West Palm Beach DUI Defense Lawyers
Frequently Asked Questions
- Will I lose my driver’s license?
You will only lose your driver’s license if you are found guilty in criminal court or at the DMV hearing. This is why it’s so important to hire an experienced attorney to defend you. A West Palm Beach DUI attorney who is familiar with the DUI process will be able to provide you with the representation and aggressive defense you need to avoid a driver’s license suspension and other penalties.
- If I lose my license, how will I get to work or school?
If your driver’s license has been suspended or revoked, you may still be able to obtain a hardship license. With a hardship license will you be able to drive to work, school, medical appointments, and other places approved by the judge. However, not all people are eligible for a hardship license. To find out if you qualify for a hardship license, please feel free to contact a West Palm Beach DUI lawyer at 1-800-Musca-Law.
A DMV hearing is an administrative review hearing with a representative from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. After you are arrested for DUI, the police will confiscate your driver’s license. The DMV hearing is your opportunity to contest that suspension and fight to get your driver’s license back. If you are successful at the hearing your license will be returned. However, if the DMV representative finds that you did drive under the influence, your license will remain suspended. It’s important to act quickly though. You only have 10 days from the day you were arrested to schedule your hearing. Failure to do so within 10 days waives your right to a hearing and your license will automatically remain suspended.
- What are the common penalties for DUI?
The penalties for a DUI conviction generally include fines of no more than $1,000, community service, driver’s license suspension, mandatory DUI classes, a mark on your permanent record, and possible time in jail. However, these penalties will be enhanced for a multiple DUI conviction, if you caused a serious or fatal accident, if your BAC was higher than .20%, or if there was a child in your car when you were arrested.
BAC stands for blood alcohol concentration, which refers to the amount of alcohol in the bloodstream. In the state of Florida, it is illegal to drive with a BAC of .08% or more. If you are found driving with a BAC level that reaches or exceeds .08%, you will be arrested and charged with DUI.
- What are some signs police officers usually look for when they suspect DUI?
Before an officer pulls over a driver, he/she will be looking to see if the driver is abiding by traffic laws and signals. If the officer sees a driver swerving, weaving in and out of lanes, hovering over two lanes, making wide turns, breaking erratically, or speeding up or slowing down for no reason, he/she is likely to pull the driver over. Once the driver is pulled over, the officer will look for signs of intoxication, such as glossy eyes, flushed cheeks, slurred speech, the scent of alcohol on the breath, disheveled appearance, open containers of alcohol in the car, etc.
Contact Musca Law for your FREE consultation with a West Palm Beach DUI Attorney!