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Sammis Law Firm, P.A.
1005 N. Marion St.
Tampa, FL 33602
(813) 250-0200
Sammis Law Firm, P.A.
7509 Little Rd.
New Port Richey, FL 34654
(727) 807-6392
Sammis Law Firm, P.A.
14010 Roosevelt Blvd. #701
Clearwater, FL 33762
(727) 210-7004
Sammis Law Firm represents those charged with DUI across the state of Florida, including each of the following counties:.
The six attorneys at Sammis Law Firm focus exclusively on criminal defense in the greater Tampa Bay area. Our main office is located in downtown Tampa, FL, just a few blocks from the courthouse. We also have offices conveniently located in New Port Richey in Pasco County and in Clearwater in Pinellas County, FL.
We provide a free consultation to discuss the case over the phone, using a remote video conferencing service like Zoom, or during a face-to-face consultation in our office. Same-day consultations are available upon request.
The experience I had with Sammis Law firm in May 2022 was exceptional. I was contacted by Joshua M and he was the absolute best at his job and very professional. He kept me informed every step of the way with my case, and he worked hard in getting my charges of domestic assault dismissed. Thank you Joshua and Sammis law group. Their paralegal Danielle was also very amazing.
A Google user
I am very happy I chose Sammis Law Firm for my case. Dominique is incredibly knowledgeable and was professional in dealing with all parties involved. Her skills played a key role in helping obtain the desired outcome. If you’re looking for an honest and diligent law firm, look no further. You won’t be disappointed!
A Google user
Leslie Sammis was extremely professional and provided guidance and support every step of the way. Her knowledge of the law, and her exceptional communication skills, made it easy to navigate the complex legal system. I would highly recommend Leslie to anyone in need of legal services. I couldn’t have done it without you!
A Google user
First and foremost, I would like to thank God for having both Dominique Celerin and Katherine Aranda represent me in my DUI trial today by being prepared and outstanding attorneys. Dominique Celerin did an amazing job through the whole case, putting my mind at ease and walking me through the whole process all the way. Katherine Aranda did a fabulous job assisting in the trial proceedings. Overall, outstanding job. I would recommend both attorneys for any other case in the near future. Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart for winning this case at trial.
A Google user
I am so happy I choose Sammis law firm to represent me in my case. I can not thank this firm and Dominique Celerin enough, for helping me through this. I was feeling hopeless when I first reached out and Dominique put me at ease and assured me that she could help. The process was fast! They communicated every step of the way. In the end I am so pleased with the outcome and so grateful for her help!
A Google user
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After an arrest for drunk driving in Hillsborough County, the arresting officer will seize your driver’s license if:
The administrative suspension triggered by the DUI arrest is sometimes called the “on-the-spot” suspension. After the arrest, you only have ten (10) days to demand a formal review hearing to contest the suspension.
Some people might tell you to waive all your rights by seeking a “waiver review hearing” to obtain an immediate hardship license. The problem with seeking an immediate hardship license is that you must waive all your rights to contest the suspension.
In other words, you essentially stipulate to the administrative finding that you were DUI. The administrative suspension will remain on your driving record for the next seventy-five (75) years.
Instead of waiving your rights, hire an attorney to DEMAND a “formal review hearing” to contest the administrative suspension. If you win, the DHSMV will forever remove the suspension from your driving record as if it never happened.
Even if the suspension is not invalidated, your attorney can cross-examine each of the witnesses against you. That information can be used later in the case during any motion hearing or trial.
If you hire us within the first ten (10) days after your arrest, we can make the demand on your behalf and obtain your 42-day permit. The 42-day permit allows you to continue driving while we fight the administrative suspension.
The formal review hearing is one of the most essential parts of the case. Too many people waive their right to a formal review hearing by seeking an immediate hardship license without understanding the lifelong consequences of that decision.
The rules for formal review hearings at the Bureau of Administrative Review (BAR) are complicated. Before you decide, call us to discuss the best way to fight the case.
Want some good news? For a first DUI in Tampa, FL, with an arrest date on or after March 1, 2018, you might qualify for “Reducing Impaired Driving Recidivism.” The State Attorney’s Office manages the new RIDR diversion program in the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit in Hillsborough County, FL.
Entering a DUI diversion program might be your best option, especially if overwhelming evidence exists in your case. If the prosecutor has enough evidence to secure a conviction at trial, you should consider entering a diversion program.
In exchange for completing enhanced sanctions, such as installing an ignition interlock device or a SCRAM monitoring device, you can receive a negotiated plea for a “reckless driving” charge with a withhold of adjudication. The withhold of adjudication means you might be eligible to seal the criminal record and mugshot.
RIDR is only available for a first-time, non-aggravated DUI charge not involving a crash or property damage. Our DUI defense attorneys understand the eligibility requirements and the best way to complete the RIDR program.
We created this website to give you general information about different ways to fight a drunk driving case. Many people assume that an arrest means a conviction will necessarily occur.
The statistics on Florida DUI cases indicate that just 60% of all DUI citations resulted in a conviction for DUI or reckless driving.
