12 Month Refusal Suspension Set Aside at Tampa BAR

On September 25, 2020, the hearing officer set aside a 12 month suspension for a second refusal after a DUI arrest by an officer with the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office. In this case, we did not subpoena any witnesses because the information in the packet was insufficient, on its face, to support the suspension. At the hearing, we made several objections to show all the problems. The hearing officer issued an order that invalidated the suspension after determining that “there is insufficient evidence to suppose the suspension because of conflicting evidence or discrepancies.”

6 Month DUBAL Suspension Set Aside at Tampa Bar

On October 6, 2020, a hearing officer with the Tampa Bureau of Administrative Reviews issued a final order setting aside a 6 month driver’s license suspension for having an unlawful alcohol level because of “insufficient evidence to support the suspension because the arresting officer failed to appear.” The arresting officer was a trooper with the Florida Highway Patrol.

Petition for Writ of Certiorari Granted and Suspension Quashed

On October 27, 2020, the Chief Judge in Polk County, FL, The Honorable Ellen S. Masters, issued an order granting our petition for writ of certiorari and quashing the administrative suspension. We filed the writ after the hearing officer improperly denied our request to invalidate an administrative suspension.

In this case, the hearing officer inadvertently set the hearing for October 20 instead of November 20. After realizing the mistake, the hearing officer failed to correct the mistake within the 30 day deadline. After the 30 days passed with no hearing being properly scheduled, we filed a motion to invalidate. Instead of just invalidating the suspension as required by statute, the hearing officer continued the hearing and then ruled on the merits after several witnesses testified.

After the hearing officer upheld the suspension, we filed a Motion for Reconsideration and Demand for Attorney Fees and Costs on February 14, 2020, pursuant to Section 57.105, Florida Statutes. We then filed the “petition for writ of certiorari” which was ultimately granted.

On appeal, the Court noted that the DHSMV was wrong when it alleged the issue was not preserved for review and found the DHSMV’s arguments to be “insincere.” The Court also admonished the DHSMV when it wrote:

“…the Hearing Officer determined that Petitioner’s attorney should not raise an objection to the scheduling error when the Department has previously afforded the benefit of a continuance or temporary driving permit to the attorney’s other clients. That is not the standard outlined by Florida Statutes. Similarly, the Court is not persuaded by the Department’s suggestion that professional civility required the Petitioner’s attorney to “pick up the phone” or otherwise alert the Department to correct the error even if such action is contrary to the best interest of the attorney’s client.”

6 Month DUBAL Suspension Set Aside at Clearwater BAR

On December 4, 2020, the HSMV Field Hearing Officer at the Clearwater BAR invalidated an administrative suspension for driving with an unlawful breath alcohol level. The order provided: “[u]pon review of the facts of the case, the Department Hearing officer has determined that there is insufficient evidence to support the suspension of the petitioner’s driver license due to insufficient documentation submitted to the administrative hearing to establish probable cause of the arrest. (No arresting agency evidence packet).”

18 Month Refusal Suspension Set Aside

On January 14, 2021, the HSMV Field Hearing Officer Samantha Simpkins invalidated an administrative suspension for refusing to submit to a breath test after a DUI arrest in Hillsborough County. The order provided that upon review of the facts of the case, the Department Hearing officer has determined that there is insufficient evidence to support the suspension of the petitioner’s driver license due to insufficient documentation submitted to the administrative hearing to establish probable cause of the arrest “because the DUI evidence packet was not received.”

12 Month Refusal Suspension Set Aside

On March 2, 2021, a HSMV Field Hearing Officer at the Tampa Bureau of Administrative Reviews issued a final order setting aside a 12 month suspension for refusing to submit to a breath test. The order provides: “the Department Hearing Officer has determined that there is insufficient evidence to support the suspension because the arresting officer failed to appear.”

6 Month Suspension Invalidated When One BAC Reading was Below .08 

On March 3, 2021, a hearing officer with the Clearwater Bureau of Administrative Reviews entered a final order setting aside a 6-month driver’s license suspension triggered after a DUI arrest by an officer with the St. Petersburg Police Department. The order provided:

“[u]pon a review of the case, there is insufficient evidence to support the suspension because the breath test result did not comply with Section 316.193(1)(b) F.S. and Rule 11D-8.002(12) in that the petitioner provided two breath samples, one of which the result was under .08g/210L.”

Although officers might trigger an administrative suspension when one BAC reading is above the legal limit and one BAC reading is below the legal limit, the hearing officer will invalidate the suspension if you request a formal review hearing and make a motion to invalidate the suspension based on a lack of evidence.

BUI in Pasco Reduced to Civil Careless Boating with a Withhold of Adjudication

On April 19, 2021, the day the BUI case was scheduled for jury selection, the court accepted the plea to an amended charge of civil “careless boating” and withheld adjudication. Instead of facing any criminal penalty, the client agreed to pay court costs for a civil violation. The client was then eligible to expunge any criminal record.

The client was originally charged with Boating Under the Influence (BUI) after being detained near the Anclote River Park boat ramp in Pasco County by Officer Miros Petru of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). After a Boating Safety Inspection, the client agreed to participate in the seated battery of sobriety exercises including the palm pat task. FWC Officer Damon Pulaski arrived at the scene with a mobile Intoxilyzer 8000 (breathalyzer) in this marked patrol vehicle immediately after the arrest.

We filed and litigated a motion to suppress evidence, in part, because of an illegal detention, failure to properly administer the field tests, and a lack of probable cause for the arrest. Although that motion was denied, the prosecutor ultimately agreed to reduce the case from the criminal offense to a civil violation of “careless boating” under Section 327.33(2) a few days before the jury selection was scheduled to begin.

DUBAL Six (6) Month Administrative Suspension Set Aside

On June 18, 2021, a HSMV Field Hearing Officer at the DHSMV’s Bureau of Administrative Reviews office issued a final order that set aside the administrative suspension of our client’s driver license for driving with an unlawful alcohol level (DUBAL). The order provided:

“Upon reviewing the facts of the case, the Department Hearing Office has determined that there is insufficient evidence to support the suspension because the arresting officer failed to appear.”

A copy of the order was provided to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.

Twelve (12) Month Refusal Suspension Set Aside

On July 19th, 2021, the HSMV Field Hearing Officer at the Bureau of Administrative Reviews entered an order setting aside the suspension for refusal. The case involved a DUI arrest by an officer with Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission. The hearing officer determined “that there is insufficient evidence to support the suspension because the DUI evidentiary packet was not received.”