Medina County ALR Hearing Guide

Winning the criminal case doesn't touch the license suspension in Medina County, and a surprising number of defendants find that out too late. The Administrative License Revocation process is a purely civil matter run by the state, separate from the DWI charge itself, and it stays in effect even if the criminal case is dropped entirely or ends in an acquittal. The two tracks simply don't talk to each other.

The 15-day window

The deadline to request an ALR hearing is 15 calendar days from the date the suspension notice was served, almost always the day of arrest. If day 15 lands on a weekend or state holiday, it rolls to the next business day, but waiting that long is a genuine risk: miss the window by even an hour and the license is suspended automatically on day 40, with no appeal. Requests go through the DPS online portal or by certified fax, and there's no fee to file the basic request. Hold onto every confirmation number and fax receipt, since that's the only proof the deadline was met.

Why the hearing matters even if you don't win it

The hearing only looks at three narrow questions: whether the stop was legal, whether there was probable cause to arrest, and whether the driver failed or refused a chemical test. It's not a verdict on guilt. What makes it worth doing anyway is the chance to put the arresting officer under oath months before the criminal trial, locking in sworn testimony that can be used against them later if it doesn't match their written report. Most hearings now happen by Zoom or phone rather than in person.

Refusing the test doesn't actually help here

Refusing a breath or blood test carries a harsher suspension than simply failing one, and Medina County's aggressive No Refusal program means refusing rarely avoids testing anyway; officers routinely get a same-night warrant to draw blood by force. The refusal penalty applies on top of whatever test results eventually come back.

Getting an appointment

The local DPS office in Hondo runs strictly by appointment for driver's license services, including occupational licenses and reinstatements; walk-ins are turned away. Given how booked the regional scheduling system gets, checking the online portal right around 7 a.m., when same-day cancellations tend to open up, is the most reliable way to grab a slot.