What kind of SR22 insurance policy do I need to get here in Nevada if I’m required to have it but don’t own a car?

Isla

Henderson, NV

A lot of people are really confused as to what SR22 insurance policy they would get. Most motorists are not actually aware what SR22 insurance policy is so they are having difficulties once they are asked to get it. SR22 insurance is a proof of insurance and typically becomes a rider to an insurance policy. SR22 insurance policy is being required by the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) for motorists who have shown high risk tendencies. SR22 serves as a certification by the car insurance company that the driver has at least liability insurance.

Drivers who have citations for driving under the influence (DUI) are the most popular candidates to get an SR22 insurance policy. Other drivers who are required to get SR22 insurance as well are those who have been into many accidents or have gotten a lot of traffic tickets in a short period of time or those who have been to accidents that involved death.

In the state of Nevada, there are two kinds of SR22 insurance policies: owner and non-owner policy. Not all drivers who are asked to get an SR22 insurance policy have their own vehicles; however, they could be operating other vehicles so it will still be required of them to get an SR22 insurance policy.

I already have insurance for my car here in Las Vegas, Nevada and I also need to insure my pickup truck. What do I need to know about obtaining insurance for my pickup truck?

George

Las Vegas, NV

If you already have insurance for your car in Las Vegas, Nevada, a great way to start is if you check with your current car insurance provider to see if they could also give you coverage for insuring your pickup truck. You may get in touch with your insurance agent and ask what would be the appropriate coverage for your truck.

Some insurance agents have knowledge about the proper vehicle insurance for your pickup truck but others may not know anything about it. If this is the case, you can make a little research on your own and check out for yourself what type of vehicle insurance is required in the state of Nevada. You may also contact the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) or search through the Internet and they could tell you the exact information that you need. You can also check different websites of vehicle insurance companies to easily request for rate quotes. You can start your search here because this website won’t take very long to provide you with quotes for your insurance needs.

I didn’t have a car insurance when I got into an accident due to drunk driving here in Paradise, Nevada. I was charged with DUI and was required to carry SR22. How long do I need to have the SR22 insurance once I have already reinstated my license?

Peter

Paradise, NV

In the state of Nevada, a proof of insurance known as the SR22 could be required for different period of time that depends upon the reason that you are mandated to carry this financial responsibility certificate. Since you didn’t have a car insurance when you got into an accident due to drunk driving in Paradise, Nevada, the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) would require you to carry the SR22 insurance for three years. The three-year period begins when your driver’s license is already out of suspension or revocation.

Once you have filed the SR22 with your auto insurance company, you will not be notified by the DMV if the period of required coverage ends. You need to get in touch with the DMV directly to find out when the SR22 coverage ends. Your auto insurance provider would notify the DMV if you don’t maintain the SR22 insurance continuously during the required period of time.

I have been arrested a long time ago for DUI here in Nevada but the case didn’t proceed to trial because it was dismissed. During the stop, the officer administered a preliminary breath test to me. Had the case gone to trial, will the preliminary breath test be admissible in court?

Latoya

Spring Valley, NV

Simply stated, the preliminary breath test (PBT) is a hand-held breath test device. The PBT is often used in field sobriety testing along with other physical roadside tests. The PBT alone could provide grounds for probable cause if admitted and given weight but it is very difficult for the state of Nevada to get results admitted to evidence, so it is generally not a big issue.

The PBT results is usually barred “in any prosecution” for DUI. A lot of novice DUI lawyer are shocked to learn that a pre-trial motion is not a “prosecution.” As a result of this, the PBT could be used in the pre-trial Motion to Suppress. But there are still a huge number of defenses that could be used against the PBT. One of these is that the PBT doesn’t set forth an evidentiary exception to basic rules of evidence and this was simply not an issue before the court. Nevada created an evidentiary shortcut for the admission of the blood test results and of the “official” breath test results but there is no corresponding procedure for the PBT. Had your DUI case in Spring Valley, Nevada gone to trial, the prosecution would have had a difficulty getting the PBT results admitted as evidence in court.

I don’t know how I would win my DUI charge here in Paradise, Nevada. Is it gonna be worth it to fight my DUI charge and is there a way I could win this?

Lizzie

Paradise, NV

It will always be worth it to fight any DUI case because if you just plead guilty for your DUI charge in Paradise, Nevada, there’s a 100 percent chance that you will be convicted. DUI is a very serious offense in the state of Nevada; the court would impose mandatory license suspensions, fines surcharges and in certain cases, a person convicted for DUI would have to serve jail time. The Department of Motor Vehicles would also impose a mandatory insurance surcharge from $3,000 to $3,500 and DUI conviction would be on your record permanently.

It would be a good philosophy that you could not win a DUI case unless you try to win, and the only way to try to win is to fight your DUI case. The state has to prove its case both in pre-trial suppression motions and in trial. An experienced DUI lawyer would search all possible evidence which might make the difference in winning a DUI case. The DUI lawyer would vigorously cross-examine police officers regarding field sobriety tests (FST) and observations claimed to suggest intoxication and he/she could work regularly with the top DUI experts in Nevada who could attack breath test and FST results.

