Clearwater DWI and DUI Attorney

You must act now to protect your rights

Florida is home to some of the nation's strictest drunk driving laws. When you are arrested for a DUI or DWI in Florida, your license is automatically suspended, and two cases are immediately filed against you — an administrative hearing and a formal criminal hearing. However, you have 10 days to request a formal review hearing to contest the administrative suspension of your driver’s license. If you have been charged with driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, it is critical to contact an experienced criminal defense attorney immediately to prevent you from losing your driver's license.

A trusted drunk driving defense attorney serving Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties

My name is James L. Slater, and I have more than 30 years of experience handling drunk driving cases as a prosecutor and a defense attorney. Whether you have been charged with driving while intoxicated (DWI), driving under the influence (DUI) or driving while ability impaired (DWAI), it is crucial to move quickly to protect your rights. I know what it takes for the prosecution to convict you, and I work tirelessly to eliminate the evidence against you and put you back on the road.

Preparation breeds success

Drunk driving cases typically do not go to trial. They are mainly resolved through plea bargains reached between the defense attorney and the prosecutor. However, preparing for your administrative hearing as if we were going to trial can be extremely beneficial. It can result in you receiving a temporary driver's license while your criminal case is pending, and the reduction or total dismissal of the charges against you during your criminal trial.

At the administrative hearing, the police officer who arrested you testifies for the first time about your arrest. I use this opportunity to cross-examine the officer on the critical issues affecting your case, such as the administration of field sobriety and Breathalyzer® tests, the officer's qualifications to conduct these tests and the circumstances surrounding the stop of your car or subsequent arrest. If the police officer failed to properly administer any of the tests or violated your constitutional rights by illegally stopping your car, you may be entitled to receive a conditional license. Also, since his testimony is under oath, the officer cannot change his story later at trial, and I can use this information to devise strategies on how best to attack the officer's statements and the prosecution's case.

I have had extensive success for my clients using this strategy, but in order to do so, you must call now and let me put my knowledge to work for you.

Call today for a free consultation

If you need an experienced DUI defense attorney on your side, call James L. Slater, Attorney at Law today at 727.493.4148 or contact me online to schedule a free consultation. From my office in Palm Harbor, I represent clients throughout Pasco County, Pinellas County and Hillsborough County.