Platte County, MO

DWI Administrative Hearing Lawyer Platte County, MO. If you’ve been arrested for DWI/DUI in Platte 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.

Time is critical—you have just 15 days from your arrest to request a hearing. Don’t delay. Protect your driving privileges in Platte County, MO and beyond by calling a trusted DWI administrative hearing lawyer at Combs Waterkotte right away. Call (314) 900-HELP or contact us online to schedule a confidential consultation and let one of our experienced Platte County, MO DWI/DUI defense attorneys build a powerful defense for your case.

Platte County, MO DWI Administrative Hearings: What You Need to Know

A DWI administrative hearing is a separate civil process from your criminal case in Platte County, 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, key factors that will be reviewed include:

• Did law enforcement have reasonable grounds to pull you over?
• Were you operating 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.

Missouri License Suspension & Revocation Consequences

The consequences of an administrative hearing suspension depend on your record in Platte County, MO and beyond:

• First DWI Offense: A 90-day suspension applies, but you might qualify for a Restricted Driving Privilege in Platte County, MO after 30 days.
• Second DWI/DUI Offense: Leads to a 1-year revocation period in Platte County, MO, or a 5-year license denial if the prior offense was within the past 5 years.
• Chemical Test Refusal: 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.

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 Platte County, MO.

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

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

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

• 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

The LDP application process in Missouri can be complex, but working with an experienced Platte County, MO DWI attorney can help you regain your driving privileges as quickly as possible.

Why You Need a Platte County, MO DWI Administrative Hearing Lawyer

Our Platte 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.

A valid suspension requires that you were under arrest at the time of a breathalyzer or blood test and that the arresting officer had probable cause to believe you were intoxicated while operating a motor vehicle. (This is why the Combs Waterkotte Platte 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. 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
• Testing machine must function within state’s 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 Platte County, MO experts, can uncover grounds to challenge the validity of the BAC reading.

How to Appeal a Platte County, MO DWI Administrative Hearing Decision

A license suspension or revocation after a DWI administrative hearing is not necessarily final—you can appeal the DOR’s decision by filing an appeal in the Platte County, MO circuit court within 15 days of the ruling. This appeal must be submitted in the circuit court of the county where your arrest occurred, and the DOR must be officially served with notice of the appeal. A Platte County, MO DWI administrative hearing lawyer from Combs Waterkotte can guide you through the process and represent you in court to get the best possible outcome.

Once it’s filed, the case moves to a de novo hearing, where the Platte 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 Platte County, MO DWI/DUI attorneys to present a stronger defense.

Keep in mind that filing an appeal does not automatically stop your suspension or revocation. Your license penalty could take effect before the court hears your case, meaning you may be unable to drive while waiting for a ruling. If the circuit court determines that the DOR lacked sufficient evidence to suspend your license, your driving privileges may be restored, but only after serving part of your suspension.

When you hire a Combs Waterkotte DWI administrative hearing lawyer in or around Platte County, MO, you’re not just hiring a top-rated DWI administrative hearing lawyer lawyer in Platte County, MO and beyond – you’re protecting your license, your rights, your freedom, and your future. Along with experienced DWI administrative hearing lawyers, our legal team is available 24/7 and offers expertise in the following areas for residents in Platte County 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 Platte County, MO DWI Administrative Hearing Lawyer Right Away to Keep Your Driving Privileges

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