DWI Administrative Hearing Lawyer Wildwood, MO. If you’ve been arrested for DWI/DUI in Wildwood, 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 Wildwood, 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 Wildwood, 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 …
What is a DWI Administrative Hearing in Wildwood, MO and Across Missouri?
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 Wildwood, 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 the officer have reasonable suspicion to pull you over?
- Were you driving while impaired?
- 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.
Understanding Missouri’s License Suspension & Revocation Penalties
The outcome of an administrative hearing depends on your driving history in Wildwood and across Missouri:
- First DWI Offense: Results in a 90-day suspension, with eligibility for a Restricted Driving Privilege in the Wildwood, MO area after 30 days.
- Second DWI/DUI Offense: This means a 1-year license revocation and a possible 5-year license denial if your prior Wildwood, MO DWI/DUI was within the last 5 years.
- Refusal to Submit to a Chemical Test: 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 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 Wildwood, MO, and freedom to drive.
With 40+ years of experience and 10,000+ cases successfully handled in Wildwood 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 Wildwood, 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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How to Get a Limited Driving Privilege (Hardship License) in Wildwood, MO
If your driving privilege is suspended, revoked, or denied, you may be eligible for a Limited Driving Privilege (LDP) in Wildwood, 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 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 Wildwood, MO DWI attorney can help you regain your driving privileges as quickly as possible.
St. Louis County Resources
Below are quick links to important websites that may assist you with your legal matters in St. Louis County and Missouri.
Why You Need a Wildwood, MO DWI Administrative Hearing Lawyer
Our Wildwood, 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 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 Wildwood, 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, 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. Additionally, Missouri has strict regulations governing breath and blood testing procedures, including:
- Testing machines be maintained every 35 days by a licensed technician
- Proper certification of the testing officer
- 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 procedures were not followed, your BAC results may be inadmissible, which can significantly strengthen your case. Our Wildwood, 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 Wildwood, 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 Wildwood, 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 Wildwood, 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 Wildwood, 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 Wildwood, MO DWI/DUI lawyers an opportunity to present a stronger defense for your case.
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 partner with a Combs Waterkotte DWI administrative hearing lawyer in the Wildwood, MO area, you aren’t just selecting a top-rated DWI administrative hearing lawyer lawyer in and around Wildwood, MO – you’re protecting your license, your rights, your freedom, and your future. Along with experienced DWI administrative hearing attorneys, our legal team is available 24/7 and provides expertise in the following areas for Wildwood, MO residents:
- Weapon Crime Defense Lawyer
- DWI Lawyer With Payment Plans
- Criminal Defense Lawyer with Payment Plans
Don’t Wait—Contact a Wildwood, MO DWI Administrative Hearing Lawyer Right Away to Keep Your Driving Privileges
A DWI/DUI arrest in Wildwood, 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 Wildwood, 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 no-obligation case review where we can get to work on a defense to get you the best possible outcome in Wildwood, MO.
