License Restoration – Winning Your Drivers License Back After Revocation
If you have lost your driver’s license following a conviction of an OWI let me start by saying winning your license back after having it revoked will have nothing to do with your ‘need’ for a license. Yes, while we all may ‘need’ a license to secure/maintain employment and provide transportation in the end, this ‘need’ will actually have very little to do with your actual ability to win your drivers license back.
Before you can ever win your license back, you have to be legally eligible to file a license restoration appeal. “Eligibility” meaning legally able – Michigan law provides that a person/s driver’s license shall be revoked for a minimum of one year in the event that he/she has been found guilty of driving under the influence.
Once you are legally able to file a restoration appeal one must also prove that he/she is sober. From the Secretary of State (SOS) stand point they are not interested in ‘talk’ about sobriety – SOS wants ‘clear and convicting evidence’ that you are to remain completely alcohol free thus, not putting yourself or the general public at risk. Proving that you’re alcohol problem is “likely to remain under control” – thus, leaving no unanswered question as to whether or not alcohol is still an issue in your life.
So, whether you ‘need’ a license or not, you must be both legally eligible {completed your 1-5 year revocation period} AND you must prove your sobriety first and foremost to even be considered for your restoration process to begin. Eligibility is simply ‘time’. Proving sobriety may mean avoidance of situations that involve alcohol, ditching well meaning drinking friends, attending AA meetings is a must, along with having the necessary completed forms, letters, drug testing, and substance evaluation.
That is a large part of where having an experienced attorney such as us Corriveau Law comes into play. It in a sense is our job to prove your sobriety: through evaluation and letters of support which are required to formally start the appeal process we at Corriveau Law we will work with you to prepare for your license appeal hearing. The number one reason most people are unsuccessful in obtaining their license the first time is because they do not understand the process.
‘Needing’ a license is certainly one thing but getting it back is another. You must be legally eligible and completely sober once you are ready to get it back.
The process begins by reviewing your driving record and determining your eligibility/ conviction history. We encourage you to do your homework – we will engage in an extensive review of your personal history and an evaluation / drug test will be required.
We at Corriveau Law take great pride in preparing our clients for their hearings. We handle any and all follow up investigations pertaining to your case. The key to success is proper preparedness and meticulous attention to necessary evidence being submitted.
Disclosure: All cases are driven by the facts unique to each case as they apply to the law at the time, and the persuasive argument of an attorney. The information we at Corriveau Law provide is meant only as a broad overview, and not to be relied on without speaking with a legal representative
