10 Days Following a Stamford DUI Arrest
The most important step to take during the 10 days following a Stamford DUI arrest is to contact an attorney as soon as possible. A person would want to collect police reports, make sure they preserve evidence, and collect all documents that the police have in their possession.
A person should get a copy of those reports as soon as they can and begin analyzing the case. To understand the further measures that an individual should take in the 10 days following a Stamford DUI arrest, it is imperative that they consult with an experienced Stamford DUI lawyer as soon as possible.
Initial Actions
The attorney can get copies of documents, file a motion to preserve, talk to the client, and get an understanding on exactly what happened within the 10 days following a Stamford DUI arrest.
Further, they can interview any witnesses that may have been involved, and start to get ahead of the license suspension issues.
Changes in Stamford Law
The most recent change to Stamford law regarding a person’s ability to drive includes details surrounding the ignition interlock device, which has come into effect within the last few years.
After a person’s license is suspended, the only way to get it back is to install the ignition interlock device. If they do not do that, or if they try and get around that, there can be serious consequences.
Impact on a License
Following a DUI arrest, the police typically seize the license for 24 hours before the person can get it back, so the individual can normally drive in the 10 days following a Stamford DUI arrest. The license suspension will not take place for quite a while after that.
When the suspension takes place, the DMV is going to send a letter to the person letting them know that their license will be suspended on an upcoming date, and that they will have the opportunity to have a hearing.
Challenging the Suspension
Someone can request an opportunity to challenge the suspension and there will be a hearing held where the officer will testify. The DMV has their own attorney that is arguing for the license to be suspended and the person’s attorney can argue for the license not to be suspended because one of the four hearing issues is not satisfied.
If the person decides not to challenge their license suspension, then the suspension will go into effect on the date that the DMV issued. It is up to the individual to follow the ignition interlock device until the suspension is over.
In the hearing process for challenging the suspension, the person requests the hearing and then shows up at the date and time given. The person may subpoena some records, but the DMV may subpoena a police officer.
There are four issues that must be dealt with in that hearing, including:
- Was the person driving?
- Was the person under the influence of alcohol or liquor?
- Was the person placed under arrest?
- Did the person register a blood alcohol content of 0.08?
If the answer to these is yes, the person’s license will be suspended. If the answer to one of those is no, then they will get their license back.
Obtaining a Work Permit
To get a work permit, a person can file a form at the DMV as soon as they can after the DMV notified them that their license will be suspended.
Then, the individual pays the fee, processes it, and if they approve it, then the person can get a work permit.
Requesting a Review Hearing
An individual should let their attorney know as soon as possible when the review hearing is going to be. It is essentially an early look at what a trial will look like, so they should give their attorneys as much information as possible about what happened during the incident and help their attorney analyze the case.
Any instances that are important should be brought to the attorney’s attention. If a person loses one of these hearings, then their license will be suspended for the prescribed amount of time.