Being accused of drunk driving is incredibly serious here in Washington. A conviction on DUI charges can lead to jail time, hefty fines and other consequences that can change a person’s life.
And a DUI case can have major impacts on a person long before trial. For example, just being arrested for drunk driving in Washington triggers some significant consequences. One is an automatic license suspension. Today we’ll go over some of the basics of license suspensions for DUI arrests in Washington.
When does it go into effect?
This type of suspension goes into effect 30 days after the DUI arrest.
How long is it?
Such suspensions will generally fall into the range of 90 days to 2 years. Where within this range a given one would fall depends on things such as the circumstances that led to the arrest and whether the driver has prior offenses.
Can it be challenged?
There is a route for contesting this type of suspension. A driver who has been arrested for DUI can request a hearing on the issue. If the hearing ends with a decision in his or her favor, no suspension will be put in place for him or her for the arrest.
What is the deadline for requesting a hearing?
It is important to know, however, that the option to ask for a hearing isn’t open for very long after a DUI arrest. Specifically, the request has to be made within 7 days of the arrest. If it isn’t, the chance for a hearing generally goes away.
This underscores that time is of the essence when it comes to protecting one’s license after being arrested for DUI. This is why promptly talking to an experienced DUI attorney about one’s options on this front can be a crucial step to take following such an arrest.
