DWI Lawyer in St. John, MO

DWI Lawyer in St. John, MO. Getting pulled over and charged with driving while intoxicated is almost certainly one of the biggest worries a St. John-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, your insurance rates will go up, and have points on your license for years to come. Even worse, your reputation among friends and neighbors will take a massive blow, 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 St. John?

Having an effective and aggressive St. John, MO DWI lawyer on your case can —and often does — make the difference between being found guilty to DWI and suffering all its punishments, and having charges reduced or even dismissed. At Combs Law Group, our seasoned St. Louis DWI lawyers fight fiercely on behalf of all our St. John, MO-area DWI clients. Whether this is the first time you have ever been stopped for anything or if you have faced DWI charges before, our firm will give your St. John DWI case the personal attention you expect and craft a legal strategy that is built to get you the best outcome.

Our record of success for those accused of DWI 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 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 stopped by a police officer who believes that you are driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, it’s understandable to be nervous. Being pulled over by police for any moving violation is something that can lead to a “fight or flight” response, and this is only increased when you are suspected of impaired driving. Having tried a substantial number of St. John-area DWI cases, our firm recommends that you do the following if you are ever pulled over for DWI:

• Find a secure place to pull over. If you are on a road with a shoulder, pull over there, or find a nearby parking lot. Try to avoid parking on grass.
• Record the entire stop with your phone. Having your own account of your St. John DWI stop can greatly help your case and highlight potential differences 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, as well: courts have ruled that police can seize and search unsecured cell phones.
• Stay calm and cooperative. Being hostile to a police officer will lower the odds that they will search your car or subject you to increased scrutiny. Kindness is the best thing to do when stopped for DWI.
• Remember: you have the right to remain silent. Give the officer your insurance card and license, but nothing more. Cops are looking for any excuse to continue an investigation and arrest you, so do not give them any.
• Do not take a hand-heldportable breathalyzer test. While Missouri does have an implied consent law that automatically revokes your driver’s license for 12 months if you do not take a breathalyzer or blood test, this only comes into effect after you have been arrested for DWI. Hand-held 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, call a lawyer as soon as possible. Your discussion 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 breath test at the precinct, any complications that arose in your stop, or other questions you might have can be the difference between spending time in jail and your case potentially being dismissed.

Fighting Both Sides Of Your St. John, 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 are well aware, are stiff. Even a first St. John 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 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 St. John, 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 no less than 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)
• 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 St. John, MO DWI case relates to your driving privileges, and how the Missouri Department of Revenue deals with your license revocation or suspension. Most St. John-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 work with the St. John, MO DWI lawyers at Combs Law Group, you can be confident that our firm will take on both halves of your DWI case urgently and fight fiercely to limit the effect a DWI arrest has on your life. We will collect evidence, go over the details of your case, identify potential problems in the police report or arrest, and craft a strategy that is made to win.

Some of our recent DWI/DUI Victories

Our track record for getting optimal results for our St. John, MO DWI clients is unmatched, as shown by these results:

Contact A St. John DWI Lawyer Who Wins | Combs Law Group

If you have just been arrested and accused of driving while intoxicated in St. John, MO, you are certainly cognizant that time is money when dealing with your case. The quicker you can get a skilled St. John DWI lawyer to review documents, obtain evidence, and establish your defense, the better the odds are that the consequences resulting from your St. John DWI arrest will be greatly lowered, if not eliminated.

Combs Law Group has helped many St. John-area residents from all walks of life battle DWI charges. Our firm combines best-in-class legal expertise and aggressive litigation with a commitment to personal service and communication that is unmatched among St. John DWI law firms. Our DWI lawyers vow that no matter the time, no matter the situation, and no matter the circumstances, they will be able to answer your call and discuss 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.

After you have been pulled over and charged with DWI in the St. John, MO area, call (314) 900-HELP first to schedule a free initial document review and get the veteran St. John DWI lawyers at Combs Law Group in your corner.