Lebanon, MO

DWI Administrative Hearing Lawyer Lebanon, MO. If you’ve been arrested for DWI/DUI in Lebanon, 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 Lebanon, 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 Lebanon, MO DWI/DUI defense attorneys who can fight for your driving privileges and build a strong defense for your case in Lebanon, MO.

Understanding DWI Administrative Hearings in Lebanon, 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 Lebanon, MO. If you don’t request this hearing, your suspension takes effect automatically, and you lose the chance to contest it.

During the hearing, the following elements are examined:

• Did the officer have reasonable grounds 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.

License Suspension & Revocation Penalties in Missouri

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

• First DWI/DUI Offense: Results in a 90-day suspension, with eligibility for a Restricted Driving Privilege in the Lebanon, 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.
• Refusal to Submit to 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 Lebanon, MO.

With 40+ years of experience and 10,000+ cases successfully handled in Lebanon 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 Lebanon, MO today to discuss your case and protect your driving future.

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

If your driving privilege is suspended, revoked, or denied, you may be eligible for a Limited Driving Privilege (LDP) in Lebanon, MO. You will most likely need to have an SR-22 insurance form on file and an Ignition Interlock Device (IID) installed on your vehicle. If granted after 30 days following your 15-day administrative hearing period, the LDP allows you to drive in specific situations, such as:

• 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 Lebanon, MO DWI attorney can help you regain your driving privileges as quickly as possible.

Why You Need a Lebanon, MO DWI Administrative Hearing Lawyer

Having a skilled DWI administrative hearing attorney in Lebanon, 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 Lebanon, MO case, and if the DOR fails to prove even one of the above required elements, your suspension can be overturned.

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 Lebanon, 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. Additionally, Missouri has strict regulations governing breath and blood testing procedures, including:

• Machines must be serviced every 35 days
• The operator collecting the sample be properly certified
• Use of state-approved testing machines
• Calibration samples meet specific regulatory standards
• Testing machine must function within state’s precise limits regarding temperature and accuracy

If any of these requirements were not met, we can challenge the BAC results, which could lead to the dismissal of your suspension. Our team of Lebanon, MO DWI experts has a proven track record of helping clients throughout Missouri keep their licenses.

Appealing the Decision of a Lebanon, 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 Lebanon, 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 Lebanon, MO DWI administrative hearing lawyers can handle the entire appeals process on your behalf to get the best possible outcome.

Once it’s filed, the case moves to a de novo hearing, where the Lebanon, MO circuit court will conduct a fresh review of the evidence without relying on or deferring to the DOR’s previous decision. And, unlike in an administrative hearing, circuit court appeals often allow live witness testimony providing our Lebanon, MO DWI/DUI attorneys to present a stronger 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 Lebanon, 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.

When you partner with a Combs Waterkotte DWI administrative hearing lawyer in the Lebanon, MO area, you aren’t just hiring a leading DWI administrative hearing lawyer lawyer in Lebanon, MO and beyond – you’re 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 provides expertise in the following areas for residents in Lebanon and beyond:

• Violent Crime Lawyer
• Drug Crimes Lawyer
• Gun Crime Lawyer
• Child Abuse & Neglect Lawyer
• Homicide Lawyer
• Assault Lawyer
• Rape Defense Lawyer

Don’t Wait—Contact a Lebanon, MO DWI Administrative Hearing Lawyer Right Away to Keep Your Driving Privileges

A DWI/DUI arrest in Lebanon, 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 Lebanon, 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 no-obligation case review. Our Lebanon, MO DWI defense team is ready to fight for you and build a strong case to protect your future.