Drunk Driving and DUI-DWI Law in Florida
A drunk driving conviction in Florida, which is sometimes referred to as driving under the influence, driving while intoxicated, or the acronyms of DUI and DWI, affects people in a number of ways including:
- Alcohol assessment and treatment
- Community service and probation
- Criminal record
- Fines and court costs
- Increased insurance rates
- Job loss
- Mandatory jail time or prison sentence
- Suspension or loss of driver license
- Vehicle immobilization or forfeiture
I Have Been Arrested For Drunk Driving in Florida…What Should I Do?
In Florida, if you have been arrested for drunk driving or DUI and your breath test result was .08 or higher, or if you refused to take the breath test, the police officer probably took your driver's license from you. You have only 10 days from the date of arrest to request a formal review hearing with the Department of Motor Vehicles to contest your immediate license suspension and attempt to get your license back. If you fail to request the hearing within the 10-day period, your license will be suspended for either 6 months, 1 year, or 18 months depending on the circumstances. It is important to contact an attorney within that 10-day period to discuss what applies to your case. Our DUI defense lawyers can apply for the Formal Review Hearing in your behalf and obtain a hearing date and a temporary permit to drive until after the hearing. You have only 10 days to drive after you are arrested using your citation as a driving permit unless you request this hearing.
The Formal Review Hearing
The Formal Review Hearing is important because it gives us an opportunity to try to get your driving privileges back. It also provides an opportunity for our DUI attorneys to get sworn testimony from the law enforcement officer who arrested you or others involved in the case. This will give us critical information about your case and may help us in the defense. If you do not request a DMV hearing, you will be subject after the 10-day permit to a "hard" suspension for a period of either 30 or 90 days in which you will not be able to obtain a hardship license.
A Good Florida DUI Lawyer Can Help
We are often asked if a lawyer is necessary for a DUI charge. A conviction for DUI stays on a person's record for 75 years in the State of Florida. Almost all states in the United States are connected by computer and honor other DUI-DWI suspensions. Because of the strict legal requirements on proof if a DUI case, it is extremely beneficial to at least consult with an attorney about your case. There is no fee at our office for an initial consultation and the time is well spent talking about the particular aspects of your case, the different alternatives, and the defenses that may be available to you. DUI is a large part of our practice and we have a great deal of experience in motions, negotiation, and trial of these cases.
If you have been arrested for drunk driving, driving under the influence, driving while intoxicated, DUI-DWI, vehicular manslaughter, vehicular homicide, or any other alcohol or drug-related driving offense in Florida please contact us at our office in Tampa, Florida today. Our experienced criminal defense lawyers handle felony and misdemeanor DUI-DWI cases in courts throughout Central Florida, including Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, and other communities in the counties of Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas, Sumter, Hernando, Polk and Orange, we can help. For immediate assistance call us toll-free at 1-888-452-3043 or in Tampa, Florida at 813-254-3516.
