Unfortunately, DUI arrests are all too common in Hillsborough County. In 2024, there were over 4,500 arrests for Driving Under the Influence in Hillsborough County, Florida. That’s approximately 12 DUI arrests per day!

In many cases, the drivers so arrested did not set out that evening to drink an intoxicating amount of alcohol. It was to simply be a night out at dinner with a loved one, watching the game with some friends, or simply a happy hour outing after a day of work. Unfortunately, when they were pulled over by law enforcement, law enforcement formed the opinion that the driver had not sufficiently checked their drinking and had become impaired.

So, that has happened? You can’t change the fact of the arrest on suspicion of DUI; what do you do now?

Step One:

Call me. I am a Board Certified Criminal Trial Law attorney. I have been handling DUIs for over 20 years. Yes, this is self-serving. But I have been through this rodeo. Most drivers have not. I’m sure there will be questions to which I will have answers. Plus, I have the ability to fight for the absolute best result possible given the set of facts surrounding your case.

Step Two:

Whether you were arrested with a breath alcohol level above 0.08 or arrested with a refusal to take the breath test, you have 10 days from the date of arrest to request a Formal Review Hearing, Informal Review Hearing, or waive that right for an immediate hardship. There are no exceptions to the 10-day requirement (you do get to the following business day if day 10 falls on the weekend or a legal holiday). This action is requested through the Bureau of Administrative Review. It doesn’t have much bearing on the criminal case but can get you driving again.

Step Three:

Start mitigating your case. Unless you know 100% for certain that you are taking your case to trial and, in your heart of hearts, you know you are not guilty, start doing things to make you look good in the eyes of the prosecutor and judge. Some concrete actions you could take include:

  • Sign up for DUI School at duicounterattack.com. You will have to do this unless your case is dropped by the State. May as well get started on it.
  • Start performing community service hours. Most convictions will require 50 hours anyway. Again, it is good to get started.
  • Complete a MADD Victim Impact Panel at maddvip.org. Same logic as above, you are likely to have to do it anyway. It’s only three hours. Get it done.
  • Gather character letters from family, friends, and others who may know you well. All the State knows about you is this arrest. Let’s help paint them a picture of who you are.
  • Lastly, start going to A/A or N/A. I’m not saying you need it, but it helps to convince the State to do what we ask when you are taking steps to ensure that another DUI doesn’t happen in the future.

Step Four:

Relax. What’s done is done. You cannot change the past. I will help you get through this with as little impact to you as possible. While jail is a legal sentence for this crime, most first-time offenders do not face jail time. In a majority of the cases, probation is the outcome. It will not be fun to go through, but you will get through it. Life will return to normal.