The loss of driving privileges can be devastating. Even when a person’s license is only suspended for a short period of time, they can find themselves without the ability to get to work or run basic errands like getting groceries and medical care. The inability to drive also puts a strain on important relationships and can cause serious financial hardship. The most severe consequences come when a person’s license is revoked by the Michigan Secretary of State, formerly known as the Driver Assessment and Appeal Division (DAAD).
Once a person’s driver’s license has been revoked for a minimum of seven years as a result of two drunk driving convictions within seven years, the only way they can legally regain their license is through a restoration case. Unlike a criminal trial, where you are presumed innocent until proven guilty, a Driver's License Restoration Lawyer can help you navigate through the process of license restoration cases that start from the presumption that the hearing officer will deny your request.
At the DAAD hearing, the hearing officer will review the circumstances that led to your loss of driving privileges and the evidence submitted in support of your request, and an experienced Driver's License Restoration Lawyer can assist you in presenting a compelling case. The hearing officers have specialized knowledge of the state’s DUI laws, alcohol-related offenses, and rehabilitation programs. The law requires a high standard of proof, called “clear and convincing evidence,” that you have addressed your drinking problem and that you are unlikely to reoffend in the future.
If you are denied a restored license by the DAAD hearing officer, there is an opportunity to appeal that decision to Circuit Court. Our experienced Michigan driver's license restoration lawyer team who can help you understand if your case is appealable and what steps must be taken to ensure your success on your DAAD Appeal.
A DAAD denial can affect your ability to obtain a new license in another state. The federal government maintains a database of troubled drivers known as the National Driver Register (NDR), and if a person who has a DAAD denial in Michigan attempts to obtain a driver’s license in a different state, that representative will run their name in NDR and tell them they have a hold from Michigan. The other state will then tell them they must start a DAAD clearance case with Michigan to resolve the hold before they can get a new license. Consult a driver's license restoration lawyer for legal assistance.
Regardless of the reason your license has been lost or suspended, you need to act quickly to ensure that you are able to obtain the driving privileges that are so critical to your everyday life. Contact a licensed and experienced Michigan Driver's License Restoration Lawyer to discuss your case today. We can help you begin a new chapter in your life.
You never plan to lose your driver’s license, and it’s even more frustrating if you do. In Michigan, when a person’s license is suspended, their right to drive is effectively taken away until they take affirmative steps to get it back. It’s important to work with an experienced attorney, often referred to as a Driver's License Restoration Lawyer, so that you can make the best decisions on how to proceed and maximize your chance of success in a license restoration case.
In most cases, if you’ve had your license suspended due to traffic or other offenses, all you have to do is wait for the suspension period to end and pay the standard $125 reinstatement fee in order to be allowed to resume driving. However, if your license was revoked for more severe issues such as drug or alcohol abuse, you have to demonstrate that those are under control and that the risk of future violations is minimal. This typically requires a substance use disorder evaluation and letters of support from members of the community that attest to your sobriety efforts. A skilled and experienced Michigan license reinstatement lawyer, or a Driver's License Restoration Lawyer, will know exactly what to do to help you put together the best possible evidence to prove that you’re not at any higher risk of committing another violation that would result in license revocation again.
One thing to keep in mind when considering whether to hire a lawyer, such as a Driver's License Restoration Lawyer, to represent you in your case is that the state of Michigan takes these matters very seriously. The law states that in order to win a license restoration appeal, a petitioner must not only be sober, but they must be able to prove it through the legal process outlined by the statutes and rules governing these types of cases.
At a hearing for a license restoration case, the Petitioner is questioned under oath by the Hearing Officer and/or their attorney, including a Driver's License Restoration Lawyer, about their background, criminal history, sobriety efforts, and personal contacts to establish that they are not at any more of a risk of re-offending and are able to operate a motor vehicle safely.
As you can see, the road to Michigan License Reinstatement is a lot more difficult than it seems. You can get a much better idea of your odds of success by hiring an experienced, dedicated Michigan driver's license restoration lawyer. We can also recommend other professionals to assist you in obtaining the proof required to successfully fight for your freedom to drive again. Contact us now to schedule your appointment.
When someone's Michigan driver's license is revoked for multiple OWI convictions, they must request a restoration hearing before the Secretary of State in order to get their driving privileges back. The process is lengthy, and people who are unsuccessful in their first attempt to regain driving privileges must wait one year before they can reapply for a license. This is because the Secretary of State is in the business of protecting others on the road from high-risk drivers. Consequently, it is important to have a Driver's License Restoration Lawyer who has experience handling these types of cases and understands how to present an effective case to the hearing officer in order to increase the chances of a successful outcome.
There are three main factors that the hearing officer looks at before granting a driver's license restoration. These include a convincing demonstration that the petitioner has overcome alcohol addiction, an explanation of why their driving privileges were revoked, and a clear presentation of all of the relevant facts. An experienced Michigan license restoration attorney, often referred to as a Driver's License Restoration Lawyer, can help clients fulfill all of these requirements, and can also assist in the gathering of any required evidence to present to the hearing officer.
Most importantly, the hearing officer must believe that the petitioner is a safe and responsible driver. The hearing officer is an attorney who works for the Secretary of State and must interpret evidence in a legally neutral manner. Despite this, it is very important to have a Driver's License Restoration Lawyer present at the hearing who can effectively communicate with the hearing officer to ensure that he or she understands all of the evidence presented. This is because a denial by the hearing officer can be devastating to the petitioner, as he or she must then wait a year before attempting another license restoration appeal.
A significant part of our practice is representing individuals who were denied at a DLAD hearing. The hearing officers are attorneys who work for the Secretary of State, and they generally support the decisions made by their bosses (the state Attorney General's Office). It is therefore important to have a driver's license restoration lawyer who can fight hard for you at an appeal to overturn the decision by the hearing officer.
We have successfully won numerous license restoration appeals in Michigan, and have an excellent track record of success. We have a driver's license restoration lawyer team, which can be critical in successful appeals to the highest courts in the State.
Paul J Tafelski, Michigan Defense Law | Criminal Attorney and DUI Lawyer
2525 S Telegraph Rd suite 100, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302, United States
(248) 451-2200