Santa Cruz County Driver's License Suspension and DMV Hearing Lawyer

Attorney for Clients Who Face DUI License Revocation in California

If you are a California driver who has committed a number of moving violations, or a single serious offense like DUI or speeding over 100 mph, the state can suspend your driver's license. This suspension, which may last six months or longer, can have a substantial impact on your daily life, including your ability to get to and from work each day and complete normal household duties.

Anyone arrested for DUI is entitled to a DMV administrative hearing to review all evidence supplied by law enforcement and contest the suspension. You must request a hearing within 10 days of receiving notification of the impending revocation. For the best chance at preserving your driving privileges, you want to enlist the help of an honest local attorney with plenty of DUI experience. Attorney John W. Thornton has served Santa Cruz clients since 1990, has handled hundreds of DMV hearings, and is ready to help you.

California DMV Hearings

A DMV hearing is a separate administrative proceeding from the DUI criminal court appearance that follows a DUI arrest. The DMV hearing deals only with the suspension or revocation of your driving privileges. The DUI court trial determines whether you committed the criminal act of DUI. In most cases, DMV has a separate administrative hearing.

At your DMV administrative hearing, the Driver Safety Hearings Officer will detail the legal grounds for the suspension before giving you the opportunity to refute the charges. You have the right to legal representation at your hearing, and Attorney John W. Thornton is adept at analyzing evidence to assess if your rights were violated or if the information provided is insufficient for a license suspension.

One has the right to call any witnesses who will support your case, and question the arresting officer to see if they followed proper police procedure, including the administering of field sobriety tests and blood-alcohol concentration (BAC) testing. If you submitted to a BAC test, the following issues will be discussed:

• Did the police have reasonable cause to think you were driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs?
• Did a police officer place you under lawful arrest?
• Did you have a BAC of .08% or more when you were driving your vehicle?

You also have the right to request the decision of your case in writing, and if the ruling goes against you, you can ask for an administrative review or pursue an appeal with the superior court.

Regardless of the facts surrounding your case, Attorney John W. Thornton, Attorney at Law can sit down with you to determine the best course of action.

Contact a California DUI Lawyer

When your driving privileges are at stake, the help of a skilled criminal defense attorney can be very beneficial. In serving Santa Cruz County for over 30 years, including more than a thousand DUI clients, Attorney John W. Thornton, Attorney at Law has earned his reputation as a local criminal defense attorney you can trust. To set up a free consultation with an experienced Santa Cruz, CA DUI attorney, contact us at 831-426-5800.