DWI Administrative Hearing Lawyer Union, MO

DWI Administrative Hearing Lawyer Union, MO. If you’ve been arrested for DWI/DUI in Union, MO, your ability to drive is at stake. The Missouri Department of Revenue (DOR) will automatically suspend or revoke your license, but you have a limited window to challenge this action through an administrative hearing.

Time is critical—you have just 15 days from your arrest to request a hearing. Don’t delay. Protect your driving privileges in Union, MO and beyond by calling a trusted DWI administrative hearing lawyer at Combs Waterkotte right away. Call (314) 900-HELP or contact us online to schedule a confidential consultation and let one of our experienced Union, MO DWI/DUI defense attorneys build a powerful defense for your case.

Union, MO DWI Administrative Hearings: What You Need to Know

A DWI administrative hearing is not a criminal trial—it’s a civil proceeding that determines where your driver’s license will be suspended or revoked after a DWI arrest in Union, MO. If you don’t request this hearing, your suspension takes effect automatically, and you lose the chance to contest it.

During the hearing, key factors that will be reviewed include:

• Did law enforcement have reasonable grounds to stop you?
• Were you driving a vehicle while intoxicated?
• Did you refuse a breath or blood test?

A successful hearing outcome could mean keeping your license and avoiding further penalties. However, if the DOR finds that all elements are met and supported by a preponderance of evidence, your license will be suspended or revoked, depending on prior offenses or test refusals.

License Suspension & Revocation Penalties in Missouri

If you’re facing a DWI administrative suspension, the penalties depend on your prior offenses in Union, MO or elsewhere in Missouri:

• First DWI Offense: Results in a 90-day suspension, with eligibility for a Restricted Driving Privilege in the Union, MO area after 30 days.
• Second DWI/DUI Offense: This means a 1-year license revocation and a possible 5-year license denial if your prior Union, MO DWI/DUI was within the last 5 years.
• Chemical Test Refusal: This results in a 1-year licence revocation under Missouri’s implied consent law, and means you are ineligible for a hardship license for 90 days.

Since the burden of proof is minimal—just proving it’s more likely than not that you were intoxicated—navigating this hearing alone could jeopardize your license, job, and daily freedom in and around Union, MO.

The Combs Waterkotte DWI administrative hearing team has over 40 years of experience and has successfully handled more than 10,000 cases just like yours in Union, MO and across Missouri. Contact a skilled DWI administrative hearing lawyer in Union, MO now to discuss the specifics of your case and get expert legal advice and guidance on next steps.

Securing a Limited Driving Privilege (Hardship License) in Union, MO

If you’re facing a license suspension, revocation, or denial in Union, MO, you might still be able to legally drive under specific circumstances with a Limited Driving Privilege (LDP). Eligibility often requires filing an SR-22 insurance certificate and installing an Ignition Interlock Device (IID). Once approved, an LDP—available after 30 days from the administrative hearing period—may allow you to drive for:

• Employment, business, or occupation-related travel
• Medical appointments and treatment
• School or higher education attendance
• Substance abuse programs, such as Substance Awareness Traffic Offender Program (SATOP)
• IID installation or maintenance visits
• Any additional hardship reasons approved by the court

The LDP application process in Missouri can be complex, but working with an experienced Union, MO DWI attorney can help you regain your driving privileges as quickly as possible.

Why You Need a Relentless DWI Administrative Hearing Lawyer in Union, MO

Having a skilled DWI administrative hearing attorney in Union, MO can make the difference between keeping your license and facing a suspension. Our DWI/DUI defense lawyers know how to challenge procedural errors and legal flaws in your Union, MO case, and if the DOR fails to prove even one of the above required elements, your suspension can be overturned.

For a suspension to proceed, you must have been under arrest at the time of the breathalyzer or blood test, and that arrest must have been based on probable cause that you were operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated. (This is why our Union, MO DWI/DUI defense team suggests that you refuse these tests, along with any field sobriety test, as law enforcement only conducts these tests to establish probable cause.)

However, in the event that you did take the test(s), significant time gaps between the alleged driving and the first law enforcement encounter can make it difficult to establish intoxication at the time of driving. Missouri law mandates that all breath and blood tests adhere to strict state regulations, including:

• Testing machines be maintained every 35 days by a licensed technician
• Testing officers must have valid certification
• The machine used must be approved under state regulations
• Strict calibration and accuracy standards
• Testing machine must function within state’s precise limits regarding temperature and accuracy

If any of these procedures were not followed, your BAC results may be inadmissible, which can significantly strengthen your case. Our Union, MO legal team conducts thorough investigations into testing equipment, maintenance records, and law enforcement procedures to find potential grounds for dismissing or reducing your suspension.

Appealing the Decision of a Union, MO DWI Administrative Hearing

If your license has been suspended or revoked, you have the right to challenge the DOR’s decision by filing an appeal with the Union, MO circuit court within 15 days of the final ruling. This appeal must be filed in the circuit court of the Union, MO county where your arrest occurred, and the DOR must be formally served with notice of the appeal. A Combs Waterkotte Union, MO DWI administrative hearing lawyer can handle filing this appeal for you and represent you to get the best possible outcome.

The appeal moves to a de novo hearing, where the Union, MO circuit court reviews all evidence from scratch rather than relying on the DOR’s original decision. Unlike the initial administrative hearing, circuit court appeals allow live witness testimony, giving our Union, MO DWI/DUI lawyers an opportunity to present a stronger, more detailed defense.

Keep in mind that filing an appeal does not automatically stop your suspension or revocation. Your license penalty could take effect before the court hears your case, meaning you may be unable to drive while waiting for a ruling. If the circuit court determines that the DOR lacked sufficient evidence to suspend your license, your driving privileges may be restored, but only after serving part of your suspension.

If you hire a Combs Waterkotte Union, MO DWI administrative hearing lawyer, you’re not just hiring a top-rated DWI administrative hearing lawyer lawyer in Union, MO and beyond – you are safeguarding your license, your rights, your freedom, and your future. In addition to knowledgeable DWI administrative hearing attorneys, our staff is available 24/7 and offers expertise in the following areas for residents in Union and beyond:

• Drivers License Reinstatement Attorney
• Careless Imprudent Driving Attorneys
• Weapons Crime Attorney

Act Now—Speak with a Union, MO DWI Administrative Hearing Lawyer Today to Keep Your Driving Privileges

If you’ve been arrested for DWI/DUI in Union, MO, the clock is ticking on your right to fight for your license. Missing the 15-day deadline on an administrative hearing means automatic suspension or revocation with no way to appeal. You need a Union, MO DWI administrative hearing lawyer on your side right now to protect your driving privileges and fight for your future.

Call Combs Waterkotte as soon as possible at (314) 900-HELP or reach out online for a no-obligation case review where we can get to work on a defense to get you the best possible outcome in Union, MO.