Florida DUI Rules for the Administrative Suspension – It’s Complicated…

Sticky

After an arrest in Florida for DUI, the officer might take your driver’s license and issue you an “on the spot” administrative suspension. You only have ten (10) calendar days to protect your driver’s license and ability to drive. Some people might tell you to waive all your rights by going to the DHSMV to […]

Written by on March 20, 2014

Intoxilyzer 8000 Problems – Lack of Substantial Compliance Cases in Florida

On April 28, 2023, the Honorable Mary Catherine Green, County Judge in Lakeland, FL, granted a motion to exclude our client’s breath test after we alleged the machine did not substantially comply with the administrative rules. The prosecutor dropped the DUI charge right before trial, which ended the case with our client being completely exonerated. […]

Written by on January 24, 2024

Leslie Sammis Delivers Case Law Update at The Florida Bar Masters of DUI 2023 Seminar

Leslie Sammis Delivers Case Law Update at The Florida Bar Masters of DUI 2023 Seminar

What happens if the police officer cannot remember anything about a portion of a criminal investigation? For example, in many driving under the influence (DUI) cases in Florida, the arresting officer has difficulty remembering how the subject did on…

Written by on June 22, 2023

Florida’s DUI Diversion Pilot Program

In 2018, Florida had 43,725 criminal violations for DUI. As a way to discourage recidivism in DUI cases, make the system more fair for those arrested, and protect the public, the Florida Legislature is considering creating a state-wide statutory diversion program for DUI cases. The goal of protecting the public is best accomplished by discouraging […]

Written by on February 4, 2020

Should I take the breath test or refuse?

People sometimes ask: “If I get arrested for DUI, should I take the breath test or refuse?” The answer is: “It depends.” With recent changes in DUI law, a person should keep these things in mind. Florida’s Intoxilyzer 8000 Machines are Really Old Florida’s Intoxilyzer 8000 machines were put into service in 2006. As the […]

Written by on July 1, 2019

DHSMV Training 2017

According to the Florida Impaired Driving Coalition (FIDC) Meeting Report from August 24-25, 2017, Kathy Jimenez-Morales indicated that the BAR Class on administrative suspensions was available in an online format that could be provided to officers at the upcoming FDOT Law Enforcement Challenge. Kathy Jimenez-Morales is the Chief Counsel of Driver Licenses with the DHSMV Office […]

Written by on September 22, 2018

14 Ways to Win a Formal Review Hearing

Why have a formal review hearing? For anyone who can afford to hire an attorney to contest the administrative suspension after a DUI arrest, the benefits of having the hearing often outweigh any potential downside. Let’s start with the fact that there are fourteen (14) different ways to win a formal review hearing, according to […]

Written by on July 15, 2018

Is the DHSMV Training Officers on How To “Win” the Formal Review Hearing?

Congrats to Lee Lockett, a DUI defense attorney in Jacksonville Beach, FL. I cut and paste below an important ruling he just obtained after filing a petition for a writ of certiorari against the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV). The ruling is important for two reasons. First, it points out the problem […]

Written by on June 22, 2018

Tampa’s Central Breath Testing (CBT) Unit Compromised

After a DUI arrest in Hillsborough County, FL, you will be taken to a room at the Central Breath Testing (CBT) unit located within the Orient Road Jail in Tampa, FL, and asked to submit to a breath test on an Intoxilyzer 8000. For the breath test result to be admissible at trial, certain rules […]

Written by on March 24, 2018

RIDR – DUI Diversion in Hillsborough County, FL

Attorney explains the DUI Diversion Program called “Reducing Impaired Driving Recidivism” RIDR in Hillsborough County, FL.

Written by on February 27, 2018

DUI Statistics in Tampa, FL

The Tampa Police Department gathers statistics to monitor the activities of the DUI enforcement officers. We have obtained these summaries for 2015, 2016, and 2017. The summary keeps track of the number of people arrested for DUI each year along with the corresponding refusal rate: 1,729 DUI arrests in 2017 with 44.48% refusal rate; 2,087 DUI […]

Written by on August 19, 2017

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Our Office Locations

Tampa Office:

Sammis Law Firm, P.A.
1005 N. Marion St.
Tampa, FL 33602
(813) 250-0200

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New Port Richey Office:

Sammis Law Firm, P.A.
7509 Little Rd.
New Port Richey, FL 34654
(727) 807-6392

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Clearwater Office:

Sammis Law Firm, P.A.
14010 Roosevelt Blvd. #701
Clearwater, FL 33762
(727) 210-7004

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Our Attorneys

Leslie M. Sammis

Leslie M. Sammis

Jason D. Sammis

Jason D. Sammis

Joshua L. Monteiro

Joshua L. Monteiro

Dominique Celerin

Dominique Celerin

Katherine A. Aranda

Katherine A. Aranda

Idalis Vento

Idalis Vento