DWI Lawyer in Oakville, MO
DWI Lawyer in Oakville, MO. Being pulled over and accused of driving while intoxicated is definitely one of the worst fears a Oakville-area motorist can have. Not only will you be prohibited from driving for at least sixty days, you will have to pay a substantial fine, your insurance rates will go up, and have points on your license for the near future. To make matters worse, your reputation in the community will take a significant hit, and your ability to potentially travel out of the United States could be curtailed, as nations such as Canada prohibit travelers with DWI convictions on their record from entering.
Have You Been Pulled Over For DWI in Oakville?
Having an aggressive and effective Oakville, MO DWI lawyer on your team 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 seasoned St. Louis DWI lawyers fight relentlessly for all our Oakville, MO-area DWI clients. Whether this is the first time you have ever been pulled over for anything or if you have previous DWIs on your record, our firm will give your Oakville DWI case the personal attention you deserve and plan a legal strategy that is built to get you the best outcome.
Our record of success for those facing DWI charges is unmatched, 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 with no regard to 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 the cops for any traffic infraction is something that can trigger a “fight or flight” reaction, and this is only increased when you are suspected of impaired driving. Having taken hundreds of Oakville-area DWI cases, our firm suggests that you follow these steps if you are ever stopped for DUI:
- Find a secure 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 record of your Oakville DWI stop can greatly benefit your case and highlight potential inconsistencies between the police report and what actually happened. Police officers are required to follow a specific procedure in every DWI stop, and any missed or incorrect 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 search and detain unlocked cell phones.
- Stay calm and cooperative. Being hostile to a cop will lower the odds that they will search your car or subject you to increased scrutiny. Being polite does you a lot of good when stopped for DWI.
- Remember: you have the right to remain silent. Give the officer your license and insurance/registration, but nothing more. Cops are on the lookout for for any reason to continue an investigation and arrest you, 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 driver’s license for one year if you elect not to take a breathalyzer or blood test, this only applies after you have been arrested for DWI. Portable breathalyzers are often unreliable and are only used as a way for an officer to get probable cause to place you under arrest.
- If you are arrested, talk to a lawyer as soon as you can. Your discussion with an attorney is entirely privileged and confidential under Missouri law. Getting advice from a veteran St. Louis DWI lawyer about whether you should take a breathalyzer test at the station, any issues that arose during your stop, or additional questions you might have can be the difference between paying substantial fines and your case potentially being dismissed.
Fighting Both Sides Of Your Oakville, 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 likely know, are serious. Even a first Oakville DWI offense could lead to these consequences 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 called 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 Oakville, MO, you will likely be looking at 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 ranges 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)
- Regular, 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 component in a Oakville, MO DWI case regards your driving privileges, and how the Missouri Department of Revenue handles your license revocation or suspension. Most Oakville-area drivers are unaware that you can appeal the mandatory suspension or revocation of your license, so long as that appeal is filed within 15 days of your original arrest. When you hire the Oakville, MO DWI lawyers at Combs Law Group, you can rest assured that our firm will handle both components of your DWI case without delay and work hard to minimize the effect 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 designed to win.
Some of our recent DWI/DUI Victories
Our track record for getting the best results for our Oakville, MO DWI clients is unmatched, 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 Oakville DWI Lawyer Who Wins | Combs Law Group
If you have recently been arrested and accused of driving while intoxicated in Oakville, MO, you are certainly cognizant that timing is critical when dealing with your case. The sooner you can get a trusted Oakville DWI lawyer to look over documents, collect evidence, and establish your case, the higher the chances are that the effects resulting from your Oakville DWI arrest will be greatly lowered, if not erased.
Combs Law Group has helped hundreds of Oakville-area residents from all walks of life take on DWI accusations. Our firm combines first-rate legal acumen and combative litigation with a promise to provide personal attention and communication that is unequaled among Oakville DWI law firms. Our DWI lawyers guarantee that regardless of what time it is, regardless of 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 matter. This is part of our promise of total client satisfaction, which our former clients can attest to as well.
After you have been pulled over and charged with DWI in the Oakville, MO area, call (314) 900-HELP first to schedule a free initial consultation and get the veteran Oakville DWI lawyers at Combs Law Group on your case.