What Happens at an ALR Hearing?

What happens at an ALR hearing in Houston, TX tends to be straightforward. An Administrative License Revocation (ALR) Hearing is a civil process that occurs after an arrest for driving while intoxicated (DWI). Additionally, it happens when you refuse a breath or blood test. 

At this hearing, the state decides whether to revoke your driver’s license. When you work with a DWI lawyer, you have someone to help you throughout this process. However, it’s important to realize that you have to hurry. 

After a DWI arrest, you only have 15 days to request an ALR hearing. Schedule a consultation with a DWI lawyer in your area today. 

What Leads to an ALR Hearing?

Before you understand what happens at an ALR hearing in Houston, it’s important to know how to get there. This process begins as soon as a law enforcement officer suspects a DWI. Here’s a basic timeline for what occurs. 

1. An officer pulls you over for suspicion of drunk driving. 
2. They conduct a series of field sobriety tests. If you fail these tests, the officer arrests you for DWI. 
3. Then, the officer measures your BAC through either a breath or blood test. 
4. If you refuse or fail these tests, the police serve you with a notice that your driver’s license is up for suspension. 
5. You have 15 days from the date you receive this notice to request an ALR hearing. When you fail to request it, your license goes into automatic suspension 40 days after you receive the notice. 
6. The officer takes your license at the scene of the arrest and gives you a temporary driving permit. 
7. After the suspension ends, you cannot renew or reissue your driver’s license until you pay a reinstatement fee. 

When you refuse to take a sobriety test, it results in the automatic suspension of your license for a period ranging from 90 days to two years. This is due to a violation of the implied consent law in Texas. Unfortunately, this remains in place regardless of the outcome of your trial. 

However, with a DWI defense attorney on your side, you have someone to help you fight for your license and your future. 

How to Request an ALR Hearing

Before we get to what happens at an ALR hearing in Texas, it’s important to understand how to request the hearing. If you work with an attorney, they handle this process for you. However, it’s important to understand the process. 

At an ALR hearing, you have the opportunity to contest the suspension of your driver’s license. You have the option to request this hearing. However, you have to do so within 15 days of receiving the notice. 

When you meet this deadline, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) mails you a letter at the address on record. This letter provides the details of the hearing. 

• Date 
• Time 
• Location

In some cases, the DPS takes up to 120 days to schedule an ALR hearing. However, your license remains active up until the hearing occurs. When you miss the 15-day deadline, the DPS denies your request for a hearing. 

You receive the denial by mail as well. When you want to know what happens at an ALR hearing and what to expect from the process, trust in an experienced DWI lawyer. As your advocate, your attorney guides you through the process to protect your future. 

What Happens at an ALR Hearing: Inside the Hearing

In Texas, the State Office of Administrative Hearings hosts ALR hearings. Here are the basics of what happens at an ALR hearing in Houston. 

• You and your lawyer present evidence. 
• The DPS likewise presents their evidence. 
• An Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) considers the evidence and renders a decision. 

When you work with a DWI defense attorney, they explore the circumstances of your arrest. If they find any flaws in the officer’s process, procedure, or behavior, they argue against the validity of the arrest. 

Similarly, the DPS presents evidence in favor of the suspension of your license. If the judge decides that the DPS proved its case, they issue an order that authorizes the suspension of your license. 

If they believe the DPS failed to prove its case, your license survives the process. The ALJ’s final order goes to all parties. However, it’s also possible to appeal their decision. 

An Occupational License

Depending on what happens at an ALR hearing, you may need an occupational license. If the ALJ suspends your license, they may still allow you to apply for an occupational driver’s license. While this license carries restrictions, it allows you to drive a vehicle for work, essential household duties, and school activities. 

This process requires you to send a petition to the county or district court, the court of the original jurisdiction where the DWI occurred, or Justice of the Peace. Then, the court decides whether to grant permission for you to apply. 

See What Happens at an ALR Hearing with an Experienced Attorney

When you lose your license in a city like Houston, it has a major impact on your life. We live in a commuter city that almost requires that you drive. Consider life without a car. 

