DWI Administrative Hearing Lawyer Gladstone, MO. If you’ve been arrested for DWI/DUI in Gladstone, 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.
You have only 15 days following your arrest to request this hearing. Don’t wait—protect your license by contacting a Gladstone, MO DWI administrative hearing lawyer at Combs Waterkotte now. Call (314) 900-HELP or reach out online to schedule a free, confidential consultation with one of our expert Gladstone, MO DWI/DUI defense attorneys who can fight for your driving privileges and build a strong defense for your case in Gladstone, MO.
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 Gladstone, MO
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 Gladstone, MO. If you don’t request this hearing, your suspension takes effect automatically, and you lose the chance to contest it.
At the hearing, the following key elements are evaluated:
- Did law enforcement have reasonable grounds 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 Gladstone, MO and beyond:
- First DWI Offense: A 90-day suspension applies, but you might qualify for a Restricted Driving Privilege in Gladstone, MO after 30 days.
- Second-Time DWI/DUI Offense: Leads to a 1-year revocation period in Gladstone, MO, or a 5-year license denial if the prior offense was within the past 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.
With such a low standard of proof—essentially the prosecution must show that there is a greater than 50 percent chance that you were intoxicated while operating a motor vehicle— trying to handle this hearing alone is a risk. These penalties can impact your employment, daily responsibilities in Gladstone, MO, and freedom to drive.
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 Gladstone, MO and across Missouri. Contact a skilled DWI administrative hearing lawyer in Gladstone, MO now to discuss the specifics of your case and get expert legal advice and guidance on next steps.
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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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How to Get a Hardship License (Limited Driving Privilege) in Gladstone, MO
If you licenses has been suspended, revoked, or denied, you might qualify for a Limited Driving Privilege (LDP) in Gladstone, 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 Gladstone, MO DWI attorney can help you regain your driving privileges as quickly as possible.
Clay County Resources
Below are quick links to important websites that may assist you with your legal matters in Clay County and Missouri.
Why You Need a Relentless DWI Administrative Hearing Lawyer in Gladstone, MO
Our Gladstone, 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 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 the Combs Waterkotte Gladstone, 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.)
However, delays between the alleged driving and the first police encounter can weaken this argument, making it difficult to prove you were intoxicated while actually behind the wheel. Also, Missouri law mandates strict compliance with Department of Health and Senior Services regulations regarding breath and blood testing procedures. These regulations require that:
- Routine maintenance of testing devices every 35 days
- Proper certification of the testing officer
- Use of state-approved testing machines
- Strict calibration and accuracy standards
- The machine functions within 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 Gladstone, MO experts, can uncover grounds to challenge the validity of the BAC reading.
Appealing the Decision of a Gladstone, 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 in the Gladstone, MO circuit court within 15 days of the final ruling. This appeal must be submitted in the circuit court of the county where your arrest occurred, and the DOR must be officially notified of the appeal. Our Gladstone, MO DWI administrative hearing lawyers can handle the entire appeals process on your behalf to get the best possible outcome.
Once the appeal is filed, the case moves to a de novo hearing—meaning the Gladstone, 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 Gladstone, MO DWI/DUI lawyers an opportunity to present a stronger defense for your case.
However, it’s important to understand that filing an appeal does not automatically delay your suspension or revocation. Your driving privileges may still be affected before the appeal hearing occurs, meaning you could be unable to drive until the court makes its ruling. If the court ultimately finds insufficient evidence to uphold the suspension, your license can be reinstated, but only after you have already served part of your suspension.
When you partner with a Combs Waterkotte DWI administrative hearing lawyer in the Gladstone, MO area, you’re not just hiring a leading DWI administrative hearing lawyer lawyer in and around Gladstone, MO – you’re safeguarding your license, your rights, your freedom, and your future. In addition to knowledgeable DWI administrative hearing lawyers, our legal team is available 24/7 and offers expertise in the following areas for residents in Gladstone and beyond:
Act Now—Speak with a Gladstone, MO DWI Administrative Hearing Lawyer Today to Keep Your Driving Privileges
A DWI/DUI arrest in Gladstone, 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 Gladstone, 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 reach out online for a no-obligation case review. Our legal team is ready to start building a strong defense and fight for the best possible outcome for your case in Gladstone, MO.
