If you’re accused of driving under the influence, you need to defend yourself in front of California’s DMV as well as in its criminal courtrooms. If you don’t request a DMV hearing after you’re charged, California’s DMV can automatically revoke your license and limit your right to get it back. That’s where a Glendale DUI DMV hearing lawyer can come in.
Los Angeles DUI Lawyer can connect you with a legal professional who can represent you during your DUI DMV hearing. The lawyers in our network have worked with thousands of clients and can help you request your hearing before representing you in conversations with DMV representatives.
You can protect your right to stay on the road in California. Let Los Angeles DUI Lawyer put you in touch with an experienced Glendale DUI lawyer today.
What Is a DMV Hearing?
If you want to keep your license after you get accused of driving under the influence, you need to schedule a DMV hearing, otherwise known as an admin per se hearing. These hearings allow you to meet with DMV representatives and argue that they should not suspend your license while your criminal trial is in progress.
DMV hearings are not the same thing as criminal hearings. The DMV’s representatives cannot arrest you, and the results of your DMV hearing will not have an impact on the result of your criminal case. However, if you don’t schedule a DMV hearing after your arrest, the DMV has the right to suspend your license without further consideration.
You can use a hearing at a DMV office to argue that the facts brought against you misrepresent the reality of your situation at the time of your arrest. It gets easier to make that argument when you have a DUI DMV hearing attorney serving Glendale on your side.
Will Your DMV Hearing Impact Your Criminal Trial?
The criminal proceedings you undergo after getting arrested and accused of a DUI are different from a DMV hearing. Criminal hearings determine whether or not you have to pay fines or serve jail time as a result of your alleged misconduct. You may even face more severe consequences if you’re also accused of causing accidents or hurting someone while intoxicated.
Comparatively, DUI DMV hearings strictly determine whether or not you have the right to retain your license while California’s criminal courts consider your case. Attending these hearings allows you to drive yourself to court, keep going to work, and otherwise legally operate on the road, so long as you can successfully argue for your right to keep your license.
Because these are two separate processes, the results of your DMV hearing cannot put an end to the criminal case brought against you. However, your criminal defense attorney can refer to the DMV’s decision to let you keep your license, as applicable, when arguing on your behalf.
What Happens if You Don’t Request a DMV Hearing?
If you don’t realize that you have the right to a DMV hearing, or you don’t file a request for a hearing in time, you put your right to continue driving while undergoing a criminal hearing at risk. You need to reach out to the DMV and request a DMV DUI hearing within 10 days of your arrest.
You can ask an attorney to do this for you while you and a criminal defense lawyer attend your arraignment and otherwise address the most pressing concerns you have regarding your criminal case. Your DUI DMV hearing lawyer can then start investigating your arrest and begin compiling the evidence needed to argue for your right to keep your license.
If you don’t request or attend your DMV hearing, the DMV can suspend your license within 30 days of your arrest. You will have to pay reinstatement fees to get it back regardless of the decision that the criminal court makes about your arrest. You may also have to prove that you’ve purchased SR-22 insurance or started attending DUI school.
When Should You Contact a DUI DMV Hearing Lawyer Serving Glendale?
We encourage you to let Los Angeles DUI Lawyer put you in touch with a Glendale DUI DMV hearing attorney as soon as possible after your arrest. You’re under a lot of stress dealing with the demands of California’s criminal courts. Working with a DUI DMV lawyer makes it easier to balance the demands of the DMV, as well.
You can count on an experienced attorney to review the DMV’s position and to gather the evidence needed to challenge any attempt to suspend your license. In some cases, an attorney can call forward witnesses to contest the nature of an accident or draw your alleged intoxication into question.
You can discuss what to expect from your specific DMV hearing when you meet with the legal professionals in our network.
A Glendale DUI DMV Hearing Lawyer Can Keep You Organized
You don’t have to prepare for a DMV hearing on your own. If you want to protect your right to stay on the road while challenging accusations of driving while under the influence, a DUI DMV hearing attorney serving Glendale can represent you. The professionals in Los Angeles DUI Lawyer’s network can investigate your charges and protect your right to testify.
If you have questions about what to expect from a DMV hearing or how to request one, let Los Angeles DUI Lawyer put you in touch with a legal representative today. You don’t have to go it alone.