How do you get to school or work? Who takes you to the grocery store? Can you make it to hang out with your friends easily? 

What happens at an ALR hearing in Houston carries a lot of weight. Don’t let it burden your future. When you work with an experienced DWI attorney in Houston, you have an advocate on your side to protect your future. 

As a Houston DWI lawyer, Herman Martinez has decades of experience in the courts. With experience as a former prosecutor, he understands the opposition and how they operate. When you need an attorney who understands every angle of the process, call the Martinez Law Firm. 

Schedule a free case evaluation today to learn more about what happens at an ALR hearing. Then, see how our legal team protects your future. 

Is No Contest Better than Pleading Guilty?

Are you wondering whether to plea no contest or plead guilty to a DWI in Texas? Contact our law firm immediately. Our Houston DWI lawyers are here to help you understand and protect your rights. Schedule a free consultation today!

Whether or not entering a plea of “no contest” for driving while intoxicated (DWI) in Texas depends on the circumstances of your case. The best way to determine your plea for a DWI case is to consult with a DWI defense attorney in Houston. When you present the circumstances of your arrest to our team, we provide guidance on how to pursue the best possible outcome. 

In certain situations, a “no contest” plea might benefit you. However, it’s not always an effective strategy. With a DWI lawyer on your side, you gain a stronger defense strategy and someone to provide advice about your case. 

No Contest Pleas and DWIs: They Help in Limited Situations 

When you enter a plea of no contest, the primary benefit is that you avoid admitting fault in the situation. If there is reason to be concerned that you might face a civil case in addition to your criminal charges, this can be quite important. 

For instance, perhaps you have a few beers on the patio of a Houston bar. On your way home, you make a turn too quickly and jump the curb, driving into someone’s fence. This can mount up to thousands of dollars in property damage. Next, the police show up and arrest you for a DWI. 

In this situation, admitting fault in your DWI case makes it more difficult to win your civil case. This is true even when you believe most of the damage existed before you hit the fence. With cases like these, your Houston DWI lawyer might suggest that you plead no contest. 

The Myths of No Contest and DWIs

There are other cases where pleading no contest won’t do much to help your case. Oftentimes, people associate myths with this sort of plea. In many of these cases, the court system looks at it as similar to a plea of guilty. 

For example, even if you plead guilty to a first-time DWI, you might qualify for expungement later. Additionally, the arrest and conviction still count against you should you be arrested for drunk driving again. 

In the worst-case scenario, deciding to enter a plea of no contest might prevent you from being able to gain a plea bargain that drastically reduces the penalties against you. When you work with a Houston DWI lawyer, they might negotiate an agreement that requires you to plead guilty in exchange for reduced charges and lighter penalties. 

Often, this is the most favorable outcome when there is strong evidence against you. 

Schedule a Free Consultation 

Before you decide how to plead in your DWI case, meet with a Houston DWI lawyer at The Martinez Law Firm. Our DWI defense team has decades of experience working in Houston and Harris County. Let us help you understand your rights as well as the Texas drunk driving laws. When you work with us, we provide guidance on what plea to enter, always pursuing your best interests. 

Let our team be your advocates and help you develop a defense strategy rooted in the facts and circumstances of your case. Call 713.242.1779 now to schedule your free consultation.

Recently Passed Laws Heighten Penalties for False Emergency Reports

Sometimes, unruly teenagers or bored adults will make false emergency reports for their own entertainment. Other times, people may pretend that they are about to commit a serious crime in order to get attention and get peers talking. Situations of this nature waste hours of law enforcement officer’s time.

When law enforcement officers could be out fighting crime, they are instead responding to fictitious situations that were invented by individuals looking for a little entertainment. This can be extremely frustrating for the law enforcement, which is why the Texas state department has chosen to increase the penalties for this crime.

According to reports, the state of Texas has increased the penalties for the offense if initiating, communicating, or circulating a false report of an emergency that involves an institution of higher education. The crime of circulating a false report used to be considered a Class A misdemeanor.

Now, the offense of relaying false emergency reports is considered a state jail felony. Those that are found guilty may be required to serve time in prison and will have a felony posted on their record. It is important as a citizen of the United States to honor the state code in order to avoid serious penalties.

