Chandler DUI Driver’s License Suspension

There are many repercussions if a law enforcement officer pulls you over and charges you with driving under the influence (DUI). Arizona recognizes standard, extreme, and aggravated DUI charges with increasingly harsh penalties.

Along with incarceration, fines, substance abuse counseling, and community service, you may face the immediate suspension of your driving privileges. After a Chandler DUI driver’s license suspension, reach out to Grand Canyon Law Group. Our knowledgeable attorneys can counsel you about what to do next.

How Can the Police Suspend a Driver’s License?

The flashing red lights and sirens are closing in behind a driver. The driver pulls onto the road’s shoulder and waits for the approaching sheriff’s deputy to tap on the window. The deputy asks the driver to step out of the car and walk in a straight line. They stumble.

The deputy produces a breathalyzer and commands the driver to blow. The machine analyzes the driver’s blood alcohol content. If it is more than 0.08 percent, they are above the legal limit in Arizona.

Length of License Suspensions

The deputy can immediately seize the motorist’s driver’s license, call to have the car towed, and detain the driver. A first DUI offense suspends the driver’s license for 90 days. License suspension jumps to a year for a second offense and three years for a third.

It may not seem fair that Arizona law enforcement can take a person’s license on the spot without allowing them to present a defense in court. However, state officials do not believe residents have a right to drive. They consider it a privilege that can be revoked upon suspicion of intoxicated driving, even before a conviction.

Refusing a Breath Test

What if the motorist refuses to take the breathalyzer test? The first time a motorist refuses a breath, urine, or blood test, the driver’s license will be suspended for one year. A second and third refusal leads to two-year license suspensions. Drivers facing license suspensions for alleged DUI should contact a skilled lawyer at our Chandler office to discuss their options.

Scheduling a Hearing to Contest a License Suspension in Chandler

Once law enforcement confiscates a driver’s license, the driver has 15 days to contest the action. Our local DUI license suspension attorneys can offer advice on scheduling a hearing with the Arizona Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Division (MVD). The hearing is a civil matter independent of the criminal court case for DUI. The defense lawyer will attempt to show that the arresting officer violated the driver’s rights or that the elements of DUI are not met. Some defenses an attorney can explore include the following:

• The arresting officer did not have probable cause to stop the motorist
• The motorist suffered from a prescription drug reaction, such as an overdose of insulin for diabetes
• The motorist did not refuse to take a breathalyzer test

Losing a driver’s license impacts a person’s ability to get to work, school, and appointments. The fines and jail time upon conviction make matters worse. Contact a skilled Chandler attorney at our firm after a DUI arrest to challenge the license suspension and protect one’s rights.

Consult a Chandler Lawyer on Challenging a DUI License Suspension

A savvy lawyer at our firm could defend you after your license is suspended by determining credible reasons that the suspension does not meet legal standards. We can present these reasons in your civil hearing to protect your driving privileges and preserve your way of life. In addition to contesting the Chandler DUI driver’s license suspension, we can fight the criminal charges at the core of your case.

Our team is prepared to represent your best interests, whether you want to get the charges dropped, lowered, or subject to a fair plea bargain. Call Grand Canyon Law Group today for a confidential consultation.