DWI and Driver’s License Suspensions
Of course, if you are convicted of DWI, the Court will suspend your license. However, your license can be suspended before you have even been convicted of a DWI offense—and it only takes one offense: no multiple violations over a period of time or accruing points. If you refuse post arrest physical or blood alcohol tests, or take a blood alcohol test which shows a result over the legal limit, the State will seek to suspend your license. This process is called administrative license suspension or ALS. The police officer will seize your New Hampshire Driver’s license, if you possess one, and issue you a temporary one with a future expiration date. Your license will be suspended on that date unless you request a hearing. It’s incumbent upon you to request this hearing within the appropriate time frame. If you do not request such a hearing your license will be suspended.
The ALS hearing is limited to a few narrow issues, some of which are different from those at court. If the request by the State for an Administrative Loss of License is upheld at such a hearing, your driver’s license will be suspended. (If you hold an out of state license, your operating privileges will be suspended). The length of the suspension will be six months for a first offense and two years if you have a prior refusal or DWI conviction.
DUI/DWI is a grave offense. The best antidote is to avoid any alcohol/drug impairment. Short of that, never get behind the wheel while intoxicated. Too many lives are at stake.
