DWI Administrative Hearing Lawyer Butler County, MO. If you have been arrested for DWI/DUI near Butler County, MO, you’re facing more than just criminal charges—you’re also at risk of losing your driver’s license. The Missouri Department of Revenue (DOR) initiates an automatic suspension or revocation of your license following a DWI arrest, but you have the right 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 Butler 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 Butler 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 Butler County, MO
A DWI administrative hearing is a separate civil process from your criminal case in Butler County, MO. This hearing determines whether the Missouri Department of Revenue (DOR) can legally suspend or revoke your driver’s license based on your arrest. If you fail to request a hearing, your license suspension will take effect automatically—without giving you a chance to challenge it.
During the hearing, key factors that will be reviewed include:
- Did the officer have reasonable suspicion to stop you?
- 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 Butler County, MO or elsewhere in Missouri:
- First DWI/DUI Offense: A 90-day suspension applies, but you might qualify for a Restricted Driving Privilege in Butler County, MO after 30 days.
- Second-Time DWI/DUI Offense: Comes with a 1-year revocation, or 5-year license denial if the previous offense was within 5 years.
- Refusing a Chemical Test: Triggers a 1-year revocation under Missouri’s implied consent law and makes you ineligible for a hardship license for 90 days.
With such a low burden of proof—the state only needs to prove it’s more likely than not that you were intoxicated—facing this process alone is a serious risk. Losing your license can affect your job, daily responsibilities, and overall mobility in Butler County, MO.
The Combs Waterkotte DWI administrative hearing lawyers have over 40 years of experience, successfully handling 10,000+ cases like yours in Butler County, MO and across Missouri. Contact us right away to fight for your driving privileges and get the legal defense you need in Butler County, MO.
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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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How to Get a Hardship License (Limited Driving Privilege) in Butler County, MO
If you licenses has been suspended, revoked, or denied, you might qualify for a Limited Driving Privilege (LDP) in Butler 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:
- Attending a Substance Awareness Traffic Offender Program (SATOP) or other treatment programs
- Visiting an IID provider for required maintenance or installation
- Commuting for work or business-related activities
- Seeking medical care
- Attending school or higher education programs
- Any other circumstance the court determines would cause undue hardship
The LDP application process in Missouri can be complex, but working with an experienced Butler County, MO DWI attorney can help you regain your driving privileges as quickly as possible.
Butler County Resources
Below are quick links to important websites that may assist you with your legal matters in Butler County and Missouri.
The Importance of Hiring a Butler County, MO DWI Administrative Hearing Lawyer
Fighting a DWI license suspension in Butler County, MO requires legal experience and technical knowledge—our Butler 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.
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 Butler County, MO DWI/DUI defense team suggests that you refuse these tests, along with any field sobriety test, as officers only conduct 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. Additionally, Missouri has strict regulations governing breath and blood testing procedures, including:
- Testing machines be maintained every 35 days by a licensed technician
- Proper certification of the testing officer
- The machine used must be approved under state regulations
- Calibration samples meet specific regulatory standards
- Testing machine must function within state’s precise limits regarding temperature and accuracy
Failure to meet any of these requirements can render a BAC result inadmissible, providing a strong defense against license suspension. A comprehensive review of the testing equipment, maintenance records, and procedural compliance, done by our Butler County, MO experts, can uncover grounds to challenge the validity of the BAC reading.
Appealing a Missouri DWI Administrative Hearing
A license suspension or revocation after a DWI administrative hearing is not necessarily final—you can appeal the DOR’s decision by filing an appeal in the Butler County, MO circuit court within 15 days of the ruling. This appeal must be submitted in the circuit court of the county where your arrest occurred, and the DOR must be officially served with notice of the appeal. A Butler County, MO DWI administrative hearing lawyer from Combs Waterkotte can guide you through the process and represent you in court to get the best possible outcome.
Once the appeal is filed, the case moves to a de novo hearing—meaning the Butler 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 Butler County, MO DWI/DUI lawyers an opportunity to present a stronger defense for your case.
It is important to note though, that filing an appeal does not automatically pause your suspension or revocation. In fact, your penalty could go into effect before the appeal hearing occurs meaning you may not be able to drive until the Butler County, MO circuit court rules on your case. If the court ultimately determines that there was insufficient evidence for the suspension or revocation, your driving privileges may be reinstated but this ruling would come only after a period of restricted or suspended driving.
If you partner with a Combs Waterkotte Butler County, MO DWI administrative hearing lawyer, you’re not just choosing the ideal DWI administrative hearing lawyer lawyer in Butler County, MO and throughout Missouri – you’re securing your license, your rights, your freedom, and your future. In addition to knowledgeable DWI administrative hearing lawyers, our staff is available 24/7 and provides expertise in the following areas for Butler County, MO residents:
Don’t Wait—Contact a Butler County, MO DWI Administrative Hearing Lawyer Right Away to Keep Your Driving Privileges
A DWI/DUI arrest in Butler 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 effect immediately—with no option to appeal. Act fast to get a Butler County, MO DWI administrative hearing lawyer on your side to give yourself the best chance at keeping your driving privileges.
Call Combs Waterkotte as soon as possible at (314) 900-HELP or reach out online for a free, no-obligation case review where we can get to work on a defense to get you the best possible outcome in Butler County, MO.
