Wentzville, MO

DWI Administrative Hearing Lawyer Wentzville, MO. A DWI/DUI arrest in Wentzville, 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 Wentzville, 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 Wentzville, 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 Wentzville, MO DWI/DUI defense attorneys before the deadline passes.

Understanding DWI Administrative Hearings in Wentzville, MO

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

At the hearing, the following key elements are evaluated:

• Did the officer have reasonable grounds to pull you over?
• 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.

License Suspension & Revocation Penalties in Missouri

The outcome of an administrative hearing depends on your driving history in Wentzville and across Missouri:

• First-Time 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: This means a 1-year license revocation and a possible 5-year license denial if your prior Wentzville, MO DWI/DUI was within the last 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 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.

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

If your driving privilege is suspended, revoked, or denied, you may be eligible for a Limited Driving Privilege (LDP) in Wentzville, MO. You will most likely need to have an SR-22 insurance form on file and an Ignition Interlock Device (IID) installed on your vehicle. If granted after 30 days following your 15-day administrative hearing period, the LDP allows you to drive in specific situations, such as:

• 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 Wentzville, MO DWI lawyer now to help improve your chances of approval.

Why You Need a Wentzville, MO DWI Administrative Hearing Lawyer

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.

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 Wentzville, 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. 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
• Use of state-approved testing machines
• Strict calibration and accuracy standards
• Testing machine must function within state’s 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 Wentzville, 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 Wentzville, 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 Wentzville, 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 Wentzville, 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 the appeal is filed, the case moves to a de novo hearing—meaning the Wentzville, 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 Wentzville, 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 or around Wentzville, MO, you aren’t just selecting a leading DWI administrative hearing lawyer lawyer in Wentzville, MO and throughout Missouri – you’re securing your license, your rights, your freedom, and your future. In addition to experienced DWI administrative hearing lawyers, our legal team is available 24/7 and provides expertise in the following areas for Wentzville, MO residents:

• 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 Wentzville, MO DWI Administrative Hearing Lawyer Right Away to Keep Your Driving Privileges

If you’ve been arrested for DWI/DUI in Wentzville, MO, the clock is ticking on your right to fight for your license. Missing the 15-day deadline on an administrative hearing means automatic suspension or revocation with no way to appeal. You need a Wentzville, MO DWI administrative hearing lawyer on your side right now to protect your driving privileges and fight for your future.

Call Combs Waterkotte as soon as possible 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 Wentzville, MO.