Do you need a lawyer to get your Michigan driver's license restored?

At the Michigan drivers license appeal division, a person may be represented by an attorney, but the revoked driver is not required to have a lawyer at the hearing.

So, should you have an attorney when you appear before the Michigan drivers license appeal board?

Remember that these hearings are conducted in a formal manner, much like a courtroom proceeding. A record is made, recording all verbal testimony, and exhibits and testimonial letters are received by the Hearing Officer. Witnesses may also be called at this hearing, and all parties who offer testimony are required to be placed under oath. This can be a little daunting for some, but Michigan drivers frequently appeal a revocation without an attorney, and the DLAD Hearing Officers will assist the petitioner through the formalities.

Although a person may appear before the DLAD without a lawyer, this is not recommended. A popular myth about Michigan driver's license reinstatement is that a person cannot get the driver's license back after the first year. This is absolutely not true! If a person has worked hard to establish sobriety, if testimonial letters and substance abuse reports are in order, and if the person is well prepared for the hearing, there is no reason why the Hearing Officer will deny the petition to restore the driver's license.

The myth that the DLAD denies every license after the first year has been spawned by motorists who go to the hearing unrepresented, or represented by a lawyer who unfamiliar with the requirements regarding a Michigan driver's license restoration. IF YOU ARE NOT COMPLETELY PREPARED FOR THE HEARING, YOU WILL LOSE THE HEARING. Preparation is critical, and even if a person has maintained sobriety and has positive reports and good letters, the petitioner maintains the heavy burden of proving his or her case by clear and convincing evidence. A good driver license restoration lawyer is critical in this respect.

If you do not hire a Michigan driver's license restoration lawyer, you save the money you would have spent on that attorney. But on the other hand, even if you can afford to wait another year or two before you get a license, the damage that you can do to your own case might make it much more difficult for the lawyer to actually win your license restoration hearing. Our advice is to hire the best lawyer you can afford before conflicting testimonial evidence, conflicting dates and conflicting reports create additional problems.

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