DWI Lawyer in New Melle, MO
DWI Lawyer in New Melle, MO. Getting pulled over and charged with driving while intoxicated is definitely one of the worst fears a New Melle-area motorist can have. Not only will you be suspended of your driving privileges for a minimum of sixty days, you will have to pay a significant fine, your insurance premiums will drastically increase, and have points on your license for years to come. To make matters worse, your status in the community will take a massive impact, and your ability to potentially travel out of the United States could be limited, as nations such as Canada prevent travelers with DWI convictions on their record from entering.
Have You Been Pulled Over For DWI in New Melle?
Having an effective and aggressive New Melle, 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 veteran St. Louis DWI lawyers fight relentlessly for all our New Melle, MO-area DWI clients. Whether this is the first time you have ever been stopped for any violation or if you have faced DWI charges before, our firm will give your New Melle DWI case the personal attention you deserve and craft a legal strategy that is made to get you the best possible 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 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 suspects that you are driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, it’s understandable to be nervous. Being pulled over by law enforcement for any moving violation is something that can trigger a “fight or flight” response, and this is only heightened when you are accused of impaired driving. Having tried hundreds of New Melle-area DWI cases, our firm suggests 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, pull over there, or find a nearby parking lot. Try not to park on grass.
- Record the entire stop with your phone. Having your own account of your New Melle DWI stop can greatly benefit your case and find potential differences between the police report and what actually occured. Police officers are mandated to follow a specific procedure 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: courts have ruled that police can seize and search unlocked 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 goes a long way when stopped for DWI.
- Keep in mind: you have the right to remain silent. Give the officer your license and insurance/registration, but do not give them anything else. Officers are on the lookout for 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 12 months if you do not take a breathalyzer or blood test, this only applies after you have been taken into custody for DWI. Hand-held breathalyzers are not consistent and are only used as a method for an officer to get probable cause to place you under arrest.
- If you are arrested, call a lawyer as soon as possible. Your chat with an attorney is 100% 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 complications that came up in your stop, or additional 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 New Melle, MO DWI Case
DWI cases in Missouri have two halves: a criminal process and a civil side. The criminal punishments for DWI in Missouri, as you are well aware, are stiff. Even a first New Melle 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 restored 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 New Melle, 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 a minimum of 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, as well as pay for, an ignition interlock device (which keeps someone from starting a vehicle if their BAC is over a certain limit)
- Continuous, trackable 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 portion of a New Melle, MO DWI case relates to your driving privileges, and how the Missouri Department of Revenue deals with your license revocation or suspension. Most New Melle-area drivers are unaware that you can appeal the automatic suspension or revocation of your license, but only if that appeal is filed within 15 days of your initial arrest. When you work with the New Melle, MO DWI lawyers at Combs Law Group, you can rest assured that our firm will take on both halves of your DWI case urgently and fight relentlessly to minimize the consequences a DWI arrest has on your life. We will obtain evidence, go over the facts of your case, identify potential problems 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 outcomes for our New Melle, 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 New Melle DWI Lawyer Who Gets Results | Combs Law Group
If you have recently been arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated in New Melle, MO, you are probably cognizant that timing is critical when dealing with your case. The sooner you can get a skilled New Melle DWI lawyer to read documents, gather evidence, and build your case, the better the odds are that the punishments resulting from your New Melle DWI arrest will be greatly lowered, if not eliminated.
Combs Law Group has helped many New Melle-area residents from all backgrounds battle DWI charges. Our firm melds best-in-class legal expertise and aggressive litigation with a pledge to provide personal service and communication that is unmatched among New Melle DWI law firms. Our DWI lawyers promise 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 with you about your case or any other legal topic. This is part of our commitment to total client satisfaction, which our previous clients can speak to as well.
If you get pulled over and charged with DWI in the New Melle, MO area, call (314) 900-HELP first to schedule a free initial document review and get the skilled New Melle DWI lawyers at Combs Law Group in your corner.