What is A Texas ALR Hearing
Don’t Let the 15-Day Clock Run Out
After a DWI arrest in Texas, you are fighting two separate battles. One is the criminal case. The other is the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) trying to suspend your driver’s license. That second battle is called an Administrative License Revocation (ALR) case, and it moves fast.
An ALR hearing is your chance to challenge the suspension before it takes effect. If you failed or refused a breath or blood test, DPS can suspend your license whether or not you are ever convicted of DWI.
Speak to a Houston DWI Attorney today.
Call for a FREE consultation. Don’t let the ALR deadline pass.
Call 713-547-5630At the hearing, an administrative judge reviews whether the officer had a legal reason to stop you, whether the arrest was lawful, and whether the test was handled properly. It is also a rare early opportunity to question the arresting officer under oath before your criminal trial.
Here’s the part that catches people off guard. You generally have only 15 days from the day you receive your notice of suspension to request an ALR hearing.
Miss it and the suspension usually starts automatically, around day 40, with no hearing at all. If DPS mails the notice later, for example after blood-test results come back, the timing can be different, and the calculator above accounts for that.
Use the calculator to see where you stand. If you’re close to the deadline, or past it, don’t wait. Call me. I’m Eric Benavides, a Houston criminal defense trial attorney who handles DWI cases every week, and I’ll review your notice and make sure your hearing is requested on time. Hablamos español.