DWI Administrative Hearing Lawyer Springfield, MO. A DWI/DUI arrest in Springfield, 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 Springfield, MO, but you have the right to fight back and tell your side of the story 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 Springfield, 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 Springfield, MO DWI/DUI defense attorneys build a powerful defense for your case.
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 …
Springfield, MO DWI Administrative Hearings: What You Need to Know
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 Springfield, MO. If you don’t request this hearing, your suspension takes effect automatically, and you lose the chance to contest it.
During the hearing, key factors that will be reviewed include:
- Did law enforcement have reasonable suspicion to pull you over?
- Were you driving while impaired?
- Did you refuse a breath or blood test?
Winning the hearing can mean keeping your license and avoiding additional penalties. If the DOR determines that the three above questions are affirmatively answered and proven by a preponderance of evidence, your license will be suspended or revoked based on any prior offenses or test refusal.
License Suspension & Revocation Penalties in Missouri
The outcome of an administrative hearing depends on your driving history in Springfield and across Missouri:
- First DWI/DUI Offense: This results in a 90-day license suspension and you could be eligible for a Restricted Driving Privilege in Springfield 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 Springfield, MO DWI/DUI was within the last 5 years.
- Refusing a Chemical Test: Missouri’s implied consent law enforces a 1-year revocation, and you cannot apply for a hardship license for 90 days.
With such a low standard of proof—essentially the prosecution must show that there is a greater than 50 percent chance that you were intoxicated while operating a motor vehicle— trying to handle this hearing alone is a risk. These penalties can impact your employment, daily responsibilities in Springfield, MO, and freedom to drive.
The Combs Waterkotte DWI administrative hearing lawyers have over 40 years of experience, successfully handling 10,000+ cases like yours in Springfield, MO and across Missouri. Contact us right away to fight for your driving privileges and get the legal defense you need in Springfield, MO.
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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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How to Get a Hardship License (Limited Driving Privilege) in Springfield, MO
If you licenses has been suspended, revoked, or denied, you might qualify for a Limited Driving Privilege (LDP) in Springfield, 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 Substance Awareness Traffic Offender Program (SATOP) or other alcohol- or drug-treatment programs
- Seeking the required services of a certified IID provider
- A business, occupation, or employment
- Seeking medical treatment
- Attending school or other institution of higher education
- Any other circumstance the court finds would create an undue hardship
The LDP application process in Missouri can be complex, but working with an experienced Springfield, MO DWI attorney can help you regain your driving privileges as quickly as possible.
Greene County Resources
Below are quick links to important websites that may assist you with your legal matters in Greene County and Missouri.
Why You Need a Relentless DWI Administrative Hearing Lawyer in Springfield, MO
Our Springfield, 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 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 our Springfield, 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.)
Our attorneys closely examine the details of your arrest and testing procedures, looking for flaws such as time gaps between driving and law enforcement contact. Also, Missouri law mandates strict compliance with Department of Health and Senior Services regulations regarding breath and blood testing procedures. These regulations require that:
- Machines must be serviced every 35 days
- Proper certification of the testing officer
- Only state-approved testing devices may be used
- Calibration samples meet specific regulatory 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 Springfield, MO experts, can uncover grounds to challenge the validity of the BAC reading.
How to Appeal a Springfield, 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 Springfield, MO circuit court within 15 days of the final ruling. This appeal must be filed in the circuit court of the Springfield, MO county where your arrest occurred, and the DOR must be formally served with notice of the appeal. A Combs Waterkotte Springfield, MO DWI administrative hearing lawyer can handle filing this appeal for you and represent you to get the best possible outcome.
Once the appeal is filed, the case moves to a de novo hearing—meaning the Springfield, 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 Springfield, MO DWI/DUI lawyers an opportunity to present a stronger defense for your case.
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 Springfield, 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 Springfield, MO area, you’re not just hiring the ideal DWI administrative hearing lawyer lawyer in and around Springfield, MO – you are securing your license, your rights, your freedom, and your future. Along with experienced DWI administrative hearing attorneys, our legal team is available 24/7 and offers expertise in the following areas for Springfield, MO residents:
Time is Running Out—Get a Springfield, MO DWI Administrative Hearing Lawyer on Your Side to Keep Your Driving Privileges
A DWI/DUI arrest in Springfield, 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 Springfield, 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 reach out online for a free, no-obligation case review. Our Springfield, MO DWI defense team is ready to fight for you and build a strong case to protect your future.
