A DUI-related license suspension is a huge inconvenience for people who use their cars everyday. Some people feel like they can get around the law by driving anyway, but this decision has dire consequences. In order to dispel the urge to drive on suspension, Chester County allows motorists to make a suspension easier. However, you won't have access to these options without the help of a skilled criminal defense attorney.
DUI-Related License Suspension in Chester County
Once a person is convicted of a DUI in Chester County, there's a high probability that they will be subjected to a license suspension. The duration of time a motorist will be stripped of their driving privileges depends on several factors. A person's blood alcohol content level, the quantity of drugs found in their system, and their eligibility for programs offered by the state and county oftentimes dictate the length of a suspension. In order to ease the burden of a long suspension, and to ensure that they don't violate orders to cease driving during a suspension, convicted persons typically attempt to petition the court for an occupational license, or gain entry to Chester County's Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (ARD) program.
Occupational Licenses
The majority of motorists facing a DUI and a mandatory license suspension have the option of applying for a restricted license. This license can only be used for the sake of driving to a place of employment and back home in the midst of a license suspension. If the request for an occupational license is granted, it will be granted after a person has endured 60 days of their suspension. The major disqualifier for an occupational license is entry into an ARD program.
Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (ARD) Program
The ARD program is a pre-trial intervention program that is designed to redirect non-violent, first-time offenders away from the criminal justice system. In order to complete this program, members are required to fulfill individualized terms related to their sentence. If someone is accepted after being charged with a DUI, for example, they may be obligated to attend a drug and alcohol treatment program or to attend a highway safety course.
This program is particularly appealing for defendants because of its benefits. Upon successful completion, a mandatory license suspension period is substantially reduced to a 30- or 60-day suspension, and the charges a person initially acquired will be dismissed.
Chester County Criminal Defense Attorney
If you have been arrested and charged with a DUI in Chester County, and are facing a mandatory license suspension, you should immediately contact a skilled criminal defense attorney. Attorney Joseph D. Lento has extensive experience helping people in this circumstance gain acceptance into county programs or receive occupational licenses.
If you've been caught driving with a DUI suspended license, you can't afford to not retain an attorney. A violation of this nature carries a penalty of a mandatory jail term. Attorney Joseph Lento can help you adequately fight these charges to forgo the mandatory minimums, help you lessen the costly fines associated with this violation, and help you shorten the extended license suspension. Contact him today for help.
