Boaters who are convicted of certain crimes while on their boats could also lose their licenses to drive a motor vehicle in New Hampshire, under a bill passed recently by the New Hampshire Senate.
The bill allows the state’s Division of Motor Vehicles to suspend or revoke the driver’s licenses of boaters who are convicted of operating a boat recklessly or of causing death or injury to another in a boating accident. These convictions cover a wide range of situations in which alcohol or drug use may be suspected.
Operating a boat under the influence of alcohol or other drugs is currently prohibited in New Hampshire, but currently, a conviction on this charge usually results only in suspension or revocation of a boater’s license to drive a boat – not the person’s license to drive a car. If the Senate’s bill becomes law, however, a conviction for boating while impaired or intoxicated may result in the loss of a driver’s license as well as a boater’s license, even if the convicted person has never driven a car under the influence of alcohol or drugs (DUI).
If you or someone you love is facing drunk driving charges in New Hampshire, please don’t hesitate to contact the experienced New Hampshire DUI defense attorneys at Tenn And Tenn, P.A. We understand thoroughly the possible penalties you face, and we have the courtroom experience to fight to protect your legal rights and to seek the best possible outcome in your case. For a free and confidential consultation by telephone, call us at (603) 624-3700 today.
In New Hampshire, drivers who are arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs (DUI) face an automatic license suspension or revocation. Whether the license is suspended or revoked and for how long depends on the drivers’ past history of DUI convictions. A license can be suspended or revoked even if the driver is later found to be completely innocent.
If your license has been suspended or revoked because of a DUI arrest in New Hampshire, you have a right to a hearing before the Department of Motor Vehicles to explain why you should not incur a license suspension or revocation. You are not required to have an attorney at this hearing, but you are allowed to have one represent you, and it’s a very good idea to get an attorney’s help. Experienced New Hampshire DUI defense attorneys frequently represent clients in license revocation or suspension hearings. They understand how these hearings work and can put together the best possible arguments in favor of getting you your license back – just like they do in court when fighting the DUI charge itself.
A drunk driving conviction carries serious penalties. Even an arrest or charge can affect your driving privileges, employment, and more. At Tenn And Tenn, P.A., our experienced New Hampshire DUI defense attorneys are dedicated to aggressively defending those charged with a DUI in New Hampshire and protecting his or her rights, while also seeking the best possible outcome in their case. For a free and confidential telephone consultation, call us today at (603) 624-3700, or toll-free at 1(888) 511-1010.
The New Hampshire Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case that discusses how long the Department of Safety can suspend a resident’s boating privileges after that person has been convicted of driving while intoxicated (DWI) or driving under the influence (DUI).
In the case, the convicted person was driving a boat when it crashed. Based on this accident and other evidence, a trial court decided the boater was guilty of drunk driving, or boating while intoxicated in NH, and as part of the consequences for that conviction, the Department of Safety suspended the driver’s boating license for three years.
In response, the boater argued that the Department of Safety should have specific rules that state whether and for how long it may suspend a boater’s license, and for what reasons. Unlike the specific state laws that govern driver’s license suspensions after a DUI, the rules that govern when the Department of Safety can suspend a boating license are extremely vague. They give the Department of Safety the power to suspend boating licenses, but they don’t explain how long suspensions should be or when suspensions are appropriate.
Stiff criminal penalties are part of a New Hampshire DUI conviction, but the penalties don’t stop at jail or probation. They may also include the loss of other important things, like a driver’s license or boating license. If you’re facing DUI charges in New Hampshire, the experienced DUI attorneys in New Hampshire at Tenn And Tenn, P.A. can help you fight to protect your rights and seek the best possible outcome in your case. For more information, call us at (603) 624-3700 today for a free and confidential case evaluation.
If you’ve been arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI) in New Hampshire, it’s likely your driver’s license has been suspended, even if you haven’t been to court yet. These suspensions are known as Administrative License Suspensions. Since they are the responsibility of the Division of Motor Vehicles, rather than the criminal courts, they can take place even if you are never convicted of any crime.
New Hampshire law allows an Administrative License Suspension to take place if a person is arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and:
- the person refused to take a drug or alcohol test,
- the person agreed to the test, but it showed a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 percent or more; or
- the person agreed to take the test, but it showed a blood alcohol concentration of 0.02 percent or more and the person is under age 21.
When a license is taken because of an administrative license suspension, the driver should receive either a temporary license valid for a short period of time and/or notice about the suspension and how the driver can challenge it. New Hampshire drivers are entitled to a hearing with the Division of Motor Vehicles to determine whether their license should be suspended and for how long. An experienced New Hampshire administrative license suspension attorney can help you fight for the best possible outcome at your hearing, as well as at other stages of your case.
If you or someone you love has been accused of a DUI in New Hampshire, the experienced New Hampshire DUI defense attorneys at Tenn And Tenn, P.A. can help. Call us today at (603) 624-3700 for a free and confidential telephone consultation.
New Hampshire is known for its strict penalties for those convicted of DWI/DUI. If you are a commercial driver with a commercial drivers’ license (CDL), the DWI/DUI rules that apply to you are strict.
New Hampshire Code Section 265-A:23 specifies that a driver’s license is automatically suspended if he or she is convicted of driving a commercial motor vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.04 or greater“ half the limit for drivers of ordinary motor vehicles. The suspension lasts at least one year and occurs whether or not the driver has a valid CDL. If the driver is transporting hazardous materials, the suspension extends to three years. For a second conviction, the driver’s CDL will be suspended for at least ten years, and the court may choose to suspend the license indefinitely.
Although driving with a BAC of 0.04 or more can result in a DWI conviction, a New Hampshire license suspension may also occur if a commercial vehicle driver has any alcohol in his or her system at all. Under Section 265-A:24, any commercial driver who has had any alcohol at all or who refuses to take a chemical test to measure his or her blood alcohol content, is automatically placed out of service for 24 hours. Like drivers of private motor vehicles, all commercial drivers in New Hampshire give their implied consent to chemical tests for intoxication when they receive their New Hampshire driver’s license.
For a commercial driver, facing a CDL suspension could mean the loss of your job and permanent damage to your driving career. If you are facing DWI charges with a CDL, please contact the experienced New Hampshire DWI lawyers at Tenn And Tenn, P.A. We will aggressively defend your DWI charges. Call 1-888-511-1010 today for a free and confidential consultation.
