DWI Lawyer in Gasconade County, MO
DWI Lawyer in Gasconade County, MO. Getting pulled over and suspected of driving while intoxicated is almost certainly one of the worst worries a Gasconade County-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 years to come. To make matters worse, your status among friends and neighbors will take a sizable blow, and your ability to potentially travel out of the United States could be curtailed, as countries such as Canada bar travelers with DWI convictions on their record from entering.
Have You Been Pulled Over For DWI in Gasconade County?
Having an effective and aggressive Gasconade County, MO DWI lawyer in your corner can —and often does — make the difference between being found guilty to DWI and facing all its consequences, and having charges reduced or even dismissed. At Combs Law Group, our experienced St. Louis DWI lawyers fight relentlessly for all our Gasconade County, MO-area DWI clients. Whether this is the first time you have ever been stopped for any violation or if you have previous DWIs on your record, our firm will give your Gasconade County DWI case the personal attention you expect and create a legal strategy that is made to get you the best possible results.
Our track record of success for those accused of DWI 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 law enforcement for any moving violation is something that can lead to a “fight or flight” response, and this is only heightened when you are suspected of impaired driving. Having taken a substantial number of Gasconade County-area DWI cases, our firm requests that you take the following course of action if you are ever stopped for DUI:
- 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 interaction with your phone. Having your own record of your Gasconade County DWI stop can greatly benefit your case and highlight potential discrepancies between the police report and what really happened. Police officers are mandated 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 password, too: judges have ruled that police can detain and search unsecured cell phones.
- Stay calm and cooperative. Being aggressive with a law enforcement officer will increase the likelihood that they will search your car or subject you to increased scrutiny. Kindness does you a lot of good when stopped for DWI.
- Remember: you have the right to remain silent. Give the officer your insurance card and license, but don’t give them any other information. Cops are looking for any excuse to find probable cause 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 suspends your driver’s license 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 not consistent and are only used as a way for an officer to get probable cause to take you into custody.
- If you are arrested, call a lawyer immediately. Your conversation with an attorney is completely confidential and privileged under Missouri law. Getting advice from a veteran St. Louis DWI lawyer about whether you should take a BAC test at the station, any complications 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 Gasconade County, MO DWI Case
DWI cases in Missouri have two halves: a criminal process and a civil side. The criminal sentences for DWI in Missouri, as you likely know, are stiff. Even a first Gasconade County DWI offense could lead to these 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 reduced 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 Gasconade County, 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 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 ranges 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 component in a Gasconade County, MO DWI case regards your driving privileges, and how the Missouri Department of Revenue handles your license revocation or suspension. Most Gasconade County-area drivers do not know that you can appeal the automatic suspension or revocation of your license, so long as that appeal is filed within 15 days of your original arrest. When you hire the Gasconade County, MO DWI lawyers at Combs Law Group, you can be confident that our firm will tackle both sides of your DWI case as soon as possible and work hard to minimize the consequences a DWI arrest has on your life. We will gather evidence, go over the details of your case, identify potential discrepancies in the police report or arrest, and draw up a strategy that is built to win.
Some of our recent DWI/DUI Victories
Our track record for getting the best results for our Gasconade County, 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 Gasconade County DWI Lawyer Who Wins | Combs Law Group
If you have recently been arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated in Gasconade County, MO, you are certainly cognizant that time is of the essence when dealing with your case. The sooner you can get an experienced Gasconade County DWI lawyer to read documents, obtain evidence, and establish your defense, the higher the chances are that the effects resulting from your Gasconade County DWI arrest will be greatly lowered, if not eliminated.
Combs Law Group has helped hundreds of Gasconade County-area residents of all kinds battle DWI charges. Our firm combines top-notch legal acumen and hard-nosed litigation with a promise to provide personal service and communication that is unmatched among Gasconade County DWI law firms. Our DWI lawyers guarantee 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 with you about your case or any other legal concern. This is part of our promise of total client satisfaction, which our former clients can speak to as well.
After you have been pulled over and arrested for DWI in the Gasconade County, MO area, make (314) 900-HELP your first call to schedule a free initial case review and get the veteran Gasconade County DWI lawyers at Combs Law Group in your corner.