A drunk driving conviction can have a huge impact on your freedom, finances, and driving privileges. I am St. Louis DWI defense attorney Carl J. Civella, and I have more than 17 years of experience defending clients against drunk driving charges in Missouri and Illinois. There is both a civil and criminal component to a DWI/DUI case. I can represent you in both:
- Criminal — Drunk driving is a crime in Illinois and Missouri. If you have been arrested for DWI/DWI, you may be facing jail time, a 90-day points' suspension, and other criminal penalties.
- Civil — Civil penalties for a DWI/DUI conviction include license suspension. I can help you explore your options for keeping your license or driving post-conviction.
Driver's License Consequences
If you refuse to submit to a breath test in a DWI arrest, or if you blow over .08, your license will be automatically revoked for a period of one year. After 30 days, you become eligible to apply for a restricted driving privilege (RDP). You must have liability insurance in place in order to get an RDP license.
Refusing two chemical tests results in an automatic license revocation with no eligibility of obtaining limited driving privileges.
Ninety days after a breath test refusal, you become eligible to apply for limited driving privilege (LDP). This would allow you to drive for employment, education, and other important matters. Individuals are only able to apply for LDP once every five years.
Driver's License Reinstatement
For full driver's license reinstatement, you will need to get SR22 insurance, which is a type of insurance for high-risk drivers. You will also have to pay a $45 reinstatement (both if you refused to submit to a breath test, or if you blew over .08). Additionally, license reinstatement can occur if you complete an alcohol treatment program and purchase SR22 insurance.
Prior Offenders
Have you been convicted of DWI, received a chemical refusal revocation, or an administrative suspension of your license one or more times in the past five years? If so, your license may be revoked for a longer period of time if you have been convicted of DWI again. The prosecution is going to try to use your prior conviction to elongate your current license suspension. Additionally, installation of an ignition interlock device may be required.
As an experienced St. Louis DWI lawyer, I will look for ways to minimize the impact of a second DWI conviction in five years — or to avoid a conviction altogether. Depending on the circumstances of your case, it may be possible to reduce your charges from DWI to a BAC or other lesser charge.
Contact a St. Louis DWI Defense Lawyer
For more information about the potential effects on your driving privileges after a DWI arrest, contact a St. Louis County criminal defense lawyer today. I represent clients in Maryland Heights, Town and Country, Ledoux, Creve Coeur, and other cities in the St. Louis County area.