Following a drunk driving conviction, or receiving too many civil infractions for traffic violations, or a myriad of other reasons, the Secretary of State in Michigan can revoke or suspend your driving privileges. When this happens, you need to hire a skilled Grand Rapids Driver’s License Restoration Lawyer. Attorney Shawn Haff and his team of Grand Rapids Driver’s License Restoration Attorneys can get you back on the road!
Trying to drive around Grand Rapids or any other city in West Michigan can be a severe limitation to your life. While the Rapid is a good public transportation system, it can’t get you around town like driving yourself can. It also doesn’t cover areas that far outside of Grand Rapids. If you are not able to drive, it will negatively impact other aspects of your life like dropping your children off at school, rushing to work or getting food at the store.
Michigan Driver’s License Restoration in Grand Rapids: Get Back on the Road with Shawn James Haff
If your driver’s license has been revoked due to multiple DUI or Drunk Driving convictions, you are likely facing an indefinite loss of your driving privileges. In Michigan, “revoked” means your license is gone forever unless you win a formal hearing at the Secretary of State’s Office of Hearings and Administrative Oversight (OHAO).
To win, the burden of proof is on you. You must prove by “clear and convincing evidence” that your substance abuse problems are under control and likely to remain under control. This is a high legal standard, and one mistake in your paperwork can result in a one-year denial. You must hire the best West Michigan attorney around, Shawn James Haff, right away to act as your professional shield and guide you through this complex process.
Grand Rapids Driver's License Restoration Attorney
When your driver’s license is suspended or revoked always call Attorney Shawn Haff up first! Shawn and his team of professional and exceptional DUI Lawyers. Our mission will be to get your license back as soon as possible! We are committed to doing all we can to help you. In some cases this will be done through the driver’s license restoration process. In other cases, it will be done by appealing the Secretary of State’s decision to Circuit Court.
Losing Driving Privileges in Grand Rapids
At The Criminal Defense Law Center of West Michigan, Attorney Shawn Haff and his Grand Rapids Driver’s License Restoration Attorneys hear all the time is “How did my license get suspended or revoked?” The Secretary of State in Michigan has many ways they go about revoking or suspending your driver’s license. The most common way to have this happen is by getting 12 points on your license. You get points added through moving violations such as running a red light, speeding, drunk driving and speeding.
Some other reasons include:
- Driving without auto insurance— all vehicles on Michigan roads are required to be insured properly.
- Reckless driving,
- Excessive speeding, the higher you are caught going over the speed limit the more points you get added to your record.
- Abandoning your vehicle after an accident, this can also lead to a person facing criminal charges for leaving the scene of an accident.
- Or causing an accident that resulted in a fatality,
- Non-moving violations—examples of this are not appearing in court, failing to pay child support and failure to pay traffic tickets.
There are still more ways the State can suspend your license. These charges include stealing gasoline, making a bomb threat, joyriding and lying to a police officer by giving a fake address.
Your Driver's License Appeal Hearing
If your an unfortunate soul with muptiple OWI/DUI/Drunk Driving and/or drugged driving and other drug charges, you will be facing a very long term revocation or suspension of your ability to legally driving in Michigan. The Michigan Secretary of State is going to believe you have a major problem with drugs and alcohol. Once they believe this, you will have to prove to them that you are no longer a risk to other drivers on the road. You will be required to do this by showing the SOS that you are sober and not using drugs.
In order to get your license back, you need to file a formal request for a hearing from the Office of Hearings and Administrative Oversight section of Michigan Secretary of State. This office used to be called the Administrative Hearings Section (AHS).
In order to be ready for your hearing, you obviously need to be completely prepared. To prepare for your hearing, you’ll need to complete and send and a Substance Abuse Evaluation form to the Secretary of State at the address below:
Michigan Department of State
Office of Hearings and Administrative Oversight
P.O. Box 30196
Lansing, MI 48909-7696
You have to have your Substance Abuse Evaluation form sent in within three months of the date it was received by the Michigan Department of State.
The 5 Pillars of a Successful License Appeal
To restore your license in Kent County, we must build a powerhouse case based on these five requirements:
Substance Use Evaluation (SOS-258): This is the foundation of your case. It must be completed by a qualified evaluator within 90 days of your filing. Shawn Haff works with the top evaluators in West Michigan to ensure your clinical diagnosis and prognosis are favorable.
12-Panel Drug Screen: You must provide a clean, current drug test that includes an “integrity catch” to prove the sample hasn’t been tampered with.
Letters of Community Support: You need 3 to 6 notarized letters from people who see you regularly. These letters must specifically attest to your sobriety and the changes in your lifestyle. Shawn Haff reviews and edits every letter to ensure they meet the strict SOS criteria.
Evidence of Support Systems: Whether it’s AA attendance logs, proof of counseling, or a structured relapse prevention plan, we must show you have the tools to stay sober.
Proof of Minimum Sobriety: Generally, you need at least 12 months of documented, total abstinence from alcohol and controlled substances (including recreational marijuana) before you can even apply.
