Lewis County, MO

DWI Administrative Hearing Lawyer Lewis County, MO. If you have been arrested for DWI/DUI near Lewis 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.

You have only 15 days following your arrest to request this hearing. Don’t wait—protect your license by contacting a Lewis County, 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 Lewis County, MO DWI/DUI defense attorneys who can fight for your driving privileges and build a strong defense for your case in Lewis County, MO.

What is a DWI Administrative Hearing in Lewis County, MO and Across Missouri?

A DWI administrative hearing is a civil proceeding separate from your criminal DWI case in Lewis 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.

During the hearing, key factors that will be reviewed include:

• Did law enforcement have reasonable suspicion to stop you?
• Were you driving a vehicle while intoxicated?
• Did you refuse a breath or blood test?

A successful hearing outcome could mean keeping your license and avoiding further penalties. However, if the DOR finds that all elements are met and supported by a preponderance of evidence, your license will be suspended or revoked, depending on prior offenses or test refusals.

License Suspension & Revocation Penalties in Missouri

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

• First DWI/DUI Offense: This results in a 90-day license suspension and you could be eligible for a Restricted Driving Privilege in Lewis County after 30 days.
• Second-Time DWI/DUI Offense: This means a 1-year license revocation and a possible 5-year license denial if your prior Lewis County, MO DWI/DUI was within the last 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 Lewis County, MO.

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 Lewis County, MO and across Missouri. Contact a skilled DWI administrative hearing lawyer in Lewis County, MO now to discuss the specifics of your case and get expert legal advice and guidance on next steps.

How to Get a Hardship License (Limited Driving Privilege) in Lewis County, MO

If you licenses has been suspended, revoked, or denied, you might qualify for a Limited Driving Privilege (LDP) in Lewis 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 Lewis County, MO DWI attorney can help you regain your driving privileges as quickly as possible.

Why You Need a Relentless DWI Administrative Hearing Lawyer in Lewis County, MO

Our Lewis County, 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 our Lewis 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.)

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. 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
• The machine used must be approved under state regulations
• Calibration and accuracy must meet legal 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 Lewis County, MO experts, can uncover grounds to challenge the validity of the BAC reading.

How to Appeal a Lewis County, 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 Lewis County, MO circuit court within 15 days of the final ruling. This appeal must be filed in the circuit court of the Lewis County, MO county where your arrest occurred, and the DOR must be formally served with notice of the appeal. A Combs Waterkotte Lewis County, 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 Lewis County, 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 Lewis County, MO DWI/DUI lawyers an opportunity to present a stronger, more detailed defense.

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 Lewis County, MO area, you’re not just hiring the ideal DWI administrative hearing lawyer lawyer in Lewis County, MO and throughout Missouri – you’re 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 residents in Lewis County and beyond:

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

Act Now—Speak with a Lewis County, MO DWI Administrative Hearing Lawyer Today to Keep Your Driving Privileges

A DWI/DUI arrest in Lewis 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 Lewis County, MO DWI administrative hearing lawyer to give yourself the best chance at keeping your driving privileges.

Call Combs Waterkotte today at (314) 900-HELP or reach out online for a free, no-obligation case review. Our Lewis County, MO DWI defense team is ready to fight for you and build a strong case to protect your future.