DWI Lawyer in Cottleville, MO
DWI Lawyer in Cottleville, MO. Getting pulled over and charged with driving while intoxicated is arguably one of the biggest fears a Cottleville-area motorist can have. Not only will you be prohibited from driving for at least sixty days, you will have to pay a significant fine, face increased insurance costs, and have points on your license for the near future. Even worse, your image in the community will take a sizable hit, and your ability to potentially travel out of the United States could be cut off, as nations including Canada prohibit travelers with DWI convictions on their record from entering.
Have You Been Pulled Over For DWI in Cottleville?
Having an effective and aggressive Cottleville, MO DWI lawyer on your case can be — and often is — the difference between being found guilty to DWI and suffering all its consequences, and having charges reduced or even dismissed. At Combs Law Group, our veteran St. Louis DWI lawyers fight tirelessly for all our Cottleville, MO-area DWI clients. Whether this is the first time you have ever been pulled over for any moving violation or if this is not the first time you are facing DWI charges, our firm will give your Cottleville DWI case the personal attention you expect and craft a legal strategy that is designed to get you the optimal 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 regardless of 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 natural to be nervous. Being stopped by police for any traffic infraction is something that can lead to a “fight or flight” reaction, and this is only increased when you are suspected of impaired driving. Having taken many Cottleville-area DWI cases, our firm recommends that you follow these steps if you are ever pulled over for DWI:
- Find a secure place to pull over. If you are on a road with a shoulder, pull over there, or find a nearby parking lot. Try to avoid parking on grass.
- Record the entire interaction with your phone. Having your own record of your Cottleville DWI stop can greatly help your case and identify potential differences between the police record and what actually occured. Police officers are required to follow a specific protocol in every DWI stop, and any wrong or skipped step can result in your case being dismissed. Make sure that your phone is locked and secured with a password, as well: judges have ruled that police can detain and search unsecured cell phones.
- Stay calm and cooperative. Being aggressive with a cop 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.
- Keep in mind: you have the right to remain silent. Give the officer your insurance card and license, but do not give them anything else. Cops are on the lookout for for any excuse to continue an investigation and arrest you, so do not give them one.
- 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 applies after you have been arrested for DWI. Portable breathalyzers are not always reliable and are only used as a way for an officer to get probable cause to take you into custody.
- If you are arrested, talk to a lawyer immediately. Your discussion 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 station, any issues that came up during your stop, or further questions you might have can make the difference between paying substantial fines and your case possibly being dismissed.
Fighting Both Sides Of Your Cottleville, MO DWI Case
DWI cases in Missouri have two halves: a criminal side and a civil side. The criminal punishments for DWI in Missouri, as you likely know, are stiff. Even a first Cottleville DWI offense could lead to the following punishments 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 converted 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 Cottleville, 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 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)
- Regular, trackable alcohol consumption 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 portion of a Cottleville, MO DWI case relates to your driving privileges, and how the Missouri Department of Revenue deals with your license revocation or suspension. Most Cottleville-area drivers do not know that you can appeal the mandatory suspension or revocation of your license, so long as that appeal is filed within 15 days of your initial arrest. When you work with the Cottleville, MO DWI lawyers at Combs Law Group, you can be confident that our firm will take on both components of your DWI case as soon as possible and fight hard to minimize the effect a DWI arrest has on your life. We will obtain evidence, look at the facts of your case, identify potential discrepancies in the police report or arrest, and create a strategy that is made to win.
Some of our recent DWI/DUI Victories
Our track record for getting optimal results for our Cottleville, 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 Cottleville DWI Lawyer Who Gets Results | Combs Law Group
If you have recently been arrested and accused of driving while intoxicated in Cottleville, MO, you are definitely cognizant that time is money when it comes to your case. The quicker you can get a trusted Cottleville DWI lawyer to look over documents, collect evidence, and establish your defense, the better the odds are that the punishments resulting from your Cottleville DWI arrest will be greatly limited, if not erased.
Combs Law Group has helped hundreds of Cottleville-area residents from all backgrounds fight DWI charges. Our firm merges best-in-class legal knowledge and combative litigation with a pledge to provide personal service and communication that is unequaled among Cottleville DWI law firms. Our DWI lawyers vow that regardless of what time it is, no matter the situation, and no matter the circumstances, they will be able to answer your call and talk about your case or any other legal topic. This is part of our commitment to 100% client satisfaction, which our previous clients can attest to as well.
After you have been pulled over and charged with DWI in the Cottleville, MO area, make (314) 900-HELP your first call to schedule a free initial consultation and put the skilled Cottleville DWI lawyers at Combs Law Group on your case.