DWI Administrative Hearing Lawyer Wentzville, MO. If you’ve been arrested for DWI/DUI in Wentzville, 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.
You have only 15 days following your arrest to request this hearing. Don’t wait—protect your license by contacting a Wentzville, 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 Wentzville, MO DWI/DUI defense attorneys who can fight for your driving privileges and build a strong defense for your case in Wentzville, MO.
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 Wentzville, 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 Wentzville, 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 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.
Understanding Missouri’s License Suspension & Revocation Penalties
The consequences of an administrative hearing suspension depend on your record in Wentzville, MO and beyond:
- First DWI/DUI Offense: This results in a 90-day license suspension and you could be eligible for a Restricted Driving Privilege in Wentzville after 30 days.
- Second-Time DWI/DUI Offense: Comes with a 1-year revocation, or 5-year license denial if the previous offense was within 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 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 Wentzville, 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 Wentzville, MO and across Missouri. Contact us right away to fight for your driving privileges and get the legal defense you need in Wentzville, 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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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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How to Get a Limited Driving Privilege (Hardship License) in Wentzville, MO
If you licenses has been suspended, revoked, or denied, you might qualify for a Limited Driving Privilege (LDP) in Wentzville, 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 Wentzville, MO DWI attorney can help you regain your driving privileges as quickly as possible.
St. Charles County Resources
Below are quick links to important websites that may assist you with your legal matters in St. Charles County and Missouri.
Why You Need a Relentless DWI Administrative Hearing Lawyer in Wentzville, MO
Having a skilled DWI administrative hearing attorney in Wentzville, 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 Wentzville, 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 Wentzville, 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, 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. 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
- The operator collecting the sample be properly certified
- Only state-approved testing devices may be used
- Calibration and accuracy must meet legal standards
- Testing machine must function within state’s precise limits regarding temperature and accuracy
If any of these requirements were not met, we can challenge the BAC results, which could lead to the dismissal of your suspension. Our team of Wentzville, MO DWI experts has a proven track record of helping clients throughout Missouri keep their licenses.
How to Appeal a Wentzville, 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 Wentzville, MO circuit court within 15 days of the final ruling. This appeal must be filed in the circuit court of the Wentzville, MO county where your arrest occurred, and the DOR must be formally served with notice of the appeal. A Combs Waterkotte Wentzville, 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 Wentzville, 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 Wentzville, 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 Wentzville, 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.
If you partner with a Combs Waterkotte DWI administrative hearing lawyer in or around Wentzville, MO, you aren’t just choosing a top-rated DWI administrative hearing lawyer lawyer in Wentzville, MO and throughout Missouri – you are protecting your license, your rights, your freedom, and your future. In addition to knowledgeable DWI administrative hearing lawyers, our legal team is available 24/7 and offers expertise in the following areas for Wentzville, MO residents:
Time is Running Out—Get a Wentzville, MO DWI Administrative Hearing Lawyer on Your Side to Keep Your Driving Privileges
A DWI/DUI arrest in Wentzville, 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 Wentzville, MO DWI administrative hearing lawyer to give yourself the best chance at keeping your driving privileges.
Call Combs Waterkotte as soon as possible at (314) 900-HELP or reach out online for a no-obligation case review. Our legal team is ready to start building a strong defense and fight for the best possible outcome for your case in Wentzville, MO.
