There are no circumstances that warrant drunk driving. Statistics state that the act of drinking and driving kills 28 people a day in the U.S. At one time, Missouri had the 9th highest number of drunk-driving fatalities in the country with 432 in the year 2000. In 2018, the number of fatalities had fallen to 240. Even though numbers are dropping, one death from drinking and driving is one too many.
In Missouri, there is no legal difference between driving under the influence (DUI) and driving while intoxicated (DWI). A DWI in Missouri is given to those drivers who are found to be operating a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.08 percent or higher. Even if you choose to pull over to the side to “sleep it off,” if you don’t turn off the ignition, you are still considered to be operating a motor vehicle and can be charged.
DWIs are also given to those drivers under the age of 21 who are found driving with a blood alcohol content of 0.02 or higher. Missouri also uses the legal term of Driving Under the Influence of Drugs (DUID). If you are charged with a DUID, whether it’s cold medication or illegal drugs, you will still receive a hefty penalty.
If your driver’s license was revoked because of a DWI, there are three steps you need to take to get it reinstated.
Drivers in Missouri with serious traffic violations like driving while under the influence (DWI), need an SR-22. This form is filed by their insurance provider and confirms their insurance covers minimum car insurance requirements in Missouri. There is no difference between standard car insurance and SR-22 car insurance, except SR-22 is more expensive because of the severity of the traffic violation.
SATOP stands for Substance Awareness Traffic Offender Program. SATOP consists of an assessment and completion of a program. Its purpose is to educate drivers about the hazards and consequences of impaired driving, promote safe and responsible decision-making when it comes to driving, and encourage personal change. The goal of the program is to reduce the number of repeat offenders.
In Missouri, the reinstatement fee is $45 paid to the Missouri Department of Revenue. Although that may initially seem small, there are multiple fees for multiple reasons. For instance, if you received a speeding ticket along with a DWI, you would pay two fees.
Driving privileges may be suspended or revoked for accumulation of points following a plea of guilty or conviction for driving while intoxicated (DWI). Additionally, driving privileges may also be suspended or revoked by the Missouri Department of Revenue. It’s important to talk with an experienced attorney to apply for a “hardship driver’s license” so you are still able to drive to and from work while your license is revoked.
If someone is convicted of more than one DWI and has their license revoked for a one, five, or ten-year period, you need an attorney to file a petition in court to get limited driving privileges even if your license revocation isn’t fully served. Without limited driving privileges, you will need an attorney to help you avoid mandatory jail time for driving on a suspended or revoked driver’s license.
Contact us today to set an appointment to speak with Scott about your case. Scott has experience in navigating these DWI cases in Missouri and is here to assist you.
A Jefferson City man faced DUI charges following a field sobriety test. Charges against the defendant were dropped after Scott successfully maintained the client’s claims that the test results were inaccurate. While the client initially appeared to be in a difficult situation, Scott was able to push investigators to determine the sobriety test results as invalid, so the charges were dismissed.
A mother was seeking sole custody of her children following a divorce. The father refused to cooperate, leaving the client in a difficult situation as she felt as though her children didn’t have a voice. Scott recognized her need for an advocate and carefully listened to the children’s wishes, which conclusively helped the client achieve sole custody of her children and protected their best interests.
A client from Fulton was accused of drug possession as a result of a home search. While drug charges may potentially be filed as a Class C felony involving severe consequences, Scott was able to help the client receive a reduced sentence. Ultimately, the client faced significantly smaller penalties compared to the initial charges.
Scott assisted a defendant in a particularly challenging divorce case in which the other spouse was not cooperating. Scott was able to help the client avoid court through an aggressive legal approach to resolve all outstanding disagreements while maintaining the client’s long-term needs.
One client sought legal assistance after an altercation with another individual in Jefferson City. The client was arrested on assault charges despite allegedly not starting the fight. Since an arrest can lead to life-altering penalties such as being terminated from employment and serving jail time, Scott was able to build a solid legal defense in the client’s favor and argued in favor of the client’s innocence.
A grandparent sought visitation rights to his grandchild after the parent tried to block him. Scott takes grandparents’ rights very seriously, and so he devised a strategy to help the grandparent set a visitation schedule. Scott developed a strategy to show that the child’s best interests were fulfilled through the grandparent’s ability to visit the child, helping push the case towards a resolution in the client’s favor.
Scott assisted a client who was injured in a car accident due to another driver’s negligence. The defendant claimed that the opposing party using their phone at the time of the crash, and Scott emphasized this claim to show that the other driver was at fault for the client’s injuries. The case concluded with the client receiving the necessary compensation for medical bills following a long hospital stay due to injuries.
Scott was honest, he was straightforward, and the best of all he was good at what he does. He's very knowledgeable and practices his craft well. I had a 10/10 experience with Scott and will trust no other attorney to handle my case.
Scott Hamblin is a great attorney. Between Scott and his legal assistant Madasyn, I felt like all my questions were answered promptly and thoroughly. Scott is very knowledgeable and was very well prepared for trial. I would recommend Scott to anyone needing an attorney.
Can't say enough good things about Mr. Hamblin and his team. They're responsive, treat your case like it's their own, and are personable as can be. Court can be daunting, but they are there to help you through every step of the tough process. Madasyn is part of this team and deserves to be recognized too, as she was friendly and encouraging from beginning to end. They handle it all with ease and you won't regret coming to them for help and advice along your journey.
10/10 recommend Mr. Scott Hamblin. Mr. Hamblin and his legal assistant Madasyn have been wonderful throughout my whole case and very prompt, and helpful the whole time. He was very thorough and left nothing missed during my whole case. Questions were answered quickly throughout the process whether through email, phone or in person. As well as the whole process was explained step by step. I highly recommend Mr Hamblin for any family law matters! I couldn’t of asked for better representation for my case.
I came across Scott Hamblin on the internet and read his bio and was very impressed. I have not been disappointed with his knowledge and understanding. If you are in need of a great lawyer, this is the call to make. You will not regret hiring him. Thank you, Scott.
Scott recently provided outstanding representation for my divorce. He was well-prepared throughout the course of the litigation and trial, resulting in a very favorable outcome for me. Scott is a very bright attorney who takes pride in his work, and it shows. He is truly in a league of his own.
Scott is a phenomenal attorney, no sugar-coating straightforward and to the point. As an older man I found myself in a custody case, and had little hope of any outcomes in my favor. This guy knows his law and his business, and is about it. His personality is soothing and his office is always on point. To say I’m ecstatic with his ability is an understatement.
Scott is the best attorney, hands down! My husband had a fairly difficult case, he had little hope that he’d be able to receive anything he was asking for and Scott helped him achieve everything, very quickly. He’s very professional, compassionate and understanding and works hard to help you achieve the best possible outcome. We are very thankful.
Scott came highly recommended by an attorney friend of mine after I received an unfavorable outcome working with a different lawyer in the area. Scott was smart, pleasant to work with, and achieved the best possible outcome for me. I only wish I would have used him sooner.
We had a very unique case. It was confusing and complicated. Scott stepped in, helped and guided us on our journey. He was knowledgeable, professional and very honest with us. I highly recommend him if you are put in a circumstance where you need an attorney. His integrity is amazing. The entire firm was wonderful to us.
For accessible and experienced representation, contact attorney Scott Hamblin today.
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