Every DUI arrest triggers two different and independent proceedings: a criminal court case and a DMV administrative hearing. Your citation or notice to appear should advise you of when to appear for your criminal case. Scheduling a DMV hearing, however, is truly confusing, and neither the police nor the DMV do anything to make it easier.
Upon careful review of the fine print on your Temporary License, you’ll find that you have only 10 days from the date of your arrest to request a special DMV hearing. If you fail to request a hearing in this time, your driving privileges will be automatically suspended.
To be clear — If you or your lawyer don’t request a DMV Hearing in time, your license is going to be automatically suspended.
What’s worse, the pink Temporary License gives you the phone number for the Sacramento DMV, which is the wrong number to call to make the Hearing request! The requests are actually supposed to go to the DMV Driver Safety Office closest to the location of the arrest, and the best practice is to send the DMV Hearing Request in by fax, so there is proof that the DMV got it.
We know:
- How to stop the automatic suspension
- How to give you the best chance of saving your driver’s license, and
- How to use the DMV Hearing process to help your court case.
Our Firm has offices throughout California. Southern California law offices include Los Angeles, Newport Beach, San Diego, and the Inland Empire. Northern California offices are located in the San Francisco Bay Area and Sacramento.
Don’t’ do this alone. Let us help. Call us 24/7/365 for a free consultation.