Quick answer: The ALR case is the separate civil action against your license — 15 days from arrest to request a hearing, or suspension begins automatically on day 40. Requested in time, it pauses the suspension and lets your defense examine the arresting trooper under oath months before the criminal case matures.
Hearings run through the State Office of Administrative Hearings, usually by phone or video. The state must establish a lawful stop and a proper refusal or failure after statutory warnings; on a first arrest, the suspension at stake is 90 days for a failed test and 180 for a refusal. Bastrop County’s highway enforcement means many refusal cases carry blood warrants too — so the ALR and the criminal evidence overlap heavily.
That overlap is the opportunity. Subpoenaing the trooper to an ALR hearing produces sworn testimony about the stop and arrest while memories are fresh and before trial preparation polishes the narrative — testimony that is locked in and available for impeachment later. The hearing protects your license and previews the state’s case in one proceeding; the only unforced error is letting the 15 days lapse.
Related questions
Does winning the ALR hearing help the criminal case?
Directly and indirectly — no suspension issues, and the sworn record either exposes weaknesses or commits the trooper to a version of events. Even a lost hearing yields the testimony, which is often worth more than the license days at stake.
What if I already blew past the 15-day deadline?
The suspension will run, but nothing about the criminal defense changes — and an occupational license restores essential driving. Move on the occupational petition before the suspension date arrives to minimize the gap.
More: Bastrop County DWI Attorney · Video library · Texas charge codes
Free consultation — 24/7. We’ll review your stop, explain your options, and quote a flat fee.
General legal information for Texas, not legal advice about your specific case. Last reviewed July 2026.
