When Do You Need a Missouri DWI Attorney?

Because a Missouri DWI Attorney specializes in DWI cases, he or she will know the proper steps to take and the proper pleas to make at a hearing.  For this reason, you should contact an Attorney right away.  You have 15 days from the time of the arrest to request an Administrative Hearing, and a seasoned Attorney may be able to negotiate a lesser charge, enrollment in a Missouri Defensive Driving or Traffic School or community service in lieu of the typical penalties.  Also, a Missouri DWI Attorney may compile evidence that proves your innocence altogether.  Because of the seriousness of a Missouri DWI conviction, it is advisable to seek legal advice immediately. 

Services of DWI Attorneys – What is the Legal Process of a Missouri DWI Charge?

If you are arrested for a Missouri DWI, Criminal and Administrative penalties will follow.  You have a very short time during which you can request a hearing, and a Missouri DWI Attorney should be consulted immediately. A Missouri DWI Attorney will evaluate your specific case and determine if you should plead guilty or not guilty to the DWI charge.  If you are advised to plead guilty, an Attorney will work on your behalf to have the penalties possibly reduced.  If you are advised to plead not guilty, your Attorney will gather evidence and work on your behalf to have the conviction overturned.  There are many ways to challenge a Missouri DWI, and a Missouri DWI Attorney will explore the evidence to ensure that your arrest was warranted.  A Missouri DWI will assess if any of the factors pertain to your case and if they can be used in your defense:
 

• Illegal Stop

• Unreliable Field Sobriety Test

• Inaccurate Breath Test

• Videos or Dispatch Tapes

• Inaccurate Blood Test

• Unlicensed Breath Test Operator

• Witnesses

• Failure to Mirandize

• The Arresting Officers Prior Record

• Observation Period Conducted

• Medical and Health Problems

• Weather

• Interfering Substances

• Failure to Record Results of Tests

• Failure to Provide a Speedy Trial

 
Your driving freedom is at stake if you’ve been arrested for a Missouri DWI, so contact a Missouri DWI Attorney to ensure that your case is handled properly.

Costs of a Missouri DWI Attorney

The cost of a Missouri DWI Attorney will vary, depending on which Attorney you choose.  While cost is a factor in your decision, you should consider that less expensive DWI Attorneys may not provide the same level of service as a more expensive DWI Attorney.  Also, you may find some DWI Attorneys who are willing to provide a free consultation. 

You can expect to pay anywhere from $2,000 and up for a good Missouri DWI Attorney.  You can also have a DWI Attorney court-appointed if you cannot afford one on your own.

Risks of Not Having a Missouri DWI Attorney

The legal process is a difficult one to navigate, so you are advised to allow an Attorney to work on your behalf.  There are several challenges an experienced DWI Attorney will offer against the Prosecutor, and these are challenges you may not be familiar with.  Also, if alternative consequences and penalties can be applied, you will likely not negotiate these effectively.  

Without a Missouri DWI Attorney, you run the risk of being penalized to the fullest extent of the law as per the guiding DWI statute and suffer staggering financial repercussions in your automobile insurance and in the payment of fines and maintenance fees.

Benefits of Having a Missouri DWI Attorney

A Missouri DWI Attorney can work on your behalf to have your Missouri DWI amended on one of the following ways:

• Plea Bargain – Your Attorney and the Prosecutor can work out a plea bargain to reduce your DWI to a lesser charge.  This may include enrollment in a program other than the mandatory SATOP, such as Defensive Driving School, in lieu of assessing points on your driving record or having your license suspended

• Trial – Your Attorney can bring this to trial and prove your innocence

• SIS – This stands for Suspended Imposition of Sentence.  This is a 20-year probationary period and, if you complete it successfully, your DWI will not show on your permanent record

If you are subjected to the harshest penalties of Missouri DWI law, you run the risk of receiving jail time, license suspension or revocation, fines, points, increased insurance premiums, loss of your job and more.  A Missouri DWI Attorney can work to get your life and driving privileges back in order.