What You Should Expect Before & After Sentencing
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DWI Court Missouri: What You Should Expect Before & After Sentencing

The DWI Court in Missouri was created as a favorable alternative to traditional sentencing measures for alcohol-related driving offenses. Learn more.

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DWI Law Clinic

Role of the DWI Court in Missouri

A DWI refers to when a person is found operating a motor vehicle with at least 0.08% of such person’s blood being alcohol.

Missouri DWI courts are a type of special court that are established to help people found guilty of repeated DWI offenses. The DWI courts usually combine alcohol and drug monitoring and testing, judicial supervision, and compliance with a substance abuse program.

One of the most significant advantages of such programs is that even when the courts have revoked your privileges, you can be granted limited driving privileges upon successful completion of the program.

One could also qualify for a suspended imposition of sentence if one complies with certain conditions. In such circumstances, the circuit’s DWI court judge will typically suspend a sentence based solely on the successful completion of a court-ordered treatment program, two years of probation, or DWI court.

Contact the Ozarks DWI Law Clinic today if you are heading to the DWI courts and need legal advice. Our experienced DWI lawyer has been working on DWI cases for years and may just be able to help you get favorable outcomes on your case.

Missouri DWI Court Cases

In Missouri, a DWI as a first offense is usually prosecuted as a Class B misdemeanor. Under Missouri law, DWI charges may be brought in either State, Municipal, or City Courts.

Due to the circumstance of the different DWI cases, it is essential to work with an experienced DWI attorney when you have been charged. This could be the most critical decision you make, as a conviction for DWI could have severe consequences.

At the Ozarks DWI Law Clinic, our lawyer has the skill and experience to get favorable outcomes. We have helped many clients get their cases dismissed, and we may be able to help you with your case, too.

It is critical to work with a DWI lawyer in Missouri since being found guilty could result in up to $500 in fines and six months in jail as a first-time offender. In many instances, your attorney can get the charges reduced so that you do not have to go in front of a judge or endure a lengthy trial. When the officer reads you the Missouri Implied Consent Warning, you should know that it is the right time to consult with an attorney.

The lawyers at Ozarks DWI Law Clinic can often work to avoid the usual consequences of a conviction by securing probation. This is a good outcome as it will keep a conviction off your driving record by imposing a Suspended Imposition of a Sentence (SIS).

DWI Court Program Missouri

Under the MO DWI court program, one will usually get probation or admission into a substance abuse traffic offender program after a DWI arrest. The federal court-ordered treatment program may require the following:

  • Victim’s Impact Panel (VIP)

  • No consumption or possession of alcohol

  • Community service

  • No entry into establishments that sell alcohol as their primary business

  • An ignition interlock device

  • Submission to future breath tests

  • Secured Continuous Remote Alcohol Monitoring

  • Continuous alcohol monitoring and treatment

  • Drug testing

  • Recoupment to arresting agency

Under the law, anyone with a blood alcohol content greater than 0.15% is not eligible for an SIS. While this provision is rarely enforced, it may result in more probation conditions.

Given that the Ozarks DWI Law Clinic has contacts and relationships with law enforcement and prosecuting attorneys in many jurisdictions in Missouri, we can help many of our clients charged with DWI offenses.

We typically use our connections and relationships to get favorable DWI court outcomes for our clients who get less severe outcomes as compared to what they would get in traditional court proceedings.

If you have been charged with DWI, contact us today, and we will provide the legal advice and representation you need in your DWI case.

What Does the Missouri DWI Court Involve?

DWI courts were set up to assist people arrested for nonviolent criminal charges which may have problems abusing alcohol. It is usually a voluntary program that a person submits themselves to.

It usually includes regular appearances before a DWI court judge. It is important to note that it is only by referral from a prosecutor that a person may participate in a DWI court program.

Upon requesting participation in the program with the help of a Missouri DWI attorney, the prosecuting attorney will screen you for eligibility in the program.

Once this is done, the treatment court will evaluate your eligibility further, after which you will be offered a contract. This contract usually includes provisions that assert that such a person pleads guilty and commits to treatment.

The treatment usually involves a graduate phase program where you would have to participate in an individualized relapse prevention and education program. The ultimate goal of your undergoing the program is to break the cycle of prison sentences, substance and alcohol abuse, and general criminal behavior.

This program is intended to help people get their actions in order and minimize the criminal history that has been repeated over several years in the past.

Contact the Ozarks DWI Law Clinic today if you have been charged with a crime related to DWI. Whether it is criminal defense, personal injury, or plea negotiations in a driving under the influence case, our knowledgeable attorneys are here to help.

Our dedicated DWI lawyers in Rogersville, MO are passionate about helping you with your case. Over the years, we have helped many clients in the state avoid prison, and we are confident that we can provide the same services to you.

Missouri Supreme Court Rules DWI

The following laws apply to DWI cases in Missouri.

  • You will be deemed to have committed an offense of driving while intoxicated if you operate a motor vehicle while in a drugged or intoxicated condition when placed under arrest.
  • Driving while intoxicated is usually a Class B misdemeanor for the first offense. You will usually not be eligible for a suspended imposition of sentence if you plead guilty or are convicted of a DWI unless you successfully complete a two-year probation minimum.
  • In circuit courts with a court-ordered treatment program, a person who operates a motor vehicle with 0.15% of blood alcohol will be eligible for a suspended imposition of sentence.
  • If you are not granted a suspended sentence for the above reasons for a first-offense DWI:
  1. If you operate a motor vehicle with more than 0.15% alcohol in your blood, you must be placed in jail for forty-eight hours.
  2. If you operated a motor vehicle with more than 0.20% of blood alcohol, you would be sentenced to jail for no less than five days.

The Ozarks DWI Law Clinic has attorneys with a solid understanding of the law and will provide legal advice on the options available. Call our office, and we may have an experienced and skilled attorney ready to answer all your questions regarding the DWI court.

Municipal Court DWI Missouri

The DWI court is a treatment court, and hence it does not follow the typical path of a drunk driving trial. The municipal court is intended to provide tools to people with an alcohol or substance abuse problem who need to recover from their addiction and not repeat their DWI offenses.

In traditional courts, DWI offenders are usually sentenced to jail, after which they are eligible for a five-year probation period. However, offenders in DWI courts do not have to serve time in jail as they are usually put under monitoring immediately.

For repeat offenders, DWI court may be an option. However, it is always critical to consult with a criminal defense attorney who will provide legal advice on your options.

Contact the Ozarks DWI Law Clinic today, and we may have our skilled and experienced attorney working on your case. We have successfully represented countless clients facing DWI charges in Missouri, and we may help you avoid severe consequences such as jail time and significant fines.