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Michigan Driver's License Restoration and Appeals
Jackson, Michigan, Attorneys By Your Side Every Step of the Way
In Michigan, driving is a privilege, not a right. When one loses their driving privileges, it can be difficult to get them back. The statutes, rules, regulations and paperwork are overwhelming and confusing. The odds are against reinstatement of driving privileges, which is why you should have an experienced and knowledgeable driver's license restoration and appeal attorney standing by your side helping you every step of the way.
Curtis, Curtis & Brelinski's lawyers have decades of experience representing the interests of Michigan citizens. Our law firm has been centrally located in downtown Jackson since 1901, so we can assist clients with issues throughout the mid-Michigan area. We commonly represent clients in the following counties: Jackson, Washtenaw, Hillsdale, Lenawee, Calhoun and Ingham.
We Know What it Takes to Win the First Time
Over the years, our driver's license restoration and appeal hearing attorneys have developed a proven system to get your driving privileges back. We know the law, the hearing officers, the required evidence, and how to present it in the most favorable way. Our lawyers know what it takes to win the first time, and we take the time to prepare you for success at the hearing. Other appeal lawyers might not take the time that we do, but in our experience, putting in the extra time pays off with positive results.
Initial Meeting: Overview of Process and Preparation for Success
At the first meeting, our license appeal lawyers will review and explain the process for getting your driving privileges restored. We learn about your driving history and offenses, your personal background, and why you deserve to get your license back. We provide you with documents and information to get you started with your appeal, and refer you to a substance abuse counselor for a meeting. At the end of the meeting, you will have the tools required to prepare you for success at the Secretary of State appeal hearing.
Second Meeting: Review All Documents and Request the Hearing
After you have met with the substance abuse counselor, submitted to a drug test, and gathered your character letters and other evidence, we will meet with you to review it all to ensure that you are in the best position to win at the hearing. At this time, we could gather additional information and documents, or make changes as allowed. We take the time to work with you to do whatever it takes to get your license back. After we are satisfied with the documents, we submit the Request for a Hearing to the Michigan Secretary of State, and wait for a hearing date.
Third Meeting: Preparing you for Success at the Hearing - Mock Trial
Once the Administrative Hearings Section sends notice of your hearing, our driver's license appeal attorney will meet with you to thoroughly prepare for the hearing. At this meeting, we review all the documents and information so they are fresh in your mind, discuss the process for the hearing, and conduct a mock trial with questions and sample responses. We do this to put you in the best possible position to succeed — the first time.
Fourth Meeting: The Driver's License Restoration Appeal Hearing
After you have thoroughly prepared for the hearing with our guidance and assistance, we will appear with you at your Secretary of State hearing. We will:
- represent your interests as your attorney;
- explain and justify certain potentially negative issues that may come up; and
- argue and advocate to the hearing officer on your behalf about the positive aspects of your life and why you deserve your driver's license back.
Post-Hearing Results and Appeals
After the hearing, you will receive a written order outlining the hearing officer's decision. If it is successful, you will receive certain driving privileges and the order will specify those rights. If your driving appeal is denied, then the order should outline why. Our appeal attorney will review the order in detail to determine if you have an appealable issue. All decisions can be appealed to the circuit court in the county where a petitioner resides.
Some hearing officers make mistakes or simply don't see it our way. That's why you have the automatic right to an appeal. Our appeal attorneys have had great success at appealing the decisions of the Secretary of State hearing officers. Many times, you may even be in a better position after the appeal than you would have been if the hearing officer granted your request.
Fees and Costs
There is no direct fee to the Secretary of State for the actual driver's license appeal.
We understand that costs are always a concern to our clients. Our driver's license attorneys offer flat fees, so you know going in how much this representation will cost you financially. We can also arrange for payments over time, and we are set up to accept credit and debit cards online or over the phone on a periodic basis. We want to assist you with getting your license back because we know it is tough to live and maintain employment without a driver's license. We are dedicated to working with you on fees and costs.
Additional Driver's License Appeal Services
Implied Consent Suspension and Hardship Appeals
If an individual is under arrest for drunk driving and unreasonably refuses to submit to a chemical test (blood, breath or urine), their license will be automatically suspended for one-year for first offenses. You have the right to request a hearing within 14 days with the Secretary of State. These hearings are extremely challenging because they are civil in nature and the burden of proof is low. If you are unsuccessful at your hearing, your license is suspended (not revoked) for one-year. However, you do have options. You can appeal the decision based on a defective decision or based on a hardship appeal. Our driver's license attorneys have been very successful in Jackson County with convincing the circuit court judges to provide driving privileges to our clients under hardship appeals.
Interlock Ignition Violations
If you were successful in one of your appeals, and you were awarded driving privileges that require an ignition interlock device to be installed and used in your car, that is just the beginning. The interlock devices routinely have issues and are difficult to operate properly. From time to time, you could face minor or major violations that may be reported to the Michigan Secretary of State by the interlock installer. If you have violated, the SOS will automatically reinstate your previous driver's license revocation without a hearing, and send you notice in the mail. As of that point, you are no longer allowed to drive on the interlock device. You must appeal that decision to the hearing officer. Our driver's license attorneys have been successful in appealing these interlock ignition violations to the Secretary of State and the circuit court.
Contact Us
The laws and procedures regarding driver's licenses and the restoration of driving privileges are confusing, and the hearings can be intimidating. Hearing officers are not looking out for your best interests. We will. To have the best possible chance of getting your license restored the first time, you need an experienced and knowledgeable lawyer like ours.
For more information, or if you would like help with getting your driver's license back, call (517) 787-9481, email info@curtiscurtislaw.com, or complete our online contact form. Centrally located in Jackson, we assist clients throughout mid-Michigan.