Michigan Criminal Lawyer Blog
You may be eligible for restoration of your license if it has been revoked for multiple DUI offenses or for a felony involving the use of motor vehicle!
2017 has been a another year of victories for ABDO LAW clients that have had hearings before the the Driver License Appeal Division (DLAD). This year alone we have won 80 – 90% of our cases (we are still waiting on some results) on behalf of clients whose driver’s license was revoked for multiple DUI cases or for conviction of a felony driving offense (DUI causing injury or death). Losing your license can be a very embarrassing and demoralizing process. You either have to inconvenience others for rides, or risk driving with a suspended or revoked license and getting hit with a DWLS. With a DWLS conviction, you face jail and have to wait at least another year until you can get your license back. Oftentimes, people who have had their license revoked find themselves unable to find work or advance in a career. Other times, it is just a stinging reminder of a person’s past they are working hard to forget. We truly understand and identify with these concerns; we discuss them with our license clients every day. Our Firm specializes in and excels at license cases, it is a special area in our law practice where we can actually make our clients’ lives better. There is nothing more rewarding than to bring the process full circle by helping a client restore their full driving privileges.
We will give you advice to improve your license restoration appeal
It seems that people in revoked status often procrastinate in dealing with getting their license back. Many su people falsely believe that they have a bad case and it just simply “isn’t worth it.” Why do we win just about all of the cases we take on? We know how to identify cases that are strong and cases that are weak. When a case is weak, we normally just advise that you clock in some more sober time or attend AA meetings. Usually, waiting just another 6 months or so can make a weak case a stronger case. The DLAD also will look favorably upon those that have successfully completed probation. So we may want for you to complete your probation or we can consider filing a motion for early release of probation to improve your license appeal! We want to WIN and will give you a free consultation and honestly assess whether your case is strong or weak. The bottom line is that if you have 12 months of sobriety you most likely have a good case in most circumstances. In cases which involve a historical period of alcohol or substance abuse, or several DUI and/or drug convictions, we may recommend that you wait a longer period. FYI: You should be suspicious of any attorney that rushes you to file an appeal without fully assessing your unique background.
Filing for the appeal and presenting the proper evidence is much more complicated than you think. Many people become overwhelmed with all of the required documentation and technical legal requirements. When you let us help you, we will organize everything for you, take care of all the filings, and advise you every step of the way. We have sample letters we can provide you with, we can point you in the direction of skilled counselors, we will review the questions which you will be asked at your hearing and will fight for you in the hearing room. We will demystify the process for you. According to the most recent numbers I could dig up, it appears that the overall win rate is about 50%; (our win rate is closer to 90%) meaning that you are betting your future on a coin-flip. Stakes are high, because when you lose a DLAD hearing, you have to wait an entire year before going back for another appeal. Moreover, you will be locked into your testimony, good or bad, from the previous hearing. If you are anxious or poorly advised, it is easy to trip up and make statements that will haunt you for many hearings to come. Going unrepresented, or poorly represented, is a recipe for disaster that can turn a 2 year process for FULL RESTORATION into a 5 year process.
Don’t risk it! Building a winning case and knowing the questions which you will be asked!
The final step of a driver’s license appeal is a hearing before an administrative hearing officer. At the hearing, a petitioner will be asked several loaded questions. Prior to the hearing, we will review some of these questions which you will be required to answer at your DLAD hearing, including:
- Have you had a sip of alcohol since you quit drinking?
- Do you store alcohol at your home?
- Do you have a medical marijuana card?
- Does your significant other or anyone in your household consume alcohol?
- What would you do if you had an urge to drink an alcoholic beverage?
- What is your longest period of sobriety?
- What is your duty to the public if you are granted a license?
- Do you think it is ok to have a drink on the holidays if you are not driving?
- What helped you to stop drinking?
- What improvements have you made in your life since you stopped drinking?
- Are you an alcoholic? Are you abusive? Do you have an alcohol use disorder?
- Do you know the Blood Alcohol Content results of your DUI cases?
- Have you been charged with any other crimes that involved alcohol or drugs?
- Do you think it is ok to drink non-alcohol or low-alcohol beer?
- Do you go to restaurants where alcohol is served?
- Do you know the AA steps?
- Do you know the Serenity Prayer?
- What did you learn from counseling?
- Do you take any medications for pain or psychological disorders?
If you let us help you, we can add value by 30-40%. Moreover, in many instances we are charging a flat fee of $1,750 for restoration cases. Year-over-year, our Firm has a strong winning record on license cases and it’s our goal for that trend to continue in 2018. If your license is revoked we’re asking that you invest the small amount of time it takes to call our Firm, free of charge. Your case is probably better than you think and we’re going to help you find a way to win.