Washington State DUI License Suspension
A driving under the influence charge in Washington State triggers two separate cases: one civil and one criminal. The civil case involves your driver’s license, while the criminal case involves whether you will face DUI penalties.In Washington, a person can be charged with drunk driving if he or she has a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.08 percent or higher (this limit drops to 0.02 percent for minors or commercial drivers). If a driver fails the breath test, or refuses to take one altogether, his or her driving privileges are automatically suspended or revoked by the Washington State Department of Licensing (DOL).
It is important to note that even if your DUI case is dismissed, or never filed at all, the DOL will still automatically suspend your driver’s license. You have 20 days from the date of arrest to challenge your administrative license suspension. If you do not request a hearing within this timeframe, your license will be suspended on the 60th day after your arrest.
In addition, you will have to pay a fee you have your license reinstated after the suspension is over. You must then obtain SR22 auto insurance for three years.
If you decide to challenge your Washington State DUI license suspension, it is important to have an experienced defense attorney on your side. Dealing with the DOL is difficult because their standards of evidence are different than what the criminal court used. In fact, the Department of Licensing upholds 80 percent of the administrative license suspensions.
In a criminal case, the judge takes into account your lack of criminal history, personal difficulties, and other factors when determining your sentence; however, this has no impact in a DOL case. In fact, it is almost impossible to win an administrative license case without an aggressive DUI defense attorney.
The attorneys at Callahan Law know how important it is to keep your driving privileges. They will ensure that you meet the deadline to request a hearing with the DOL as well as provide a top-notch defense.
If you are ready to challenge your Washington State DUI license suspension, contact Callahan Law today.They will take the time to discuss your case and answer any questions you may have.
