In a surreptitious effort to dissuade individuals from challenging the suspension of their licenses when arrested for DUI in Washington State, the Department of Licensing has once again increased the hearing fee.

As of October 1, 2012, the new fee is $375 nearly doubling the $200 which stood for several years.

The fee increase is just another DOL tactic to discourage individuals from exercising due process and challenging these “hearings” which are, undoubtedly, results driven.   DOL hearing officers are encouraged to sustain suspensions and are even questioned/brow-beaten when they actually dismiss for valid reasons.  The source came straight from a DOL hearing officer, I cannot name due to their possible firing, with whom I regularly conduct hearings.

The DOL formerly charged individuals $100 to request a hearing and would allow the individual 30 days to request the hearing.  The timeframe for requesting a hearing was changed to 20 days and the fee increased to $200 without any discussion or reasoning.  Now the $375 is a blatant attempt to preclude due process!