Many suspects arrested for this crime will need to spend time behind bars simply because they violated the law for their own amusement. Don’t hesitate to contact an attorney at The Martinez Law Firm if you need assistance in defending yourself against charges of intentional false report.

You will certainly want an attorney to represent you if you truly did believe that there was a threat and circulated the report out of a conviction that you needed to warn law enforcement. In this situation, you will want to prove that you truly were concerned and issued the threat out of a desire to help your fellow man. Talk with a Houston criminal defense attorney if you need help today!

Switchblade Knives now Legal in Texas

Switchblade knives are legal to carry, use, and manufacture in Texas as of Sept. 1, 2020.  Since the 1950s, it has been illegal to own or use a switchblade knife in the state of Texas. Carrying or using one of these knives has always been considered a Class A misdemeanor. Individuals could be punished with a fine of up to $4,000 and confiscation of the weapon. They could also be given one year in county jail.

Per the new laws passed in Texas this past September, the knives are no longer illegal. Moreover, individuals cannot be penalized for using them. Individuals also can’t be penalized for making a switchblade, repairing a switchblade, selling a switchblade, or repairing a switchblade. Previously all of these actions were illegal. This law is covered in HB 1862.

Are Switchblades Legal in Texas?

In the State of Texas, it is completely legal to sell, repair, transport, and possess switchblades.

In 2017, Texas removed the category of “illegal knives” from House Bill 1935, thereby making it legal to possess and carry switchblades and other types of knives. However, they did create a new list of restricted areas where it is illegal to possess a knife, such as on university campuses, in bars, and in schools.

Other knives and weapons that are not switchblade knives are still banned in Texas.

The use of these illegal knives can result in serious penalties. Individuals are required to carry a permit in order to have a concealed handgun. It is also illegal to own explosives such as bombs, bombs, and rockets or to possess a machine gun.

People can also be penalized for carrying a zip gun, brass knuckles, shotguns with barrels that are less than 18 inches long, rifles or shotguns that are altered so that the weapon is less than 26 inches long, and more. With the exception of brass knuckles, possession of these weapons is considered a third-degree felony which means that you may get between two and ten years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

Have you been arrested for possession of an illegal weapon?

If so, you need to talk to a Houston criminal defense attorney today to learn more. With the right attorney, you may be able to prove that you are not guilty of a weapons crime. We can cite the recent laws regarding switchblade knives as a defense in your case. Hire the firm today to learn more!

 

Houston Police Department Implements ALPR Technology

The Houston Police Department is often looking for ways to improve safety amongst the individuals of the state and is constantly making the attempt to protect citizens from harm. Recently, they chose to implement advanced license plate readers (ALPR) to assist law enforcement in locating suspects.

The technology was revealed in June, and there are approximately 24 of the advanced license plate readers that are on their respective beats across six county patrol districts. Each district has three patrol cars that have the technology on board, except for in the Woodlands. In this county, there are four cars equipped with the recognition devices. The technology is mostly used to identify stolen vehicles. The ALPR system has already been credited with the recovery of six stolen vehicles. The Houston police have also used the machine to apprehend seven wanted individuals.

The advanced license plate readers cameras in the cars use infrared illumination to detect the characters off a license plate. The data is then cross-referenced digitally in the Texas Criminal Information Center and the National Crime Information Center. If there are any alerts, the police are informed and then they can pursue the vehicle that has been notified. The system also alerts individuals of any situations regarding sex offenders. For example, if a sex offender’s vehicle is located in a school zone, the system will notify the police so that they can take action.

The system can also be used in house, which allows a license plate number to be manually entered for detection purposes. If you have been arrested after you were detected by the new ALPR system you need to seek representation with a Houston criminal defense attorney promptly. A lawyer may be able to assist you in your case and prove that you are innocent of the crime that you have been charged with. At The Martinez Law Firm, there is a former U.S. Chief Prosecutor that can assist you with your case. Criminal Defense Attorney Herman Martinez understands criminal law from both sides, which can be very helpful when you are dealing with a complicated case.