DWI Defense
Best DWI Lawyer in Springfield MO
Drunk driving (driving while intoxicated – DWI) is more than just a traffic offense. It means that you are operating a potentially dangerous motor vehicle while your decision making abilities and reflexes are impaired. You have done more than just committed a traffic violation (broken a traffic law) and it has a much more serious consequence than just receiving a speeding ticket or other type of traffic ticket. Of course, nobody plans to get arrested for a DWI or DUI but, if you were to be convicted of driving under the influence, it could have long term effects on your life. To make matters worse, you must contend with not one but two government entities both the criminal court system and the Missouri Department of Revenue, which controls drivers’ licenses! When you’re facing a MO DWI charge, the choice of your legal representation is an incredibly important decision. Don’t leave your future in the hands of a criminal defense attorney who doesn’t practice DWI defense specifically. You’ll want to choose a law office with a DWI attorney who has years of criminal defense experience.
If you have been charged for driving while intoxicated in southwest Missouri, it’s critical for you to assert your constitutional rights and act before your license is suspended. As soon as you are arrested, the State begins working on the legal process of your conviction. You need to start building your defense and protecting your future, right away, by working with a criminal attorney in the surrounding area.
Even a first offense can have life-altering consequences ranging from loss of driving privileges to loss of employment as well as the potential for ongoing legal issues. A DUI conviction can stay on your driving record for at least 5 years, or even up to 10 years, and on your insurance record for 3 years. That’s why we encourage anyone who has been arrested for DWI to contact our law firm for a free consultation within the first 15 days after being arrested. It’s important that we “don’t drink and drive” but this is a very simplistic way of looking at this situation and is much more challenging than you think in the courtroom.
If you’ve been arrested, or are under investigation, for a Springfield Missouri DWI, you must have an experienced criminal defense attorney on your side.
We’re committed to providing you with the best possible outcome. Call us today for a free consultation, at 417-862-1741.
DWI charges can be life-altering. Twibell Pierson Criminal Law doesn’t see you as “just a number.”
Understanding Southwest Missouri DWI Charges
Drug-related charges can vary a great deal, depending on the type of drug involved in the case, the amount of it, and the apparent intent of the defendant. The penalties for a first time offense are more serious than traffic tickets.
Possible Penalties for First Time DWI in the Surrounding areas
- Up to 180-365 days of jail time
- Up to a $1,000 fine
- A Missouri Driver’s License suspension (loss of driving privileges) from 90 days to 1 year
- Supervised Probation with alcohol monitoring
- An alcohol monitoring device installed in vehicles
- A lifelong criminal conviction which can negatively impact college admissions, military eligibility, employment opportunities, travel, and immigration status.
Our criminal defense attorneys can handle any DWI or DUI (Driving Under the Influence) issue. We also understand that the laws involved may be applied differently, depending on the substance that the state accuses you of being impaired by while driving. Our criminal defense lawyers have worked on—and won—cases where clients have tested above the legal blood alcohol content limit and cases where individuals have tested positive for drugs. When you are first pulled over the police may attempt field sobriety testing to determine if you are impaired. The field sobriety testing helps them with probably cause to arrest you if you fail the test and its determine you are driving under the influence. The Preliminary Breath Test (PBT) or Preliminary Alcohol Screening test (PAS) that uses a portable breath tester known as the Breathalyzer, will determine Blood alcohol Content, BAC, but it is mainly used to determine probable cause.
At Twibell Pierson Criminal Law, we aim to get your case dismissed outright. Each case is different and sometimes the goal will be keeping the case off an individual’s record, through a Suspended Imposition Sentence. In most cases, a dismissal doesn’t have anything to do with you. It has to do with the actions of law enforcement.
We understand that these types of cases aren’t as black and white as prosecutors would like to make them out to be based upon a number. Whether you’ve been charged with a first offense or a felony DWI, at Twibell Pierson Criminal Law we have the experience to resolve your case.
Only an experienced DWI attorney can fully understand the applicable laws in the Missouri area and fight for your rights. Call Twibell Pierson today, at 417-862-1741.
All DWI Cases are Serious
One misconception we often see among clients is that some types of cases are less “serious” than others. It is true that some charges may have less potential for the most severe penalties, but make no mistake, there is no such thing as a “minor” DWI conviction in Missouri. Being convicted of DWI can result in loss of license, increased insurance rates and, in some cases, loss of employment. When you need the best criminal defense attorney you need to call Twibell Pierson!
That’s why we heavily stress the need to contact criminal defense lawyers as soon as you are arrested for suspicion of DWI. The more time your defense attorney has to examine your case and prepare your defense strategy, the more likely we are to get you the best possible outcome. Hiring a defense attorney in the first fifteen days after your arrest can also preserve your administrative rights to your driver’s license by requesting a hearing and challenging the Department of Revenue.
While first time DWI’s have serious consequences, they are not nearly as severe as felony DWIs. A felony driving while intoxicated is when a person accumulates three or more DWI’s.
Felony DWI’s can include:
- Ten-year loss of license
- DWI Court
- Random Drug and Alcohol Testing
- 480 Hours of Community
- 2 years mandatory prison time (when five or more DWI’s)
- Convicted Felon for Life!
Driving while intoxicated felony cases are aggressively prosecuted throughout southern Missouri such as: Greene County, Christian County, Dallas County, Stone County, Lawrence County, Taney County and Webster County. The importance of having experienced DWI attorneys in criminal cases cannot be overstated. The consequences for a felony DWI follow individuals to the courtroom and for the rest of their lives.
It’s imperative that our defense attorneys start building your case as soon as possible. Please call us today at 417-862-1741.
Don’t Risk Your Future – Get the Right DWI Lawyer in Southwest MO
Don’t gamble your future on a conviction. The criminal attorneys at our law firm are standing by to help you get the best possible outcome for your case. A felony DWI charge can disrupt your life for years, resulting in jail time or even prison. It’s not worth the risk! Call us today and engage the services of an experienced attorney who specializes in Springfield DWI charges.
If you are facing a DUI conviction, your best defense is to get legal advice and legal representation from the best DUI defense lawyers in the Missouri area. The attorneys at Twibell Pierson specialize in criminal law and criminal defense, including DWI law, and have award-winning years of experience handling these cases, as well as lecturing on DWI and DUI defense throughout Missouri.