DWI Lawyer in Boone County, MO
DWI Lawyer in Boone County, MO. Getting pulled over and accused of driving while intoxicated is almost certainly one of the worst worries a Boone County-area motorist can have. Not only will you be stripped of your driving privileges for a minimum of sixty days, you will have to pay a significant fine, your insurance premiums will drastically increase, and have points on your license for years to come. To make matters worse, your image among friends and neighbors will take a massive blow, and your ability to potentially travel out of the United States could be limited, as countries including Canada prevent travelers with DWI convictions on their record from entering.
Have You Been Pulled Over For DWI in Boone County?
Having an aggressive and effective Boone County, MO DWI lawyer on your team can —and often does — make the difference between being found guilty to DWI and facing all its punishments, and having charges reduced or even dismissed. At Combs Law Group, our veteran St. Louis DWI lawyers fight tirelessly for all our Boone County, MO-area DWI clients. Whether this is the first time you have ever been stopped for any violation or if this is not the first time you are facing DWI charges, our firm will give your Boone County DWI case the personal attention you deserve and craft a legal strategy that is made to get you the best possible results.
Our record of success for those facing DWI charges is second to none, and we are committed to total client satisfaction in everything we do. After you have been arrested for DWI, make (314) 900-HELP your first call. Initial consultations are always free, and Combs Law Group will work with you with no regard to any financial difficulties you might have to help you beat your St. Louis DWI charges.
What Should I Do After I’m Pulled Over For DWI?
After you have been stopped by a police officer who believes that you are driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, it’s understandable to be nervous. Being pulled over by law enforcement for any moving violation is something that can lead to a “fight or flight” response, and this is only increased when you are accused of impaired driving. Having tried a substantial number of Boone County-area DWI cases, our firm suggests that you follow these steps if you are ever stopped for DWI:
- Find a safe place to pull over. If you are on a road with a shoulder, pull over there, or stop at a nearby parking lot. Try to avoid parking on grass.
- Record the entire interaction with your phone. Having your own record of your Boone County DWI stop can greatly help your case and find potential discrepancies between the police account and what actually occured. Police officers are required to follow a set procedure in every DWI stop, and any wrong or skipped action can result in your case being dismissed. Make sure that your phone is locked and secured with a passcode, as well: judges have ruled that police can seize and search unsecured cell phones.
- Stay calm and cooperative. Being aggressive with a police officer will lower the odds that they will search your car or subject you to heightened scrutiny. A little politeness is the best thing to do when stopped for DWI.
- Keep in mind: you have the right to remain silent. Give the officer your license and insurance/registration, but nothing more. Officers are on the lookout for for any reason to continue an investigation and take you into custody, so do not give them one.
- Do not take a hand-heldportable breath test. While Missouri does have an implied consent law that automatically suspends your driver’s license for one year if you refuse a breathalyzer or blood test, this only applies after you have been taken into custody for DWI. Portable breathalyzers are not always reliable and are only used as a method for an officer to get probable cause to take you into custody.
- If you are arrested, talk to a lawyer as soon as possible. Your chat with an attorney is 100% privileged and confidential under Missouri law. Getting advice from an experienced St. Louis DWI lawyer about whether you should take a breath test at the precinct, any issues that came up in your stop, or additional questions you might have can be the difference between spending time in jail and your case possibly being dismissed.
Fighting Both Sides Of Your Boone County, MO DWI Case
DWI cases in Missouri have two components: a criminal side and a civil side. The criminal sentences for DWI in Missouri, as you likely know, are stiff. Even a first Boone County DWI offense could lead to these punishments under Missouri law, as it is defined as a class B misdemeanor:
- 8 points on your driving record
- Up to 6 months in jail
- Up to a $500 fine
- A 90-day drivers’ license suspension, the last 60 of which can be reduced to a restricted driving privilege (RDP) permit
- Required participation in a drug/alcohol treatment program called SATOP
- Required purchase of a high-risk auto insurance plan, also known as an SR-22
What Happens If This Isn’t My First DWI?
If this is your second DWI arrest in Boone County, MO, you will likely be looking at class A misdemeanor charges, which include these punishments:
- No more than one year in jail (any jail sentence for a second DWI must include no less than 10 days of “shock time” in jail before possible suspension of sentence or probation)
- Maximum two years probation
- Fines of no more than $1,000
- The suspension of your driving privileges, which can be anywhere from one to five years
- You must install and maintain, at your own expense, an ignition interlock device (which prevents someone from starting a vehicle if their BAC is over a certain limit)
- Continuous, verifiable BAC monitoring (either by regular breath tests or a wearable device)
- Mandatory participation in a drug/alcohol treatment program
- Required purchase of a high-risk auto insurance plan, also known as an SR-22
The administrative half of a Boone County, MO DWI case relates to your driving privileges, and how the Missouri Department of Revenue deals with your license revocation or suspension. Most Boone County-area drivers are not aware that you can appeal the automatic suspension or revocation of your license, but only if that appeal is filed within 15 days of your original arrest. When you hire the Boone County, MO DWI lawyers at Combs Law Group, you can be confident that our firm will tackle both sides of your DWI case without delay and work fiercely to minimize the consequences a DWI arrest has on your life. We will gather evidence, go over the facts of your case, identify potential holes in the police report or arrest, and craft a strategy that is made to win.
Some of our recent DWI/DUI Victories
Our track record for getting the best results for our Boone County, MO DWI clients is unmatched, as shown by these results:Reduced
Felony DWI/DUI
St. Louis County man with multiple past convictions has DWI charges reduced.
Reduced
Aggravated DUI
Serious felony DUI charges reduced to a lower level.
Contact A Boone County DWI Lawyer Who Wins | Combs Law Group
If you have just been arrested and accused of driving while intoxicated in Boone County, MO, you are certainly well aware that time is of the essence when dealing with your case. The quicker you can get a skilled Boone County DWI lawyer to review documents, collect evidence, and establish your defense, the better the odds are that the effects resulting from your Boone County DWI arrest will be greatly reduced, if not erased.
Combs Law Group has helped many Boone County-area residents from all walks of life fight DWI accusations. Our firm merges first-rate legal expertise and combative litigation with a commitment to personal attention and communication that is unequaled among Boone County DWI law firms. Our DWI lawyers promise that regardless of what time it is, regardless of the situation, and no matter where you are, they will be able to answer your call and talk about your case or any other legal concern. This is part of our commitment to total client satisfaction, which our former clients can speak to as well.
After you have been pulled over and arrested for DWI in the Boone County, MO area, make (314) 900-HELP your first call to schedule a free initial case review and get the experienced Boone County DWI lawyers at Combs Law Group in your corner.