DWI Lawyer in Richwoods, MO
DWI Lawyer in Richwoods, MO. Getting pulled over and charged with driving while intoxicated is almost certainly one of the worst worries a Richwoods-area motorist can have. Not only will you be stripped of your driving privileges 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. Even worse, your status among friends and neighbors will take a sizable hit, and your ability to potentially travel out of the United States could be limited, as countries such as Canada bar travelers with DWI convictions on their record from entering.
Have You Been Pulled Over For DWI in Richwoods?
Having an aggressive and effective Richwoods, MO DWI lawyer on your team can be — and often is — the difference between pleading 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 on behalf of all our Richwoods, 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 Richwoods DWI case the personal attention you expect 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 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 stopped 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 police for any traffic infraction is something that can lead to a “fight or flight” response, and this is only increased when you are suspected of impaired driving. Having taken many Richwoods-area DWI cases, our firm requests that you do the following if you are ever stopped for DWI:
- 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 encounter with your phone. Having your own account of your Richwoods DWI stop can greatly help your case and highlight potential discrepancies between the police account and what actually occured. Police officers are mandated to follow a specific protocol in every DWI stop, and any incorrect or overlooked step 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 unlocked cell phones.
- Stay calm and cooperative. Being hostile to a law enforcement officer will lower the odds that they will search your car or subject you to a higher level of scrutiny. Kindness does you a lot of good when stopped for DWI.
- Keep in mind: 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 reason 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 one year if you do not take a breathalyzer or blood test, this only applies after you have been taken into custody for DWI. Portable breathalyzers are not consistent and are only used as a way for an officer to get probable cause to place you under arrest.
- If you are arrested, call a lawyer immediately. Your conversation with an attorney is entirely confidential and privileged 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 in your stop, or further questions you might have can make the difference between spending time in jail and your case potentially being dismissed.
Fighting Both Sides Of Your Richwoods, 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 are well aware, are serious. Even a first Richwoods 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 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 Richwoods, MO, you will likely be looking at class A misdemeanor charges, which include 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 can be anywhere from one to five years
- You must install and maintain, as well as pay for, an ignition interlock device (which prevents someone from starting a vehicle if their BAC is over a certain limit)
- Regular, trackable 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 Richwoods, MO DWI case regards your driving privileges, and how the Missouri Department of Revenue handles your license revocation or suspension. Most Richwoods-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 initial arrest. When you hire the Richwoods, MO DWI lawyers at Combs Law Group, you can be confident that our firm will take on both parts of your DWI case urgently and work relentlessly to minimize the effect a DWI arrest has on your life. We will collect evidence, look at the facts of your case, identify potential discrepancies 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 optimal results for our Richwoods, 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 Richwoods DWI Lawyer Who Gets Results | Combs Law Group
If you have just been arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated in Richwoods, MO, you are certainly cognizant that timing is critical when dealing with your case. The quicker you can get an experienced Richwoods DWI lawyer to review documents, gather evidence, and build your case, the better the odds are that the punishments resulting from your Richwoods DWI arrest will be greatly lowered, if not eliminated.
Combs Law Group has helped hundreds of Richwoods-area residents from all walks of life fight DWI charges. Our firm melds top-notch legal acumen and aggressive litigation with a pledge to provide personal attention and communication that is unequaled among Richwoods DWI law firms. Our DWI lawyers promise that no matter the time, no matter the situation, and regardless of 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 100% client satisfaction, which our former clients can speak to as well.
After you have been pulled over and arrested for DWI in the Richwoods, MO area, make (314) 900-HELP your first call to schedule a free initial document review and put the experienced Richwoods DWI lawyers at Combs Law Group on your case.