DWI Lawyer in St. Louis County, MO
DWI Lawyer in St. Louis County, MO. Getting pulled over and suspected of driving while intoxicated is definitely one of the worst fears a St. Louis County-area driver can have. Not only will you be prohibited from driving 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 reputation among friends and neighbors will take a sizable blow, and your ability to potentially travel out of the United States could be cut off, as nations including Canada prohibit travelers with DWI convictions on their record from entering.
Have You Been Pulled Over For DWI in St. Louis County?
Having an effective and aggressive St. Louis County, MO DWI lawyer in your corner can —and often does — make the difference between being found guilty to DWI and suffering all its consequences, and having charges reduced or even dismissed. At Combs Law Group, our veteran St. Louis DWI lawyers fight tirelessly on behalf of all our St. Louis County, MO-area DWI clients. Whether this is the first time you have ever been stopped for anything or if this is not the first time you are facing DWI charges, our firm will give your St. Louis County DWI case the personal attention you expect and plan a legal strategy that is built to get you the best possible results.
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 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 natural to be nervous. Being pulled over by law enforcement for any traffic infraction is something that can lead to a “fight or flight” response, and this is only heightened when you are suspected of impaired driving. Having taken a substantial number of St. Louis County-area DWI cases, our firm suggests 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, pull over there, or find a nearby parking lot. Try not to park on grass.
- Record the entire encounter with your phone. Having your own record of your St. Louis County DWI stop can greatly benefit your case and find potential differences between the police report and what actually happened. Police officers are mandated to follow a set 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 passcode, as well: judges have ruled that police can detain and search unsecured 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 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 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 refuse a breathalyzer or blood test, this only applies after you have been taken into custody for DWI. Portable breathalyzers are often unreliable and are only used as a method for an officer to get probable cause to take you into custody.
- If you are arrested, talk to a lawyer as soon as you can. 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 breath test at the precinct, any complications that came up in your stop, or additional questions you might have can be the difference between paying substantial fines and your case possibly being dismissed.
Fighting Both Sides Of Your St. Louis County, 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 St. Louis County 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 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 St. Louis County, MO, you will likely be facing 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 ranges 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, verifiable BAC 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 St. Louis County, MO DWI case relates to your driving privileges, and how the Missouri Department of Revenue deals with your license revocation or suspension. Most St. Louis County-area drivers are not aware that you can appeal the automatic suspension or revocation of your license, as long as that appeal is filed within 15 days of your original arrest. When you work with the St. Louis County, MO DWI lawyers at Combs Law Group, you can rest assured that our firm will take on both sides of your DWI case urgently and fight fiercely to limit the effect a DWI arrest has on your life. We will obtain evidence, look at the details of your case, identify potential holes in the police report or arrest, and create a strategy that is designed to win.
Some of our recent DWI/DUI Victories
Our track record for getting optimal outcomes for our St. Louis County, 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 St. Louis County DWI Lawyer Who Gets Results | Combs Law Group
If you have just been arrested and accused of driving while intoxicated in St. Louis County, MO, you are definitely well aware that timing is critical when it comes to your case. The quicker you can get a skilled St. Louis County DWI lawyer to look over documents, collect evidence, and craft your defense, the higher the chances are that the consequences resulting from your St. Louis County DWI arrest will be greatly lowered, if not erased.
Combs Law Group has helped a large number of St. Louis County-area residents from all backgrounds fight DWI accusations. Our firm merges top-notch legal acumen and aggressive litigation with a pledge to provide personal attention and communication that is unequaled among St. Louis County DWI law firms. Our DWI lawyers promise that no matter the time, regardless of the situation, and no matter the circumstances, they will be able to answer your call and talk about your case or any other legal topic. This is part of our promise of total client satisfaction, which our former clients can speak to as well.
After you have been pulled over and charged with DWI in the St. Louis County, MO area, make (314) 900-HELP your first call to schedule a free initial case review and put the skilled St. Louis County DWI lawyers at Combs Law Group to work for you.