If you have been charged with Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) in Texas, an ALR Hearing is important to your future driving privileges. You have 15 days from the day of your DWI arrest to request an ALR hearing. If you fail to request a hearing within 15 days, or if you do not properly request a hearing, your driver’s license will automatically be suspended 40 days after your arrest.
ALR hearings are important because it gives the defense an opportunity to challenge the suspension of your driver’s license. There are various ways to defend your driving privileges at an ALR hearing including, but not limited to, finding flaws in the State’s paperwork, subpoenaing witnesses and cross-examining the arresting officers and/or technical supervisors about your case. A flaw in the State’s paperwork, an absence of a subpoenaed witness or a proper cross-examination of a witness may defeat the State’s ALR case against you and prevent the suspension of your driving rights.
In addition, an ALR hearing may provide the defense a chance to win the criminal case. For example, recently, I had an ALR hearing where the officer showed up. His testimony was so bad the ALR judge found that the stop of my client was unlawful. Baased on this officer’s poor ALR performance, I was able to get the criminal case dismissed.
