Lexington, MO

DWI Administrative Hearing Lawyer Lexington, MO. A DWI/DUI arrest in Lexington, MO doesn’t just mean criminal charges—it also puts your driver’s license at immediate risk. The Missouri Department of Revenue (DOR) automatically moves to suspend or revoke your license in Lexington, MO, but you have the right to fight back and tell your side of the story 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 Lexington, 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 Lexington, MO DWI/DUI defense attorneys before the deadline passes.

Understanding DWI Administrative Hearings in Lexington, MO

A DWI administrative hearing is a separate civil process from your criminal case in Lexington, 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, 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.

Understanding Missouri’s License Suspension & Revocation Penalties

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

• First-Time DWI/DUI Offense: A 90-day suspension applies, but you might qualify for a Restricted Driving Privilege in Lexington, MO after 30 days.
• Second DWI/DUI Offense: Leads to a 1-year revocation period in Lexington, 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 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 Lexington, 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 the Lexington, MO area and across Missouri. Contact a skilled DWI administrative hearing lawyer in Lexington, MO now to discuss the specifics of your case and get expert legal advice and guidance on next steps.

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

If you licenses has been suspended, revoked, or denied, you might qualify for a Limited Driving Privilege (LDP) in Lexington, 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

If you need to restore limited driving privileges, consult a knowledgeable Lexington, MO DWI lawyer as soon as possible to help improve your chances of approval.

The Importance of Hiring a Lexington, MO DWI Administrative Hearing Lawyer

Fighting a DWI license suspension in Lexington, MO requires legal experience and technical knowledge—our Lexington, 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 the Combs Waterkotte Lexington, 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
• The operator collecting the sample be properly certified
• Only state-approved testing devices may be used
• Strict calibration and accuracy standards
• The machine functions within 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 Lexington, 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.

Appealing a Missouri 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 Lexington, 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 Lexington, 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 Lexington, 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 Lexington, 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.

If you hire a Combs Waterkotte DWI administrative hearing lawyer in the Lexington, MO area, you’re not just hiring the ideal DWI administrative hearing lawyer lawyer in Lexington, MO and throughout Missouri – you’re safeguarding your license, your rights, your freedom, and your future. In addition to knowledgeable DWI administrative hearing lawyers, our staff is available 24/7 and offers expertise in the following areas for residents in Lexington and beyond:

• DWI/DUI Lawyer
• Violent Crime Lawyer
• Criminal Defense Lawyers
• Drug Crimes Lawyer
• Gun Crime Lawyer
• Child Abuse & Neglect Lawyer
• Homicide Lawyer
• Assault Lawyer
• Rape Defense Lawyer

Time is Running Out—Get a Lexington, MO DWI Administrative Hearing Lawyer on Your Side to Keep Your Driving Privileges

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

Call Combs Waterkotte today at (314) 900-HELP or contact us online for a free case review. Our legal team is ready to start building a strong defense and fight for the best possible outcome for your case in Lexington, MO.