Notarized Letters To Get Your License Back
You need to gather evidence in the form of documentation about your lack of current drinking and your past drinking and drug use. You do this by going around and getting notarized letters from people you associate with and in your community. These need to be people that have frequent contact with you. If you can get a letter from Alcoholics Anonymous, that would be outstanding. You have to present at least three letters, but can send it no more than six. Your letters should have the following information included in them.
- How often they see you.
- How long they’ve known you.
- How long they’ve known you
- How often they see you.
- A detailed explanation of they knowledge regarding your current and past alcohol and drug use. Details that the SOS would want to hear about included what was your drug of course, how often you used this drug and how much you used this drug.
- Other information that this person believes would be important to know.
- What they know about your efforts to clean your life up, if you are currently getting treatment and support.
Grand Rapids License Restoration: Frequently Asked Questions (Q&A)
Q: Can I apply for restoration if I live in Wyoming, Kentwood, or Grandville? A: Yes. Whether you live in Grand Rapids, Wyoming, Kentwood, Walker, Grandville, or outlying areas like Rockford and Cedar Springs, your case will be handled through the same Michigan Secretary of State process. Shawn Haff represents clients across all of Kent County.
Q: What is the “eligible for review” date on my driving record? A: This is the earliest date you can request a hearing. If you have two DUI convictions within seven years, you must wait at least one year. If you have three within ten years, you must wait five years. Shawn Haff can help you pull your “Certified Full Record” (Record #42) to determine your exact eligibility date.
Q: I moved out of Michigan. Do I still need a hearing in Grand Rapids? A: If you have a Michigan “hold” on your record, you cannot get a license in your new state. We can help you file for a “clearance” through an administrative review or a remote hearing so you can get licensed where you live now.
Q: What happens if I lose my hearing? A: If you are denied, you typically have to wait another 12 months before you can try again. This is why it is vital to hire the best attorney in West Michigan the first time. If the Hearing Officer made a legal error, Shawn Haff can appeal the decision to the Kent County Circuit Court.
Q: Will I have to drive with an Ignition Interlock device? A: In most successful initial appeals, the state will grant you a “Restricted License” that requires a Breath Alcohol Ignition Interlock Device (BAIID). After one year of successful driving with the device, we go back to court to win your full, unrestricted privileges.
Q: Can I use medical or recreational marijuana while seeking restoration? A: This is a major “trap.” Even though marijuana is legal in Michigan, the Secretary of State almost always denies applicants who use it, as they are looking for “total abstinence” from all mind-altering substances.
Driver’s License Lawyers Who Can Help You! Call Us Now!
In order to get a restoration of your driver’s license, you will need to call the Grand Rapids Driver’s License Restoration Lawyers today at 616-438-6719. Once you retain Shawn and The Criminal Defense Law Center of West Michigan, you will work with an expert attorney who will work with you and make sure you get your license restored by a driver’s license hearing process. We will make sure your documents are submitted properly and on time! We have an outstanding rate of success. You have our guarantee that we will work on your case until we get you the best results possible.
Don’t wait! Call Shawn now at 616-438-6719! The call is free. You can also visit Shawn at his webpage.
Why You Need an Attorney for the Michigan Driver's License Restoration Process
Repeated DUI convictions may cause the SOS to give you a lifetime revocation of your driver’s license. Thankfully, you can get your license back! However, the but the process is not simple, it is difficult and the burden of proof is on you.
The most common mistake we see here is when people try to get their license back by themselves through an appeal to the Michigan Secretary of State Driver Assessment and Appeal Divison. (“DAAD”) After they fail to get their license, they then seek professional legal help. This is a very costly mistake. If you are denied by the Secretary of State, you will have to wait a year before you can get another hearing. The next hearing you have will be more difficult because hearing officers will review your record and want to know why you were denied the at the last hearing. It is much more wiser to hire one of our driver’s license restoration attorneys the first time. This will mean you will have the best chance of winning the first time around. You can rest easy knowing all the paper work will be done correctly and that you are as prepared as you can be.
The Verdict: Hire the Premier Defense Powerhouse
Don’t risk another year of walking or hitching rides. Driver’s license restoration is a specialized field of law that requires an elite, sophisticated approach. Shawn James Haff is recognized as the best Grand Rapids criminal defense lawyer for license appeals because he treats your case like the emergency it is.
Call Shawn James Haff at (616) 438-6719 immediately to start the process. We will help you gather your letters, schedule your evaluation, and get you back behind the wheel legally.
What Do You Have To Prove and How Do You Prove It At The Hearing
If you are seeking to get your license back, you must prove a number of things to the Hearing Officer. The key things you must prove are:
- That your alcohol problem is under control,
- That your alcohol problem is likely to remain under control,
- That you are motivated to drive within the law and safely.
Here Is How You Can Prove The Above
- You have quit drinking and have not had a drop of alcohol in the last year.
- You have a plan and system in place to keep you from drinking. For example, you have completed an alcohol education or rehab program and made substantial and permanent lifestyle changes that will keep you from drinking alcohol in the future.
- You demonstrate a willingness and are able to follow the law. You must also prove you will follow any restrictions the Secretary of State may impose upon you.
What We Will provide:
We will prepare you for the real hearing. We have the experience necessary to guide you down the path to getting your driver’s license back. We will make sure all your letters have the necessary information included to give the hearing officer a clear picture that you need to get your license back!