Fighting DUI Charges
Strategic defense against DUI/DWI charges to protect your license and freedom. Serving Tampa, Hillsborough County, and all of Florida.
Protecting Your License
and Your Record
License Protection
A DUI arrest in Tampa starts a clock — you have only 10 days to challenge the administrative suspension of your license. We act immediately to protect your ability to drive.
Breath & Field Test Challenges
Breathalyzers must be maintained and operated correctly; field sobriety tests are subjective. We scrutinize how every test was administered and whether the results are reliable.
Stop & Arrest Scrutiny
An officer needs a lawful reason to stop you and probable cause to arrest. If the stop was bad, the evidence that followed may be suppressed.
A DUI Is Not
a Conviction
An arrest is only an accusation. Breath machines malfunction, stops are challenged, and procedures are broken every day in Tampa. A charge does not have to become a conviction.
Your Defense Process
We handle the legal fight so you can focus on your life, your family, and your future.
Confidential Case Review
Your first consultation with HOV Law is free and confidential. We review your arrest, the exact dui defense charges, the evidence against you, and any constitutional issues in how it was gathered — then map out your options.
Investigation & Discovery
We obtain the police report, body-cam and dash-cam footage, witness statements, and lab or test results, and scrutinize every step for illegal stops, searches, or procedural errors that can weaken the State's case in Tampa.
Motions & Negotiation
Where the facts support it, we file motions to suppress evidence or dismiss the case, and negotiate with the Hillsborough County State Attorney's Office for reduced charges, diversion, or dismissal before trial.
Trial Defense
If the State will not offer a fair resolution, we are ready to try your case. HOV Law prepares every dui defense matter for trial before a Hillsborough County jury, and that readiness is often what drives a better outcome.
Tampa DUI Lawyer — Defending Drivers in Florida
A DUI arrest in Tampa can affect your license, your job, your insurance, and your freedom — but an arrest is not the same as a conviction. Under Florida law (Fla. Stat. § 316.193), the State must prove that you were driving or in actual physical control of a vehicle while impaired, or with a blood- or breath-alcohol level of .08 or higher.
HOV Law challenges DUI cases at every level: the reason for the stop, the field sobriety tests, the breath or blood test, and the officer's observations. Many of these can be contested when they are not done by the book.
Free, confidential consultation — call today.
Florida DUI Penalties
- Florida DUI penalties escalate quickly with prior offenses and aggravating facts:
- First offense—Up to 6 months in jail, fines of $500–$1,000, license suspension, DUI school, probation, and vehicle impoundment. Fines and jail increase with a BAC of .15 or higher or a minor in the vehicle.
- Second offense—Higher fines, longer suspension, possible mandatory jail, and ignition interlock. A second DUI within 5 years carries mandatory jail time.
- Third offense—Can be charged as a felony, with substantial prison exposure and a multi-year license revocation.
- DUI with serious injury or death—Charged as a felony (DUI causing serious bodily injury, or DUI manslaughter), carrying years of prison.
The 10-Day Rule and Your Florida License
A DUI arrest triggers two separate cases: the criminal charge and an administrative action against your driver's license through the Florida DHSMV. You have only 10 days from the arrest to request a formal review hearing to challenge the suspension — miss it, and the suspension takes effect automatically.
This is one of the most important reasons to call a lawyer immediately after a DUI arrest in Tampa. We can request the hearing, challenge the suspension, and where eligible, help you obtain a hardship license so you can keep driving to work.
How We Challenge DUI Charges in Tampa
- The traffic stop—Officers need reasonable suspicion to stop you and probable cause to arrest. An unlawful stop can lead to suppression of everything that followed.
- Breath testing—Intoxilyzer machines must be maintained, calibrated, and operated by a certified operator. Errors, mouth alcohol, and medical conditions can produce false readings.
- Field sobriety tests—These are subjective and affected by nerves, footwear, injuries, and road conditions — not just alcohol.
- Rising blood alcohol—Alcohol absorbed after driving can make a later test read higher than your level behind the wheel.
Related Practice Areas in Tampa
DUI Defense charges often overlap with other criminal allegations. Our Tampa defense attorneys also handle these related areas:
Other Criminal Defense Services in Tampa
Also serving Tampa for Personal Injury:
Serge Hovhanessian, Esq.
Founding Attorney at HOV Law | Florida Bar | Million Dollar Advocates Forum | Top 40 Under 40 Trial Lawyers
Attorney Hovhanessian defends the accused across Florida — protecting your rights, your record, and your freedom.Read full bio →
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Tampa DUI Defense FAQs
Should I refuse the breathalyzer in Florida?
Florida's implied-consent law means refusing a breath test triggers an automatic license suspension and can be used against you. Whether a refusal helps or hurts depends on the facts — but if you already refused, that is not the end of your case. We regularly defend refusal cases.
How long do I have to save my license after a DUI arrest?
Only 10 days from the date of arrest to request a formal review hearing with the DHSMV. This is separate from your criminal case. Call HOV Law immediately at (407) 801-0101 so we can act within the deadline.
Can a first-time DUI be dropped or reduced in Tampa?
Yes, it happens. Depending on the stop, the testing, and the evidence, a DUI can sometimes be reduced to reckless driving ("wet reckless") or dismissed. We evaluate every weakness in the State's case.
Will I go to jail for a first DUI?
A first DUI carries up to 6 months in jail, but many first-time cases without aggravating factors resolve without a jail sentence. Aggravating facts like a high BAC, a crash, or a minor in the car increase the risk. We fight to minimize the consequences.
What is an ignition interlock device?
It is a breath-testing device wired to your ignition that prevents the car from starting if it detects alcohol. Florida requires it in certain DUI cases, especially repeat offenses or a high BAC. We advise you on when it applies.
Do I need a lawyer for a DUI if I think I'm guilty?
Yes. Even when the evidence looks strong, a defense attorney can challenge how it was obtained, protect your license, and negotiate for a better outcome than you would get on your own. Talk to us before you decide anything.
Arrested for DUI in
Tampa?
The 10-day window to protect your license is short. Contact HOV Law now for a free consultation with a Tampa DUI defense attorney.