If Your Driver's License is Suspended After a DUI Arrest or Conviction, Fort Lauderdale DUI Defense Lawyer Lawrence B. Wolk Can Help
When you've been arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence (DUI) in Florida, you will lose your driver's license. Because DUI is a serious offense, Florida law allows for a six-month suspension of anyone who has been arrested on DUI charges. That suspension begins 10 days following your arrest, during which time you'll be allowed to drive on a temporary permit. That 10-day window is your only opportunity to file a petition for a hearing with the Florida Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). During that hearing – which is distinct and separate from the criminal proceedings you'll face in a court of law regarding your arrest – the facts of your case, testimony and evidence obtained during your arrest will be presented. The DMV will evaluate the specifics of the case against you and determine if your license will remain suspended until the time the legal case against you can be resolved. If you fail to act within that 10-day window, which begins on the day of your arrest, to request a DMV hearing, your license will remain suspended for the full six-month period.
Sound confusing? It can be. Facing DUI charges is stressful – especially when it forces you to use public transportation, which can be unfamiliar and, in many cases, unreliable. Fortunately, The South Florida Law Firm of Lawrence B. Wolk & Associates can help you navigate the rules and proceedings of the DMV and can help make a case for your license being reinstated.
If the suspension stands, Lawrence B. Wolk & Associates can help you apply for hardship license. This restricted driver's license allows you to drive to certain places – your place of business, school, doctor's appointments and certain, necessary errands during the duration of your license suspension. There's no guarantee that a hardship license will be issued, however. That's why you need a South Florida DUI defense attorney to present your strongest case.
DUI Defense Lawyer Wolk Can Help Preserve Driving Rights Following a DUI Conviction
With such severe limitations to driving privileges following an arrest, you can only imagine what happens to your driver's license should you be convicted of DUI charges. For a first-time DUI conviction, your drivers' license will be revoked for at least 180 days and up to one full year – without exception. That's why it's vital that you have an experienced DUI defense lawyer like Lawrence B. Wolk & Associates to help you avoid a conviction in the first place.
For subsequent DUI convictions, the loss of driving rights are much longer lasting. Second convictions within five years of a first conviction mean your license will be revoked for at least five years. That's five years of relying on others to get you from place to place, navigating South Florida's less -than-convenient public transportation system, having to explain to friends, family and business associates why you can't drive a car. In some cases, Lawrence B. Wolk & Associates can help negotiate a hardship license after one year.
Third DUI convictions mean a 10-year revocation of a driver's license (with the possibility of hardship reinstatement after two years). A fourth DUI conviction? You'll never hold a Florida driver's license again. Your license will be permanently revoked and you have no opportunity for a hardship reinstatement. If someone dies in an accident that was caused by your drunk driving, your driving days are done as well. Serious injury caused by drunk driving results in long-term revocation of drivers' licenses too.
You need Lawrence B. Wolk & Associates on your side if you're facing DUI charges – whether it's your first arrest or a subsequent arrest. Lawrence B. Wolk & Associates can provide a strong defense to clear you of charges and preserve your right to drive, and the independence driving provides.
Call 954-568-6900 today for a free initial consultation to discuss preserving your right to drive following a DUI arrest or conviction in South Florida.
