearing is to make a decision as to whether the automatic suspension of your right to drive that went into effect upon arrest for DUI will remain in place.
- The arresting officer will testify as to the facts surrounding the stop and the arrest.
- An administrative official will also hear from your attorney about your needs, whether this is your first offense, and what type of modified rights to drive suit you best. A decision will then be made.
This hearing is a good time to listen to the evidence from the police, and can help you prepare a defense for the criminal action that is also part of a DUI case. Once you know what the officer has to say, you can begin a thorough investigation into an inaccuracies in his or her story and develop an effective defense. This hearing is also the time to show you deserve to maintain your driving privileges and favorable results of this hearing can help you negotiate a more lenient sentence or term of probation in the criminal case. Follow us on social media for more information and learn more about the legal services we offer.
If you have questions about how to keep your driver’s license after a DUI arrest, call our office to learn more. Contact us today to schedule an appointment with an experienced criminal defense attorney in Stuart and the Treasure Coast. Your first visit is a free initial consultation.