DWI Administrative Hearing Lawyer Barry County, MO. A DWI/DUI arrest in Barry County, MO doesn’t just mean criminal charges—it also puts your driver’s license at immediate risk. The Missouri Department of Revenue (DOR) automatically moves to suspend or revoke your license in Barry County, MO, but you have the right to fight back and tell your side of the story 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 Barry County, 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 Barry County, MO DWI/DUI defense attorneys build a powerful defense for your case.
Legal Videos
DWI Stop Advice – Always Have Your Paperwork Ready
DWI/DUI Stop Advice and Tips. Attorneys Christopher Combs and Steven Waterkotte provide a real-time walkthrough of the proper actions to take—and crucial mistakes to avoid—during a DWI/DUI …
(Making Of) DWI Behind the Scenes Video – Bonus Footage
Before we could shoot our behind-the-scenes video, there was… this. A quick glimpse at the setup, the laughs, and everything that didn’t quite make the final cut. While this is a fun video …
Behind the Scenes of a DWI/DUI Traffic Stop (Step-by-Step Walkthrough)
Missouri criminal defense and DWI attorneys Christopher Combs and Steven Waterkotte provide a real-time walkthrough of the proper actions to take—and crucial mistakes to avoid—during a DWI/DUI …
What Is the Process of Going to Court for a DWI?
What happens when you go to court for a DWI or DUI charge? Christopher Combs and Steven Waterkotte of Combs Waterkotte outline what to expect when going to court for a DWI or DUI.
Long Term Consequences of a DWI
What are the long-term consequences of a DWI? Christopher Combs and Steven Waterkotte of Combs Waterkotte discuss the potential long-term consequences of a DWI or DUI conviction on your …
What to Do If You Are Pulled Over for DWI in Missouri
What actions should you take if you are pulled over for suspicion of a DWI in Missouri? Christopher Combs and Steven Waterkotte of Combs Waterkotte discuss how to handle the difficult situation of …
DWI Stop Advice – Always Have Your Paperwork Ready
DWI/DUI Stop Advice and Tips. Attorneys Christopher Combs and Steven Waterkotte provide a real-time walkthrough of the proper actions to take—and crucial mistakes to avoid—during a DWI/DUI …
(Making Of) DWI Behind the Scenes Video – Bonus Footage
Before we could shoot our behind-the-scenes video, there was… this. A quick glimpse at the setup, the laughs, and everything that didn’t quite make the final cut. While this is a fun video …
Behind the Scenes of a DWI/DUI Traffic Stop (Step-by-Step Walkthrough)
Missouri criminal defense and DWI attorneys Christopher Combs and Steven Waterkotte provide a real-time walkthrough of the proper actions to take—and crucial mistakes to avoid—during a DWI/DUI …
What Is the Process of Going to Court for a DWI?
What happens when you go to court for a DWI or DUI charge? Christopher Combs and Steven Waterkotte of Combs Waterkotte outline what to expect when going to court for a DWI or DUI.
Long Term Consequences of a DWI
What are the long-term consequences of a DWI? Christopher Combs and Steven Waterkotte of Combs Waterkotte discuss the potential long-term consequences of a DWI or DUI conviction on your …
What to Do If You Are Pulled Over for DWI in Missouri
What actions should you take if you are pulled over for suspicion of a DWI in Missouri? Christopher Combs and Steven Waterkotte of Combs Waterkotte discuss how to handle the difficult situation of …
Understanding DWI Administrative Hearings in Barry County, MO
A DWI administrative hearing is a civil proceeding separate from your criminal DWI case in Barry County, MO. It determines whether the state has the right to suspend or revoke your driver’s license based on the circumstances of your arrest. If you don’t request this hearing within 15 days from your arrest date, your suspension goes into effect automatically without hearing your side.
At the hearing, the following key elements are evaluated:
- Did law enforcement have reasonable suspicion to pull you over?
- Were you operating a vehicle while intoxicated?
- Did you refuse a breath or blood test?
Winning your hearing means you keep your license and avoid further consequences. However, if the DOR determines that these elements are proven by a preponderance of evidence, your license suspension or revocation will be enforced according to state laws and prior offenses.
Understanding Missouri’s License Suspension & Revocation Penalties
If you’re facing a DWI administrative suspension, the penalties depend on your prior offenses in Barry County, MO or elsewhere in Missouri:
- First-Time DWI/DUI Offense: Results in a 90-day suspension, with eligibility for a Restricted Driving Privilege in the Barry County, MO area after 30 days.