I don’t want my daughter to be convicted for her DUI charge in Sparks, Nevada but it is likely to happen. If in the most unfortunate happens that she’d be found out guilty, what are the penalties involved?

Carol

Sparks, NV

The State of Nevada DUI laws demand a variety of penalties for a person who will be convicted with drunk driving. These penalties include civil fines, criminal punishments and other consequences which depend upon the prior record and the details of the case. So, everything could only be summed up into this– DUI consequences are really intense and the penalties get even more severe for a second and each following DUI.

If your daughter will be convicted for her DUI charge in Sparks, Nevada, she could expect harsh penalties. These consequences include fines of $400 up to $1,000, jail time of 48 hours to six months, possible community service instead of jail time, DUI School, court costs of $70, chemical test fee of $60, possible substance abuse treatment, victim impact panel attendance and vehicle impoundment. If there is a prior DUI conviction in the last seven years, the consequences would be stricter.

I heard that my brother was required by court to have a course on victim impact panel because of his DUI case in Carson City, Nevada. What does this mean and is it possible for him to take this course online?

Princess
Carson City, NV

A Victim Impact Panel intends to show how DUI cases impact people. It would also give an outlet to victims of DUI for sharing their stories. Moreover, it could also help others in the community, which includes those who are DUI offenders, to gain a greater understanding of how serious the consequences of drinking and driving can be. This course mainly consists of video presentation which is designed to help show the impact of DUI’s on different people’s lives. After each of the videos, a series of questions should be to demonstrate participation and understanding of the presentations. The video presentations are personal stories shared by those impacted by DUI accidents.

If your brother was required by court to have a course on victim impact panel because of his DUI case in Carson City, Nevada, he would have to ask the court if he can take the course online. Most courts in the State of Nevada accept an online course, but we can’t say for all courts. The court may have referred him to a certain online course but he can contact his DUI lawyer or the court for further verification.

I know a DUI lawyer could help me a lot in defending my DUI case here Nevada. Is it necessary that the lawyer that I will hire has represented recent DUI cases?

Selena

Spring Valley, NV

I would tell you honestly that it is the lawyer’s most recent cases or experience that really matters. The DUI lawyer should have done sufficient number of trials to become a natural and competent trial DUI lawyer. DUI is a very complicated subject and DUI laws are constantly changing. Although the lawyer may have handled thousands of DUI cases years ago, it is their most recent experience that assures they are tune with the current law, the courts and the prosecutors.

Besides that of a lawyer who has recent DUI cases, you may have to dust off other lawyers. You should ask the potential lawyer if he/she knows the most recent changes in DUI laws to see if they are current with the courts and the legislature, most importantly, the DUI process in the state of Nevada. If you find out that they are not, find somebody who knows the current in’s and out’s of the DUI laws and process to help you on your DUI charge in Spring Valley, Nevada.

I was convicted for DUI here in Nevada. It was my first DUI conviction. I was told that I can actually clear my DUI record as if I was never convicted. Is that true, and if it is, how can I do that?

Leon

Paradise, NV

Yes, it’s true that you can clear your DUI record in Nevada and have a clean slate again, as if you were never convicted. You can do that by having a DUI expungement. Depending on the expungement order, this may mean record clearing in the criminal court records as well as removal from police arrest records and any other agencies that have copies of the record. It is not available in every state but it is allowed in Nevada. It is a good way of officially getting rid of a past mistake.

Even if the state of Nevada allows expungement, not everyone is eligible for it. It is actually not a right but a privilege granted by the government. I certainly hope that this is only your first DUI conviction because expungement is reserved for first time offenders with legitimate reasons and/or concerns to expunge their records who also file the necessary paperwork properly and pay the associated fees.

DUI expungement can actually allow you to pretend that DUI conviction never happened. In job applications, if you were asked if you have ever been convicted, you can honestly answer ‘”no” if you haven’t had any other charges aside from DUI.

I’m 16 years old and just got my student driver’s license. I don’t drive and drink, though. But my sister was charged with Nevada DUI and I want to know a lot of things about it. She mentioned something like a DMV hearing. Is this the same as the criminal court trial?

Zack

Las Vegas, NV

No, the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) hearing is not the same as the criminal court trial. In the state of Nevada, if a driver was charged with DUI, this would actually result on two different cases. The first one is the criminal case wherein criminal charges are filed against a person for driving under the influence. The second case is an administrative case where the DMV will seek to suspend your license for a period of time unless you request for a formal hearing within seven days of the arrest, the temporary license will expire and the suspension will automatically begin.

Generally, the hearings are conducted by an “Administrative Law Judge” about four to seven months after the arrest. It is normally conducted in a way somewhat similar to civil and criminal trials, but with an administrative judge and without a jury. The police officer who made the arrest will be present to testify and be cross-examined by your DUI attorney. Your attorney may, of course, also present other evidence and/or witnesses. It is often strategically to your advantage not to be there although you may still be present and testify.

The judge would usually not give decision at the close if the hearing but will most likely notify your DUI attorney in about 30 days. If you plead guilty or “no contest,” the DMV hearing becomes open for debate, but your driving privileges will be suspended.