DWI Lawyer in Sunset Hills, MO
DWI Lawyer in Sunset Hills, MO. Being pulled over and suspected of driving while intoxicated is definitely one of the worst worries a Sunset Hills-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 substantial fine, your insurance rates will go up, and have points on your license for years to come. To make matters 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 curtailed, as nations including Canada prohibit travelers with DWI convictions on their record from entering.
Have You Been Pulled Over For DWI in Sunset Hills?
Having an aggressive and effective Sunset Hills, MO DWI lawyer on your case 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 fiercely for all our Sunset Hills, MO-area DWI clients. Whether this is the first time you have ever been pulled over for anything or if you have faced DWI charges before, our firm will give your Sunset Hills DWI case the personal attention you deserve and plan a legal strategy that is made to get you the best outcome.
Our track record of success for those accused of DWI 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 regardless of 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 moving violation is something that can trigger a “fight or flight” reaction, and this is only heightened when you are suspected of impaired driving. Having tried hundreds of Sunset Hills-area DWI cases, our firm recommends 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 to avoid parking on grass.
- Record the entire stop with your phone. Having your own record of your Sunset Hills DWI stop can greatly improve your case and find potential inconsistencies between the police account and what really occured. Police officers are mandated to follow a specific protocol 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 passcode, too: judges have ruled that police can search and detain unsecured cell phones.
- Stay calm and cooperative. Being hostile to a cop will only make them more likely to search your car or subject you to heightened scrutiny. Being polite is the best thing to do 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. Cops are on the lookout for for any reason to find probable cause 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 suspends your driver’s license for one year if you do not take a breathalyzer or blood test, this only applies after you have been arrested for DWI. Hand-held breathalyzers are not always reliable and are only used as a method for an officer to get probable cause to arrest you.
- If you are arrested, call a lawyer immediately. Your conversation with an attorney is entirely privileged and confidential under Missouri law. Getting advice from an experienced St. Louis DWI lawyer about whether you should take a BAC test at the precinct, any complications that came up during your stop, or additional questions you might have can make the difference between paying substantial fines and your case possibly being dismissed.
Fighting Both Sides Of Your Sunset Hills, MO DWI Case
DWI cases in Missouri have two components: a criminal side and a civil side. The criminal punishments for DWI in Missouri, as you are well aware, are serious. Even a first Sunset Hills 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, also known as an SR-22
What Happens If This Isn’t My First DWI?
If this is your second DWI arrest in Sunset Hills, 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 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 between 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, verifiable 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 half of a Sunset Hills, MO DWI case relates to your driving privileges, and how the Missouri Department of Revenue deals with your license revocation or suspension. Most Sunset Hills-area drivers do not know that you can appeal the mandatory suspension or revocation of your license, so long as that appeal is filed within 15 days of your initial arrest. When you hire the Sunset Hills, 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 fight tirelessly to minimize the effect a DWI arrest has on your life. We will collect evidence, look at 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 the best results for our Sunset Hills, 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 Sunset Hills DWI Lawyer Who Wins | Combs Law Group
If you have recently been arrested and accused of driving while intoxicated in Sunset Hills, MO, you are definitely well aware that time is money when dealing with your case. The sooner you can get an experienced Sunset Hills DWI lawyer to review documents, collect evidence, and establish your defense, the higher the chances are that the punishments resulting from your Sunset Hills DWI arrest will be greatly reduced, if not eliminated.
Combs Law Group has helped hundreds of Sunset Hills-area residents from all walks of life take on DWI charges. Our firm combines top-notch legal knowledge and aggressive litigation with a pledge to provide personal service and communication that is unequaled among Sunset Hills DWI law firms. Our DWI lawyers guarantee that no matter the time, regardless of the situation, and regardless of 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 promise of total client satisfaction, which our previous clients can attest to as well.
After you have been pulled over and arrested for DWI in the Sunset Hills, MO area, make (314) 900-HELP your first call to schedule a free initial case review and put the veteran Sunset Hills DWI lawyers at Combs Law Group in your corner.