DWI Lawyer in Brentwood, MO
DWI Lawyer in Brentwood, MO. Getting pulled over and charged with driving while intoxicated is almost certainly one of the biggest fears a Brentwood-area driver can have. Not only will you be suspended of your driving privileges for a minimum of sixty days, you will have to pay a substantial fine, your insurance premiums will drastically increase, and have points on your license for the near future. Even worse, your status among friends and neighbors will take a significant blow, and your ability to potentially travel out of the United States could be cut off, as nations including Canada bar travelers with DWI convictions on their record from entering.
Have You Been Pulled Over For DWI in Brentwood?
Having an aggressive and effective Brentwood, MO DWI lawyer in your corner can —and often does — make the difference between pleading guilty to DWI and suffering all its consequences, and having charges reduced or even dismissed. At Combs Law Group, our seasoned St. Louis DWI lawyers fight relentlessly for all our Brentwood, MO-area DWI clients. Whether this is the first time you have ever been pulled over for anything or if you have faced DWI charges before, our firm will give your Brentwood DWI case the personal attention you deserve and plan a legal strategy that is designed to get you the best outcome.
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 pulled over by a police officer who believes that you are driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, it’s understandable to be nervous. Being stopped by the cops for any traffic infraction is something that can lead to a “fight or flight” response, and this is only heightened when you are accused of impaired driving. Having tried a substantial number of Brentwood-area DWI cases, our firm suggests that you take the following course of action if you are ever stopped for DWI:
- Find a safe place to pull over. If you are on a road with a shoulder, stop there, or find a nearby parking lot. Try to avoid parking on grass.
- Record the entire stop with your phone. Having your own record of your Brentwood DWI stop can greatly improve your case and highlight potential discrepancies between the police report and what really occured. Police officers are required to follow a specific procedure in every DWI stop, and any missed or incorrect step can result in your case being dismissed. Make sure that your phone is locked and secured with a password, too: courts have ruled that police can search and detain unlocked cell phones.
- Stay calm and cooperative. Being hostile to a law enforcement officer will increase the likelihood that they will search your car or subject you to heightened scrutiny. Being polite does you a lot of good when stopped for DWI.
- Remember: you have the right to remain silent. Give the officer your license and insurance/registration, but nothing more. Cops are looking for any reason to find probable cause and take you into custody, so do not give them any.
- Do not take a hand-heldportable breath test. While Missouri does have an implied consent law that automatically revokes your driving privileges for one year if you refuse a breathalyzer or blood test, this only is in effect after you have been placed under arrest for DWI. Portable breathalyzers are often unreliable 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 you can. Your chat with an attorney is completely privileged and confidential under Missouri law. Getting advice from a veteran St. Louis DWI lawyer about whether you should take a BAC test at the precinct, any issues that arose in your stop, or additional questions you might have can make the difference between losing the ability to drive for months and your case potentially being dismissed.
Fighting Both Sides Of Your Brentwood, MO DWI Case
DWI cases in Missouri have two components: a criminal process and a civil side. The criminal sentences for DWI in Missouri, as you are well aware, are stiff. Even a first Brentwood DWI offense could lead to the following consequences under Missouri law, as it is classified 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 restored 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, referred to as an SR-22
What Happens If This Isn’t My First DWI?
If this is your second DWI arrest in Brentwood, MO, you will likely be facing class A misdemeanor charges, which include these punishments:
- No more than one year in jail (any jail sentence for a second DWI must include at least 10 days of “shock time” in custody 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 ranges from one to five years
- You must install and maintain, at your own expense, an ignition interlock device (which keeps someone from starting a vehicle if their BAC is over a certain limit)
- Regular, verifiable alcohol consumption monitoring (either by regular breath tests or a wearable device)
- Required 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 Brentwood, MO DWI case relates to your driving privileges, and how the Missouri Department of Revenue deals with your license revocation or suspension. Most Brentwood-area drivers do not know that you can appeal the automatic suspension or revocation of your license, as long as that appeal is filed within 15 days of your original arrest. When you hire the Brentwood, MO DWI lawyers at Combs Law Group, you can be confident that our firm will handle both parts of your DWI case urgently and work tirelessly to minimize the consequences a DWI arrest has on your life. We will collect evidence, go over the details of your case, identify potential discrepancies in the police report or arrest, and craft a strategy that is built to win.
Some of our recent DWI/DUI Victories
Our track record for getting optimal results for our Brentwood, MO DWI clients is unequaled, as evidenced 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 Brentwood DWI Lawyer Who Wins | Combs Law Group
If you have recently been arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated in Brentwood, MO, you are definitely cognizant that time is money when dealing with your case. The quicker you can get a skilled Brentwood DWI lawyer to read documents, obtain evidence, and craft your case, the higher the chances are that the consequences resulting from your Brentwood DWI arrest will be greatly lowered, if not eliminated.
Combs Law Group has helped many Brentwood-area residents from all walks of life fight DWI charges. Our firm combines top-notch legal knowledge and aggressive litigation with a promise to provide personal attention and communication that is unmatched among Brentwood DWI law firms. Our DWI lawyers promise that no matter the time, regardless of the situation, and no matter where you are, they will be able to answer your call and talk with you about your case or any other legal concern. This is part of our promise of complete client satisfaction, which our former clients can attest to as well.
If you get pulled over and arrested for DWI in the Brentwood, MO area, call (314) 900-HELP first to schedule a free initial case review and put the skilled Brentwood DWI lawyers at Combs Law Group on your case.