If you’ve lost your driver’s license due to an OWI or other offense, you’re likely itching to get back to driving again. Relying on family and friends can be difficult, especially when you have places to be and people to see. But with limited public transpiration options available, sometimes a person simply has no other choice. Rather than risk being a burden to those they love, many people facing driver’s license suspension or revocation opt to request a driver’s license review hearing, in order to be able to drive again.
At DeBruin Law, we’re committed to seeing your license reinstated. Whether it be driving to work, returning home, going to church, commuting to school, visiting family, or traveling for fun, a driver’s license is necessary. If your license has been suspended or revoked and you’d like to take the first steps toward restoring it, contact an experienced criminal defense lawyer today. Through a driver’s license review hearing and with the help of DeBruin Law, you may be able to get back behind the wheel.
How to Request a Driver’s License Review Hearing
Requesting a driver’s license review hearing is no straightforward affair. The State of Michigan’s Department of State has compiled a 10-page document that introduces the necessary information required to request a hearing, entitled Request for Hearing. Required information includes:
- Contact information
- Attorney information
- Residence history
- Conviction history
- Substance use history
- Treatment history
- Continuum of care (e.g. support groups and program participation)
For help in completing this packet of information, contact a Michigan criminal defense attorney today.
Note: If you are not a Michigan resident but are attempting to clear your Michigan driving record, you may alternatively request an administrative review. Contact DeBruin Law today for more information on how to do this.
Substance Use Evaluation
If you’ve ever been convicted for a drug or alcohol offense, you will be asked to provide a substance use evaluation alongside information relating to yourself, your conviction history, and your treatment. This form is included in the Request for Hearing packet and asks for sensitive information relating to your substance use and mental health throughout your lifetime. To acquire this information, you are asked to undergo a substance use evaluation by a professional evaluator. An evaluator could be a substance abuse counselor, a therapist, or a group leader, for example.
Providing Evidence of Sobriety
For drug and alcohol-related offenses, further evidence is needed to show your sobriety. This can include:
- A lab report from a 10-panel urinalysis drug screen showing your sobriety
- Three to six notarized letters testifying to your sobriety, e.g. from those who know you well, or three to six witnesses who will testify in person
- An ignition interlock device, if required
- Any other information you deem relevant to your case
To help you prepare your evidence, gather additional evidence, and select the best people to testify on your behalf, contact an experience Michigan criminal defense lawyer at DeBruin Law today.
Preparing For and Attending Your Hearing
Once the time of your hearing has arrived, an experienced Michigan criminal defense attorney will fight to show that the condition that caused your suspension or revocation in the first place is no longer present. This can be done by demonstrating that:
- Your substance use is under control and will remain so indefinitely
- You are not at risk of drinking or driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol again
- You desire to drive safely in the future and have the ability to do so
- You have ample evidence of sobriety
While many hearings take place via video conference, in-person hearings still take place in Grand Rapids, Lansing, and Livonia. During your hearing, your Michigan criminal defense attorney and the hearing officer will take testimony from you and any other witnesses you’ve asked to testify on your behalf. Because a person is only eligible to schedule one hearing per year, it is imperative that you attend your scheduled hearing or adjourn in advance. For help in preparing your hearing—whether it be in person or via video conference—contact DeBruin Law today.
How a Lansing Traffic Attorney from DeBruin Law Can Help You
With years of experience helping clients through the driver’s license review hearing process, DeBruin Law will fight to help you prepare the best case possible in advance of your hearing. Living without a driver’s license in Michigan is difficult enough, but with an experienced Lansing traffic attorney at your side, you may find yourself soon driving once again. Call us at 517-324-4303 today for a free consultation.