DWI Administrative Hearing Lawyer Chesterfield, MO. If you have been arrested for DWI/DUI near Chesterfield, 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.
Don’t wait until it’s too late. You have only 15 days after your arrest to request this hearing. A Combs Waterkotte Chesterfield, MO DWI administrative hearing lawyer can fight for your right to drive and build a strategic defense for your case. Call (314) 900-HELP or reach out online for a free consultation with one of our expert Chesterfield, MO DWI/DUI defense attorneys before the deadline passes.
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 …
What is a DWI Administrative Hearing in Chesterfield, MO and Across Missouri?
A DWI administrative hearing is a civil proceeding separate from your criminal DWI case in Chesterfield, 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 the officer have reasonable suspicion to stop you?
- Were you driving while impaired?
- Did you refuse a breath or blood test?
Winning the hearing can mean keeping your license and avoiding additional penalties. If the DOR determines that the three above questions are affirmatively answered and proven by a preponderance of evidence, your license will be suspended or revoked based on any prior offenses or test refusal.
License Suspension & Revocation Penalties in Missouri
The consequences of an administrative hearing suspension depend on your record in Chesterfield, MO and beyond:
- First DWI Offense: This results in a 90-day license suspension and you could be eligible for a Restricted Driving Privilege in Chesterfield 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: 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 Chesterfield, MO.
With 40+ years of experience and 10,000+ cases successfully handled in Chesterfield 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 Chesterfield, MO today to discuss your case and protect your driving future.
-
Protect Your License
![Image]()
Protect Your License
You have only 15 days to request an administrative hearing. Act quickly to protect your driver’s licenses.
Reach Out Now
-
Know Your Next Steps
![Image]()
Know Your Next Steps
Wondering what happens after your DWI/DUI arrest? The experienced Combs Waterkotte attorneys have the answers.
Stay Informed
-
Get Started Now
![Image]()
Ready to Talk to an Expert?
Contact the skilled Combs Waterkotte DWI/DUI lawyers now at (314) 900-HELP to get started on your defense.
Get Started
Securing a Limited Driving Privilege (Hardship License) in Chesterfield, MO
If you licenses has been suspended, revoked, or denied, you might qualify for a Limited Driving Privilege (LDP) in Chesterfield, 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 Substance Awareness Traffic Offender Program (SATOP) or other alcohol- or drug-treatment programs
- Seeking the required services of a certified IID provider
- A business, occupation, or employment
- Seeking medical treatment
- Attending school or other institution of higher education
- Any other circumstance the court finds would create an undue hardship
The LDP application process in Missouri can be complex, but working with an experienced Chesterfield, MO DWI attorney can help you regain your driving privileges as quickly as possible.
St. Louis County Resources
Below are quick links to important websites that may assist you with your legal matters in St. Louis County and Missouri.
Why You Need a Chesterfield, MO DWI Administrative Hearing Lawyer
Our Chesterfield, MO DWI/DUI defense attorneys can raise a variety of legal and procedural challenges in an administrative alcohol hearing, and the failure of the DOR to prove even one of the above elements can prevent your license suspension.
For a license suspension to be upheld, the arresting officer must have had probable cause to believe you were operating a vehicle while intoxicated at the time of your breathalyzer or blood test. (This is why the Combs Waterkotte Chesterfield, 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. Also, Missouri law mandates strict compliance with Department of Health and Senior Services regulations regarding breath and blood testing procedures. These regulations require that:
- Machines must be serviced every 35 days
- Testing officers must have valid certification
- Only state-approved testing devices may be used
- Calibration and accuracy must meet legal 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 Chesterfield, 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.
How to Appeal a Chesterfield, MO DWI Administrative Hearing Decision
If your license has been suspended or revoked, you have the right to challenge the DOR’s decision by filing an appeal with the Chesterfield, MO circuit court within 15 days of the final ruling. This appeal must be filed in the circuit court of the Chesterfield, MO county where your arrest occurred, and the DOR must be formally served with notice of the appeal. A Combs Waterkotte Chesterfield, 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 Chesterfield, 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 Chesterfield, MO DWI/DUI lawyers an opportunity to present a stronger, more detailed defense.
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 Chesterfield, 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 Chesterfield, MO DWI administrative hearing lawyer, you’re not just choosing the ideal DWI administrative hearing lawyer lawyer in and around Chesterfield, MO – you are protecting your license, your rights, your freedom, and your future. Along with esteemed DWI administrative hearing attorneys, our staff is available 24/7 and provides expertise in the following areas for Chesterfield, MO residents:
Act Now—Speak with a Chesterfield, MO DWI Administrative Hearing Lawyer Today to Keep Your Driving Privileges
A DWI/DUI arrest in Chesterfield, 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 Chesterfield, MO DWI administrative hearing lawyer on your side 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 free case review. Our Chesterfield, MO DWI defense team is ready to fight for you and build a strong case to protect your future.
