License hearings
Keep your license in play
After a DUI arrest, a refused test or too many points, the DMV can suspend your license on its own, before any court hears your case. The hearing that challenges that is a separate proceeding with its own deadline and its own rules.
I request the hearing, get the officer's paperwork, question what it says and argue it. If the license can't be saved, I look for the route to driving legally: restricted driving where it's allowed, or the shortest way back.
The hearing request filed first
The officer's paperwork checked line by line
A plan for driving to work if a suspension stands
The hearing
What a hearing turns on
Was the stop lawful?
A hearing can turn on why the officer pulled you over in the first place.
Is the paperwork right?
Dates, signatures and the notice itself have to match. When they do not, that matters.
How would you drive if it stands?
Restricted driving, an ignition device or a waiting period: I explain which could apply to you.
Asked on the first call
Questions about the hearing
How long do I have to ask for a hearing?
A short time, often days rather than weeks, counted from the arrest or the notice. Don't wait for your first court date. Call me with the notice in hand.
Can I drive to work while I wait?
Sometimes. A temporary permit may cover the time before the hearing. I check what yours says.
My notice is about points, not a DUI. Is that the same hearing?
Different notice, different process. Bring it, and I will tell you which one it is and what to do next.
Do you handle commercial licenses?
Yes. A commercial license is held to a stricter standard, and Torsten Overgaard leads those hearings.