Criminal Law – DUI & 10 day hearing deadline in Salt Lake City, UT

If you or your loved one get arrested for an alleged DUI, it is essential that you contact an experienced DUI attorney immediately following your arrest. Generally, after an arrest on a DUI charge, your license is immediately confiscated by the law enforcement officer and replaced with a ticket that expires in 29 days. A DUI conviction in Salt Lake City, Utah can have lasting consequences on your life including the loss of your driving privileges, payment of harsh fines and penalties, derailment of future job and more. An experienced criminal attorney can get your DUI charges dropped, reduced or negotiated to lesser penalties depending on your history and circumstances.

Drivers’ License Hearing
License suspension is mandatory in Salt Lake City unless you request a hearing within 10 days from the day of arrest. If the 10 days pass without any action, it is extremely hard or impossible to fight the suspension even for first offenses of at least 120 days. During the first 10 days after your arrest, you can use the ticket that was issued by the arresting officer as your temporary permit to drive.

There are two parts to a DUI case in Utah, the criminal part, and the civil part. The civil part exists when you are arrested for a DUI (a “per se” suspension) or when you refuse to take a chemical test under Utah’s Implied Consent Statute. Many people do not understand their rights and that’s why you need a qualified DUI attorney present to request a hearing with the Utah’s Driver License Division (DLD). Our experienced DUI attorneys will have a chance to cross-examine the law enforcement officer and put a strong case as to why your license should not be suspended.

Seeking the assistance of a defense attorney for both your driver license hearing and your criminal case ensures that the attorney has a good chance to acquaint him/herself with the case and gather useful information. Whatever you do, ensure that you don’t miss your 10 day window period before requesting for a driver’s license hearing, otherwise, it becomes virtually impossible to avoid your license suspension. It will further prevent your attorney from being able to gather relevant information to prepare for your criminal case.

Reinstating your suspended UT license
To reinstate your suspended license, you must first wait until your suspension period expires. You will also be required to fulfill your obligations to the court and pay any court imposed fines. You may then apply for reinstatement by filling out an application form available at any driver license field office and pay your reinstatement fee.

At JLJ Law Group in Salt Lake City, Utah, our team of exceptional criminal defense attorneys have your best interest at heart and will do everything possible to protect your license and livelihood. We understand the frustration that comes with unsuccessful license suspension hearing thus hiring us is your best chance at minimizing the fallout from a DUI. Additionally, we are suited to handle the criminal part of the DUI proceedings by gathering valuable information that will be used to your advantage. We utilize our extensive experience regarding DUI cases in Utah to determine whether the evidence provided can be used for impeachment purposes or if it constitutes an affirmative defense to the charges.

Contact us today at 801-883-8204 to discuss the best options in your DUI case.