Options After Being Denied At A Michigan Driver's License Appeals Hearing

Are You Trying To Get A Driver's License Reinstatement in Ann Arbor?

What Are Your Options After Being Denied At A Michigan License Appeals Hearing? 

You felt as though the hearing went smoothly.  After all, you have been sober for over a year; you submitted good letters from friends and family, and you answered all of the Hearing Officer’s questions honestly and thoroughly.  What could go wrong, right?  Then you get the Order in the mail, and it denies you relief.  Worse, it says you must wait another painful year to try again.  After the shock and anger subside, you begin to ask questions:

“Is there any relief available following a Denial Order from the Secretary of State?”

“Was there a good reason for them denying me?”

“Is there anything we can do to avoid waiting for another long year?”

For over twenty years, Attorney Daniel T. Geherin, owner of Geherin Law Group based in Ann Arbor, has dedicated his career to helping put drivers back on the road following a license revocation.  Every day Dan and his team get calls from people who either went it alone or hired an attorney who was ill-prepared or ill-equipped to handle the rigors of a license revocation appeal.  They are denied relief, and they wonder whether there is anything that can be done to help ease the pain.

To be clear, there is relief available in most instances.  However, choosing which route to pursue—and whether it’s worth the effort—is the single most important starting point.  Therefore, clients who have been denied should consult a driver's license expert to see what relief is available

Motions for Reconsideration: 
A person can appeal directly to the Secretary of State, asking for a reconsideration of the decision and perhaps providing clarification to certain disputed issues.  Generally, these motions must be filed within 21 days of the date of Denial Order.

Circuit Court Legal Appeals: 
A person can also appeal directly to the Circuit Court in his county of residence.  These are actually civil lawsuits filed against the Michigan Secretary of State, so there is a civil filing fee (typically $175.00) and various filing requirements.  Also, the appealing party must typically submit the reporter’s transcripts from the AHS hearing for the judge to review.  Essentially, a person is alleging that the Secretary of State made a legal error of some sort (i.e., abuse of discretion; misconstrued evidence or the law; arbitrarily decided the case, etc.).  If the Judge agrees that a legal error occurred, he/she can reverse the Secretary of State and grant a full license or can send the case back to AHS for a re-hearing.  Conversely, the Judge can uphold the AHS decision. 

Obviously, these appeals are difficult and can be uphill battles.  This is especially true for people who are not lawyers and who have never filed such an appeal.  Thus, finding a specialist with years of experience might make the difference between driving again, and wasting a lot of time/money but ending up right back at square one. 

Get help with your Driver's License Reinstatement in Ann Arbor - Geherin Law Group

Without debate, Dan and his team at Geherin Law Group are recognized as license appeals specialists throughout Southeastern Michigan with nearly a 98% success rate in winning license appeals over the past two decades.  In the last 10 years alone, we've helped put 300+ clients back on the road lawfully and legally.  To prove that these results are legitimate, we post the case numbers of successful appeals on this website Results Page. 

Dan Gehen has taught other attorneys about driver's license reinstatement at numerous seminars and has written a book, Michigan Drunk Driving and Driver’s License Restoration Handbook, on how to protect and restore a license following a drunk driving arrest in Michigan. Most importantly, Dan and his team have filed hundreds of appeals (both Motions for Reconsideration and Circuit Court Appeals) and they have unparalleled success in this arena.  By the same token, if they feel an appeal is not warranted, they will honestly tell clients that and refuse to accept any payment. 

For a dedicated, experienced and successful license appeals attorney anywhere in Southeastern Michigan, please Contact Us today.  We will look over your Order, honestly assess your chances of success, form the best plan to prevail, and then fight aggressively to restore your license.  Schedule an appointment online, or call 24/7 (734) 263-2780.