ALR hearings are administrative license revocation hearings brought by the Texas Department of Public Safety.
Following a driving under the influence or driving while intoxicated arrest, the State of Texas will act quickly to suspend your driver’s license.
If you fail to request an ALR hearing within 15 days of your arrest, you will lose your driver’s license for a statutorily determined number of days, usually 60 days or more on a first DWI or DUI offense.
You can have your driver’s license suspended in a Texas ALR hearing even if you have resolved your DWI criminal charges.
No one anticipates facing charges for driving while intoxicated, and the realization that your license is going to be suspended can be sobering in more than one way.
Your inexperience in navigating the criminal justice system does not have to work to your disadvantage.
The San Antonio DWI Lawyers at the Austin Hagee Law Firm can walk you through the process and prepare you for each phase of your case. We will make the ALR hearing request on your behalf and prepare a strategy to help you keep your license.
Our team is committed to fighting for hard-working people looking to get their lives back on track. Contact a criminal defense attorney at the Austin Hagee Law Firm today to schedule your free consultation.
How to Win an ALR Hearing in Texas
The ALR hearing usually happens very quickly after an arrest for an intoxication related offense in Texas, likely within 60 days.
Your chances of winning an ALR hearing in Texas increase when an experienced criminal defense attorney represents your case.
At the ALR hearing, your defense attorney will present proof of legal defenses that apply to your drunk driving case, such as:
- You did not receive your implied consent rights before refusing a blood or breath test,
- Your blood or breath sample was not collected correctly,
- The officer lacked probable cause to make an arrest, or
- The officer did not have a reasonable suspicion to make a traffic stop.
In many cases, the only evidence the prosecutor will introduce at the ALR hearing is testimony from the arresting officer. If the officer does not attend the hearing, as often happens in Texas DWI cases, you may be able to keep your driver’s license. Thus, it is always worth requesting an ALR hearing to try and fight for your driving privileges.
If you miss the deadline to request an ALR hearing, an attorney can help you apply for an occupational driver’s license (“ODL”) that allows you to drive for limited purposes. We have extensive experience requesting and filing for ODLs if your license is suspended after the ALR hearing.
An occupational driver’s license allows a Texas driver to travel to and from work and perform small commutes for necessary life-sustaining activities (e.g. going to the grocery store, visiting sick family, and going to a doctor’s appointment).
Going to a San Antonio Spurs game, going down to the San Antonio Riverwalk for a party, or driving to a show at Jazz TX would all likely NOT be approved uses of an ODL.
A DWI attorney at the Austin Hagee Law Firm can review the details of your case and advise you of your options, and help you get an ODL, if necessary. Touch base with our office today to schedule an appointment.
Wondering Whether to Make an ALR Hearing Request? Contact an ALR Hearing Lawyer Today to Discuss Your Case
Our team of defense attorneys at the Austin Hagee Law Firm has defended the driving privileges of our clients in countless ALR hearings.
We take the time to get to know the specifics of each case, so we can craft a defense strategy that highlights the best arguments to help you keep your license and learn valuable information as to how the State of Texas plans to bring their case against you.
With prior experience as prosecutors, we know first-hand the tactics the state will use to try to secure a conviction or to get your license suspended.
Contact the Austin Hagee Law Firm today to discuss your ALR hearing or getting an ODL with one of our experienced criminal defense attorneys.
Where You Can Find Our San Antonio, Texas Office
Austin M. Hagee is a trusted and proven San Antonio trial lawyer who tirelessly defends his clients’ constitutional rights. As a former prosecutor turned nationally recognized criminal defense attorney, Austin has the knowledge and expertise to get the best possible outcome for his clients.
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