DWI Administrative Hearing Lawyer Macon County, MO. If you’ve been arrested for DWI/DUI in Macon County, 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.
Don’t wait until it’s too late. You have only 15 days after your arrest to request this hearing. A Combs Waterkotte Macon County, 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 Macon County, 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 …
Understanding DWI Administrative Hearings in Macon County, 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 Macon County, 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 law enforcement have reasonable suspicion to stop you?
- Were you driving 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 Macon 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 Macon County after 30 days.
- Second DWI Offense: This means a 1-year license revocation and a possible 5-year license denial if your prior Macon County, MO DWI/DUI was within the last 5 years.
- Refusal to Submit to a Chemical Test: 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 Macon County, MO.
With 40+ years of experience and 10,000+ cases successfully handled in Macon County 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 Macon County, MO today to discuss your case and protect your driving future.
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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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Know Your Next Steps
Wondering what happens after your DWI/DUI arrest? The experienced Combs Waterkotte attorneys have the answers.
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Contact the skilled Combs Waterkotte DWI/DUI lawyers now at (314) 900-HELP to get started on your defense.
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Securing a Limited Driving Privilege (Hardship License) in Macon County, MO
If you’re facing a license suspension, revocation, or denial in Macon County, MO, you might still be able to legally drive under specific circumstances with a Limited Driving Privilege (LDP). Eligibility often requires filing an SR-22 insurance certificate and installing an Ignition Interlock Device (IID). Once approved, an LDP—available after 30 days from the administrative hearing period—may allow you to drive for:
- 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 Macon County, MO DWI attorney can help you regain your driving privileges as quickly as possible.
Macon County Resources
Below are quick links to important websites that may assist you with your legal matters in Macon County and Missouri.
The Importance of Hiring a Macon County, MO DWI Administrative Hearing Lawyer
Having a skilled DWI administrative hearing attorney in Macon County, 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 Macon County, MO case, and if the DOR fails to prove even one of the above required elements, your suspension can be overturned.
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 Macon County, 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. Missouri law mandates that all breath and blood tests adhere to strict state regulations, including:
- Testing machines be maintained every 35 days by a licensed technician
- The operator collecting the sample be properly certified
- Use of state-approved testing machines
- Calibration and accuracy must meet legal 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 Macon County, 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 Macon 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 Macon County, MO circuit court within 15 days of the final ruling. This appeal must be filed in the circuit court of the Macon County, MO county where your arrest occurred, and the DOR must be formally served with notice of the appeal. A Combs Waterkotte Macon County, MO DWI administrative hearing lawyer can handle filing this appeal for you and represent you to get the best possible outcome.
Once it’s filed, the case moves to a de novo hearing, where the Macon County, 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 Macon County, 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 Macon County, 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 choose a Combs Waterkotte DWI administrative hearing lawyer in the Macon County, MO area, you’re not just hiring a top-rated DWI administrative hearing lawyer lawyer in and around Macon County, MO – you’re safeguarding your license, your rights, your freedom, and your future. Along with knowledgeable DWI administrative hearing lawyers, our staff is available 24/7 and offers expertise in the following areas for residents in Macon County and beyond:
Act Now—Speak with a Macon County, MO DWI Administrative Hearing Lawyer Today to Keep Your Driving Privileges
A DWI/DUI arrest in Macon 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 Macon County, 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 contact us online for a no-obligation case review where we can get to work on a defense to get you the best possible outcome in Macon County, MO.
