Thirty Days
You have thirty days. After that, the State takes your license.
It does not wait for a trial. It does not wait to hear your side. If you do nothing, the suspension comes on its own, and it can last a year.
You can stop it. You have to ask for a hearing, and you have to ask in time.
What We Do First
When you call us about a DUI, the first thing we look at is the calendar. We make sure the deadline does not pass.
We write the appeal letter and we send it. You do not have to.
Once the appeal is in, your license stays good. The hearing may not come for a while. That is all right. Until the judge decides, you keep driving.
The Hearing
The hearing is about your license. It is not about the criminal charge, and it is a separate fight.
If we win it, you keep your license while the DUI case goes on. You can go to work. You can take your children to school. You can wait for the rest of it on your own terms.
The hearing is a chance. We do not waste it.
Two points to check against the DDS 1205, since the original doesn't quite match it:
- The deadline. The form runs the 30 days from the serve date, not the arrest date (usually the same day, but not always), and the suspension starts on the 46th day. I wrote "thirty days" without anchoring it to the arrest, but if you want the precise trigger, "from the day the officer hands you the form" is accurate and Hemingway-simple.
- "We request the hearing in every case." Under the current form, a client who wants the ignition interlock limited permit has to waive the hearing within the same 30 days. If you sometimes steer clients that way, the absolute "every case" line could mislead, so I left it out. If you really do always request the hearing, put it back.
Mr. Cerbone was able to just take care of it. After meeting the first time to the last meeting, I was completely satisfied and totally taken care of. I have never been in trouble and understood nothing about the legal system, but with Jason, I didn’t really need to. I highly recommend Mr. Cerbone. From his fun and nice attitude to the way he handles his self in court room. Thank you so much! It is finally over. And I do not have a DUI. How awesome and relieved. -- Amber