If you drive a motor vehicle in Michigan, you’ve already consented to take a chemical test if you’re accused of drunk driving. If you’re stopped for Traverse City drunk driving, the police are likely going to ask you to take a chemical test. You may have the option to take a breath test or a blood test. You also have the option to get a second test from a person that you choose.
When you’re arrested, law enforcement should read you your chemical test rights. It’s almost always in your best interests to take the chemical test. If you don’t, you face an administrative revocation of your driver’s license.
A driver’s license suspension because of failing to take a chemical test happens independently of the court proceedings. That means, if you don’t take the chemical test, you can lose your driver’s license even if you are never even charged with drunk driving. Even if you’re tried and acquitted of drunk driving, your Michigan driver’s license suspension doesn’t go away.
For a first drunk driving implied consent refusal, you receive a license suspension of one year. You also face six points added to your license. If you refuse a chemical test a second time, the suspension is longer.
If you’re facing a Michigan driver’s license suspension, you have a right to a hearing about your failure to take the chemical test. You can have a Northern Michigan driver’s license attorney represent you at the hearing. It’s very important that you contact a Michigan license suspension attorney right away, because your window to demand this hearing if very short. In fact, you have fourteen days from the date of your drunk driving arrest to seek an implied consent hearing. If you don’t file the request in that period of time, your chances are lost forever.
If you didn’t take the chemical test at your Northern Michigan drunk driving arrest, you might think that your case is hopeless. This isn’t the case. You should contact a Michigan license restoration attorney as soon as possible in order to evaluate your case. In some cases, your attorney can address the administrative revocation as part of plea negotiations with the prosecuting attorney’s offense as part of the criminal charges against you. However, you need to contact a drunk driving criminal lawyer or Northern Michigan license attorney as soon as possible so that they can file the right paperwork within the time limitations.
If you’re facing a Grand Traverse drunk driving arrest, Leelanau drunk driving arrest or a drunk driving arrest in any county, we invite you to contact our team of skilled and experienced attorney. We have years of experience helping our clients answer the question – How do I get my license back? Let us put our experience to work for you.