Driver's License Restoration in Fort Myers & Naples

How soon can I get my driver's license back after a DUI arrest?

If you have been arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs in Fort Myers or Naples, and if you have not previously been convicted of DUI, you are at risk of being subjected to a driver's license suspension lasting between 180 days and a full year, whether or not you are convicted in criminal court. The decision to suspend your driver's license rests with the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, and a Fort Myers DUI attorney from Parks & Braxton, PA can represent you with the Department in an effort to protect your license and help you avoid the serious disruption which a suspension could cause throughout your life. By taking action within ten days of your arrest, you may be able to prevent a suspension, but even if you have already lost your license we might be able to help you get it back earlier than the end of your suspension period.

DUI Ten-Day Rule in Naples and Fort Myers, FL

When an individual is arrested for DUI, the police officer will nearly always issue a temporary driving permit which lasts for only ten days, the period during which the driver has the right to contact the DHSMV and request an administrative hearing to contest an automatic suspension of driving privileges. Failure to do so will almost certainly result in a suspension. An attorney from our firm can represent you in your DMV hearing, challenging the evidence and cross-examining witnesses. The hearing is in many ways similar to a trial, but it is a separate action from the criminal trial, and follows less formal rules of procedure than those which are used in criminal court. If we can prevent the Department representative from finding by a preponderance of the evidence that you committed the crime of DUI, we can most likely preserve your driving privileges.

Obtaining Hardship Driver's Licenses after a DUI

In the event that you have already been convicted of drinking and driving or drugged driving and have lost your driver's license, we may still be able to help you get back behind the wheel before you have served the full term of you suspension. Provided that you have completed the DUI school and any substance abuse treatment which was ordered by the court, we can help you file a request for a hardship driver's license, which would make it possible for you to drive to and from work. It is necessary to prevent a compelling case which adequately demonstrates that your license suspension is causing you significant hardship and is making it difficult or impossible for you to support your family.