Defense During Your DMV Hearing
San Antonio DWI Attorney Can Fight for You
After being arrested for a suspected DWI offense, your driver’s license will most likely be suspended. It is possible, however, for you to dispute your suspension at your DMV hearing and possibly prevent the loss of your driving privileges. You should not attempt to do this without the help of a knowledgeable San Antonio DWI attorney.
My name is Kerrisa Chelkowski, and I am an experienced San Antonio criminal defense lawyer who is fully familiar with how the DMV hearing process works, as well as how to best represent my clients in these hearings. I am dedicated to helping protect your driving privileges!
Understanding the Hearing Process
Driver’s license suspension hearings are commonly called “DMV hearings.” In Texas, these are equivalent to ALR hearings, since they are hearings that are handled through the Department of Public Safety’s Administrative License Revocation (ALR) Program. After a person is pulled over for alleged DWI and he or she either 1) fails a breath or blood test or 2) refuses to take such a test after a DWI arrest, that individual will then be issued (by the officer) a notice of his or driver’s license suspension. Upon receiving this notice, the driver has only 15 days to request an ALR hearing, according to the Department of Public Safety’s website.
At the hearing, the driver will have the chance to present his or her side of the story before a hearing officer. After hearing the facts of the stop and the arrest, the hearing officer will then determine whether or not there were actually strong enough grounds to issue a driver’s license suspension. In some cases, it is possible to show that the arresting officer did not have enough probable cause to make the stop or the arrest, that there is not enough solid proof that the driver actually failed a breath or blood or that the driver refused such a test, that the officer failed to properly inform the driver of the consequences of refusing a test, etc. When such points are proven, it could be possible to get the driver’s license suspension removed.
Importance of Hiring a DWI Lawyer in San Antonio
While your ALR hearing (or DMV hearing) is completely separate from your criminal charges, it is still important to have the representation of a high-quality attorney. An excellent lawyer will be able to gather key evidence that could potentially benefit your case and help you create as strong of a defense as possible. This is type of legal support I provide at my criminal defense law firm, the Law Office of Kerrisa Chelkowski. I can also help my clients defend themselves against their charges in their criminal proceedings. Take action today to avoid a driver’s license suspension following your DWI arrest.