A DUI conviction is avoided when:
In DUI cases (often called “DWI” or “OVI” in other states), the prosecutor must prove the driver was under the influence of alcohol to the extent that his blood or breath alcohol level (BAL) was over .08 (this type of case is often called the “DUBAL”).
Enhanced penalties apply if the breath or blood alcohol concentration is .15 or over. If your BAC was .15 or above, then you are not alone. Recent DUI statistics show that the average breath alcohol concentration (BAC) reading in Florida is at .015.
Alternatively, the prosecutor can prove that the driver’s “normal faculties” were impaired due to alcohol intoxication or drug impairment. If the driver refuses to submit to a test of his breath, blood, or urine, then only the second option is available to the prosecution.
After your arrest for DUI, your criminal defense lawyer can waive your appearance at many (if not all) of the pre-trial court dates. Waiving your appearance at pre-trial court dates saves you the stress and inconvenience of going to court when your appearance is unnecessary.
The stages of the DUI case include:
For many individuals charged with drunk driving, the goal is to avoid a DUI conviction by getting the prosecutor to agree to reduce the case to reckless driving. Even once the charge is reduced to reckless driving, your criminal defense attorney can negotiate all the plea deal terms with the prosecutor.
The most important part of the negotiation is whether you will be “adjudicated guilty” of reckless driving or the court will “withhold adjudication.” If the court agrees to withhold adjudication, you might be eligible to seal any record of the arrest or prosecution.
If you receive a “withhold of adjudication” for the reduced charge of “reckless driving,” you might be eligible to seal the record, allowing you to deny or fail to acknowledge that the arrest ever occurred.
Sealing the record also means that your mug shot and embarrassing details about your case will disappear from public view. If your charges are dropped, you might be eligible to expunge your record.
If you are adjudicated guilty of DUI or reckless driving, you will not be eligible to seal or expunge the record (or any other criminal history record in Florida).
The DUI prosecutors with the State Attorney’s Office in Tampa, Hillsborough, FL, may agree to reduce or drop the drunk driving charges for a wide variety of reasons, including:
We created this website to provide general information about the possible DUI costs and fees resulting from not fighting the case aggressively. The direct costs are those imposed by the Court, which include:
Even more costly are the hidden costs of a DUI conviction which can include a dramatic increase in your automobile insurance premiums (including “FR-44 insurance”).
Lesser-known indirect expenses include increases to your life or medical insurance. The criminal record might impact your future educational and employment opportunities.
Remember that if you are convicted of DUI, the DUI conviction will remain on your driving record for the next seventy-five (75) years. Obtaining an attorney as early as possible after the arrest is critical to preserving the best opportunities to attack administrative suspensions and criminal charges.
After a DUI arrest, several indirect or collateral consequences occur. A DUI conviction on your criminal record might cause potential employers to make negative assumptions about your character and be unwilling to offer you a job.
These consequences are especially harsh for individuals in certain professions and those who require unique state or federal certification, including:
After an arrest for DUI at MacDill Airforce Base in Tampa, FL, your DUI case will be prosecuted in the federal court in the Middle District of Florida, United States District Court, Tampa Division. Special considerations apply to cases prosecuted in federal court. You must act quickly in these cases to preserve all avenues of attack.
Drivers with a CDL license face draconian sanctions after an arrest or conviction for DUI or any serious driving offense.
College students at the University of Tampa (UT) or the University of South Florida (USF) can face immediate consequences to their educational opportunities, including a disciplinary hearing, even if the college or university student ultimately avoids any DUI conviction.
At Sammis Law Firm, we strive to protect our clients from the direct consequences of a DUI arrest and prosecution and many hidden and indirect impacts.
Being on probation for DUI is dangerous because if you do not complete the terms, then the probation officer can file the paperwork to have a violation of misdemeanor probation warrant issued for your arrest.
The penalties are even harsher if you were charged with leaving the scene of an accident or hit and run after a traffic crash, especially when you are also charged with driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Choosing the best DUI attorney for your case in Tampa, FL, is essential. We created this website to explain how we fight DUI cases. Our website explains the best DUI defenses and the most effective ways to fight the charges.
No substitute exists, however, for speaking directly with a criminal defense lawyer about the particular facts of your case so that you can receive advice on the best way to proceed.
How do you find the best DUI defense attorney for your case? Consider the attorney’s training and experience. Our DUI attorneys belong to the National College for DUI Defense (NCDD) and the DUI Defense Lawyers Association (DUIDLA), organizations for the top-rated DUI attorneys in Florida and throughout the United States.
The attorneys at Sammis Law Firm are focused on crimes that occur in a vehicle. Those traffic crimes can include DUI, reckless driving, leaving the scene, racing on the highway, leaving the scene of a crash, driving on a suspended license, and fleeing to elude.
Hiring the cheapest DUI attorney in town might not be in your best interest. Instead, find the top DUI attorney focused on proving the most effective and aggressive defense.
Our main office is in downtown Tampa in Hillsborough County, FL. We also have offices conveniently located at:
Learn more about how we fight DUI cases in New Port Richey in Pasco County and Clearwater in Pinellas County, FL.
Let us put our experience to work for you. Contact us today for a free consultation to discuss the best strategy to fight your DUI charge.
Call 813-250-0500 today.