- Second DWI Offense: Comes with a 1-year revocation, or 5-year license denial if the previous offense was within 5 years.
- Chemical Test Refusal: Triggers a 1-year revocation under Missouri’s implied consent law and makes you 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 Barry County, MO.
With 40+ years of experience and 10,000+ cases successfully handled in Barry County and across Missouri, the Combs Waterkotte DWI administrative hearing team is ready to fight for your rights. Reach out to a skilled DWI administrative hearing lawyer in Barry County, MO today to discuss your case and protect your driving future.
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You have only 15 days to request an administrative hearing. Act quickly to protect your driver’s licenses.
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Wondering what happens after your DWI/DUI arrest? The experienced Combs Waterkotte attorneys have the answers.
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Securing a Limited Driving Privilege (Hardship License) in Barry County, MO
If you licenses has been suspended, revoked, or denied, you might qualify for a Limited Driving Privilege (LDP) in Barry County, MO. To be eligible, you’ll likely need to file an SR-22 insurance form and install an Ignition Interlock Device (IID) on your vehicle. After 30 days from your 15-day administrative hearing period, an LDP may allow you to drive under specific conditions, like:
- 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 Barry County, MO DWI attorney can help you regain your driving privileges as quickly as possible.
Barry County Resources
Below are quick links to important websites that may assist you with your legal matters in Barry County and Missouri.
Why You Need a Relentless DWI Administrative Hearing Lawyer in Barry County, MO
Fighting a DWI license suspension in Barry County, MO requires legal experience and technical knowledge—our Barry County, MO DWI/DUI defense attorneys have both. The DOR must prove specific legal elements to suspend your license, and if they fail to do so, you can keep your driving privileges.
A valid suspension requires that you were under arrest at the time of a breathalyzer or blood test and that the arresting officer had probable cause to believe you were intoxicated while operating a motor vehicle. (This is why the Combs Waterkotte Barry County, 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.)
Our attorneys closely examine the details of your arrest and testing procedures, looking for flaws such as time gaps between driving and law enforcement contact. Missouri law mandates that all breath and blood tests adhere to strict state regulations, including:
- Routine maintenance of testing devices every 35 days
- The operator collecting the sample be properly certified
- Use of state-approved testing machines
- 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 Barry County, 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 Barry County, 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 Barry County, MO circuit court within 15 days of the final ruling. This appeal must be filed in the circuit court of the Barry County, MO county where your arrest occurred, and the DOR must be formally served with notice of the appeal. A Combs Waterkotte Barry County, MO DWI administrative hearing lawyer can handle filing this appeal for you and represent you to get the best possible outcome.
Once the appeal is filed, the case moves to a de novo hearing—meaning the Barry County, MO circuit court will conduct an entirely new review of the evidence, without relying on the DOR’s previous decision. Unlike administrative hearings, circuit appeals allow live witness testimony, providing our Barry County, MO DWI/DUI lawyers an opportunity to present a stronger defense for your case.
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 choose a Combs Waterkotte DWI administrative hearing lawyer in or around Barry County, MO, you’re not just hiring a leading DWI administrative hearing lawyer lawyer in Barry County, MO and throughout Missouri – you are securing your license, your rights, your freedom, and your future. Along with knowledgeable DWI administrative hearing lawyers, our staff is available 24/7 and offers expertise in the following areas for Barry County, MO residents:
- Weapon Crime Defense Lawyer
- DWI Lawyer With Payment Plans
- Criminal Defense Lawyer with Payment Plans
Don’t Wait—Contact a Barry County, MO DWI Administrative Hearing Lawyer Right Away to Keep Your Driving Privileges
A DWI/DUI arrest in Barry County, MO doesn’t just mean criminal charges—it puts your driver’s license at immediate risk. You have only 15 days to request a DWI administrative hearing, or else your license suspension or revocation will go into immediate effect—with no option to appeal. Act fast to hire a Barry County, MO DWI administrative hearing lawyer to give yourself the best chance at keeping your driving privileges.
Call Combs Waterkotte now at (314) 900-HELP or contact us online for a no-obligation case review. Our Barry County, MO DWI defense team is ready to fight for you and build a strong case to protect your future.
