DWI Lawyer in Hazelwood, MO

DWI Lawyer in Hazelwood, MO. Being pulled over and charged with driving while intoxicated is almost certainly one of the biggest fears a Hazelwood-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, your insurance rates will go up, and have points on your license for the near future. To make matters worse, your image among friends and neighbors will take a sizable impact, and your ability to potentially travel out of the United States could be limited, as nations including Canada bar travelers with DWI convictions on their record from entering.

Have You Been Pulled Over For DWI in Hazelwood?

Having an aggressive and effective Hazelwood, 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 seasoned St. Louis DWI lawyers fight relentlessly on behalf of all our Hazelwood, 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 Hazelwood DWI case the personal attention you deserve and plan a legal strategy that is designed to get you the optimal outcome.

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 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 understandable to be nervous. Being stopped by the cops for any traffic infraction is something that can trigger a “fight or flight” reaction, and this is only increased when you are accused of impaired driving. Having taken many Hazelwood-area DWI cases, our firm requests that you do the following if you are ever pulled over for DUI:

• Find a safe place to pull over. If you are on a road with a shoulder, stop there, or stop at a nearby parking lot. Try not to park on grass.
• Record the entire interaction with your phone. Having your own account of your Hazelwood DWI stop can greatly improve your case and highlight potential inconsistencies between the police report and what really happened. Police officers are required to follow a set 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, too: judges have ruled that police can search and detain unlocked cell phones.
• Stay calm and cooperative. Being aggressive with a law enforcement officer will lower the odds that they will search your car or subject you to heightened 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 do not give them anything else. Officers are looking 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 driver’s license for 12 months if you elect not to take a breathalyzer or blood test, this only is in effect after you have been arrested for DWI. Hand-held breathalyzers are not consistent and are only used as a method for an officer to get probable cause to arrest you.
• If you are arrested, talk to a lawyer immediately. Your conversation with an attorney is entirely confidential and privileged under Missouri law. Getting advice from a veteran St. Louis DWI lawyer about whether you should take a breathalyzer test at the precinct, any complications that came up during your stop, or further questions you might have can be the difference between losing the ability to drive for months and your case potentially being dismissed.

Fighting Both Sides Of Your Hazelwood, MO DWI Case

DWI cases in Missouri have two components: a criminal process and a civil side. The criminal punishments for DWI in Missouri, as you likely know, are serious. Even a first Hazelwood DWI offense could lead to the following 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 known as 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 Hazelwood, 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 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 keeps someone from starting a vehicle if their BAC is over a certain limit)
• Continuous, verifiable alcohol 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 component in a Hazelwood, MO DWI case regards your driving privileges, and how the Missouri Department of Revenue handles your license revocation or suspension. Most Hazelwood-area drivers are not aware 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 Hazelwood, MO DWI lawyers at Combs Law Group, you can be sure that our firm will handle both halves of your DWI case without delay and work fiercely to reduce the effect a DWI arrest has on your life. We will gather evidence, go over the details of your case, identify potential problems 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 outcomes for our Hazelwood, MO DWI clients is unequaled, as evidenced by these results:

Contact A Hazelwood DWI Lawyer Who Wins | Combs Law Group

If you have just been arrested and accused of driving while intoxicated in Hazelwood, MO, you are probably cognizant that timing is critical when it comes to your case. The quicker you can get an experienced Hazelwood DWI lawyer to review documents, gather evidence, and establish your defense, the higher the chances are that the effects resulting from your Hazelwood DWI arrest will be greatly lowered, if not erased.

Combs Law Group has helped a large number of Hazelwood-area residents from all backgrounds battle DWI charges. Our firm melds first-rate legal acumen and combative litigation with a commitment to personal attention and communication that is unmatched among Hazelwood DWI law firms. Our DWI lawyers promise that no matter the time, regardless of the situation, and regardless of where you are, they will be able to answer your call and talk with you 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.

If you get pulled over and arrested for DWI in the Hazelwood, MO area, make (314) 900-HELP your first call to schedule a free initial case review and get the skilled Hazelwood DWI lawyers at Combs Law Group in your corner.