DWI Lawyer in Dardenne Prairie, MO
DWI Lawyer in Dardenne Prairie, MO. Being pulled over and charged with driving while intoxicated is almost certainly one of the biggest fears a Dardenne Prairie-area motorist can have. Not only will you be prohibited from driving for a minimum of sixty days, you will have to pay a hefty fine, face increased insurance costs, and have points on your license for the near future. To make matters worse, your status among friends and neighbors will take a massive hit, and your ability to potentially travel out of the United States could be curtailed, as nations such as Canada bar travelers with DWI convictions on their record from entering.
Have You Been Pulled Over For DWI in Dardenne Prairie?
Having an aggressive and effective Dardenne Prairie, MO DWI lawyer on your case 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 veteran St. Louis DWI lawyers fight relentlessly for all our Dardenne Prairie, MO-area DWI clients. Whether this is the first time you have ever been pulled over for any violation or if this is not the first time you are facing DWI charges, our firm will give your Dardenne Prairie DWI case the personal attention you deserve and plan a legal strategy that is designed 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 no matter 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 the cops for any moving violation is something that can trigger a “fight or flight” response, and this is only heightened when you are suspected of impaired driving. Having tried hundreds of Dardenne Prairie-area DWI cases, our firm requests that you take the following course of action if you are ever pulled over for DUI:
- 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 not to park on grass.
- Record the entire encounter with your phone. Having your own record of your Dardenne Prairie DWI stop can greatly improve your case and highlight potential inconsistencies between the police record and what actually happened. Police officers are mandated to follow a set protocol 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, too: judges have ruled that police can search and detain 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. Kindness is the best thing to do when stopped for DWI.
- Remember: you have the right to remain silent. Give the officer your license and insurance/registration, but don’t give them any other information. Officers are looking for any excuse to continue an investigation 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 suspends 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 way for an officer to get probable cause to arrest you.
- If you are arrested, talk to a lawyer immediately. 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 BAC test at the station, any complications that arose during your stop, or further questions you might have can make the difference between losing the ability to drive for months and your case possibly being dismissed.
Fighting Both Sides Of Your Dardenne Prairie, 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 are well aware, are stiff. Even a first Dardenne Prairie 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 known as 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 Dardenne Prairie, MO, you will likely be facing class A misdemeanor charges, which carry 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 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)
- Regular, verifiable 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 half of a Dardenne Prairie, MO DWI case regards your driving privileges, and how the Missouri Department of Revenue deals with your license revocation or suspension. Most Dardenne Prairie-area drivers do not know that you can appeal the mandatory suspension or revocation of your license, but only if that appeal is filed within 15 days of your original arrest. When you work with the Dardenne Prairie, MO DWI lawyers at Combs Law Group, you can be sure that our firm will handle both halves of your DWI case as soon as possible and fight relentlessly to limit 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 Dardenne Prairie, MO DWI clients is unequaled, as seen 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 Dardenne Prairie DWI Lawyer Who Gets Results | Combs Law Group
If you have recently been arrested and accused of driving while intoxicated in Dardenne Prairie, MO, you are probably cognizant that timing is critical when it comes to your case. The sooner you can get a skilled Dardenne Prairie DWI lawyer to read documents, collect evidence, and craft your defense, the higher the chances are that the effects resulting from your Dardenne Prairie DWI arrest will be greatly limited, if not eliminated.
Combs Law Group has helped many Dardenne Prairie-area residents from all backgrounds fight DWI accusations. Our firm combines best-in-class legal expertise and combative litigation with a pledge to provide personal service and communication that is unequaled among Dardenne Prairie DWI law firms. Our DWI lawyers guarantee that no matter the time, no matter 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 topic. This is part of our promise of 100% client satisfaction, which our former clients can speak to as well.
If you get pulled over and charged with DWI in the Dardenne Prairie, MO area, make (314) 900-HELP your first call to schedule a free initial consultation and put the veteran Dardenne Prairie DWI lawyers at Combs Law Group in your corner.