DUI Defense Attorney in Northwest Florida

After a DUI arrest, you will be taken to jail for processing. Your license may be taken and you'll receive a citation. You typically have 10 days from the arrest date to request a formal review hearing with the DHSMV — or your license will be suspended automatically. Call an attorney immediately.

Florida law gives you 10 days after a DUI arrest to request a formal review hearing with the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV). If you do not request this hearing within 10 days, your license will be automatically suspended. An attorney can file this request on your behalf.

Florida's implied consent law means refusing a breathalyzer comes with its own penalties — including a one-year license suspension for a first refusal and an 18-month suspension for subsequent refusals. However, refusal also means no BAC evidence. Whether refusal helps or hurts your case depends on the specific circumstances, which is why you need an attorney to evaluate your options.

Yes, in some cases. A DUI may be reduced to reckless driving (sometimes called a "wet reckless"), or charges may be dismissed if the stop was unlawful, the breathalyzer was improperly calibrated, or field sobriety tests were improperly administered. Attorney Gilbert reviews all of these factors in every DUI case.

That depends on your employer and profession. Many commercial drivers, healthcare workers, and government employees face additional consequences beyond criminal penalties. This is one more reason why having an experienced DUI attorney fight to reduce or dismiss charges can be critical to protecting your livelihood.