Department of Motor Vehicle Hearings

It is important to note that in addition to the stiff criminal penalties and financial liabilities resulting from a driving under the influence or other related conviction, in California, even a first-time arrest for driving under the influence can have also have a profound impact on your privilege to drive a motor vehicle. The Department of Motor Vehicles will automatically suspend your driver’s license for a period of four months thirty days after arrest, unless you specifically request an administrative hearing with the Department of Motor Vehicles within ten days of the date of your arrest. Additionally, if you are convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol in court, a separate license suspension will also be imposed once the court gives notice of the fact of the conviction to the Department of Motor Vehicles. To add to the confusion, the license suspensions imposed by the courts versus those imposed by the Department of Motor Vehicles often vary in terms of length, as well as specific terms of the restrictions related to your license.

It is important to remember that the Department of Motor Vehicles hearing is an administrative proceeding that is an entirely separate proceeding from the criminal court case. You need an experienced advocate fighting for you in both the criminal and administrative arenas. When you hire the Law Office of Julie Ann Baldwin, APC, we believe that full service legal representation includes defending you in the courtroom, as well as at the Department of Motor Vehicles. When you hire us, we will put our skills to work for you in both areas at no additional charge outside of the initial retainer agreement. We can schedule your administrative hearing and determine if you are eligible to get a temporary driver’s license so that you can continue to drive while your case is pending, all while working diligently to mitigate the criminal consequences as well.

These cases require intense scrutiny by a skilled Murrieta DUI lawyer who knows how to quickly spot the issues and act accordingly. Regardless of how minor or serious the circumstances of your driving under the influence arrest may be, it is imperative that you act swiftly and smartly by hiring an experienced, local attorney who is familiar with the rules, common practices and procedures, and individual prosecutors and judges in the jurisdiction where you are facing criminal charges. As a former prosecutor at the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta, California for the better part of fifteen years, Ms. Baldwin has worked hard to establish her reputation as a trusted, knowledgeable and effective advocate and looks forward to the privilege of putting her skills and experience to work of you.

If you have already been charged or anticipate being charged with a DUI in the Murrieta area, contact your Murrieta DUI lawyer at the Law Office of Julie Ann Baldwin, APC for your free, confidential case consultation now. Your future and your freedom deserve to be taken seriously by an experienced attorney who is committed to quality representation and compassionate advocacy, every step of the way.