How Does a DUI Arrest or Conviction Affect the Driver’s License?
When you are pulled over by a police officer for drunk driving, the whole experience can seem like a daze and often you will not remember what was said or what was important about the experience. Although you will be given information about the next steps there is no recognition of exactly how fast the accused must react to the situation in order to begin putting their life back together following a DUI arrest.
If this is a person’s first DUI arrest Utah law mandates their license be suspended for 120 days. If this is a second DUI defense in a ten year period, the suspension is even longer. There is no work release from a DUI license suspension and effectivly the accused is prohibited from driving anywhere.
The Driver License Division Hearing
The accused can request a hearing to receive his license back if requested in writing within 10 days of the arrest. This hearing is before the Driver License Division and in it the accused must prove that the arresting officer did not have reasonable cause to believe the driver was driving under the influence proceeding the arrest, and if the driver submitted to some sort of tests regarding their sobriety whether field or chemical. At this time the DLD will determine if they will uphold the mandatory suspension or give the driver a temporary license and wait to see if the driver is convicted. If the driver neglects to request a hearing before the DLD following the arrest the driver’s license is suspended according to the mandatory Utah DUI law. If the driver is convicted of the DUI regardless of the ruling of the DLD the driver’s license will be suspended.
It is very hard to fill a job effectively in Utah without a valid driver’s license. The mandatory suspension of those convicted of a DUI is a serious issue to consider when one is arrested. Get help in determining options of how you can save your driving privilege by contacting a DUI defense attorney at Provo DUI Defense today. As noted above a ten day window for the DLD hearing request is very quick and without help you will lose your license. Don’t let your right to drive be taken away without a fight.
