What a DWI case involves
In Missouri the charge is Driving While Intoxicated (DWI). In Illinois it is Driving Under the Influence (DUI). Both states have administrative (license) and criminal sides, and both start ticking immediately.
In Missouri you have 15 days from receipt of the notice of suspension to request the Department of Revenue hearing, and a chemical-test refusal goes to circuit court instead. In Illinois the Petition to Rescind may be filed within 90 days of the notice, but the suspension starts on day 46. Missing those windows forfeits rights that could have saved your license. Call first.
What's at stake on a first DWI
Even a first offense can produce consequences that last years.
- License suspension or revocation
- Jail time (up to six months in Missouri, up to a year in Illinois)
- Fines and court costs
- Ignition interlock device
- SR-22 insurance filings and premium increases
- Impact on employment, professional licenses, CDLs, and security clearances
How we defend DWI cases
1. Protect the license first
We file the administrative hearing request the same week. That buys time and often produces evidence we can use in the criminal case.
2. Pull every record
Dashcam, bodycam, calibration records for breath testing equipment, lab protocols for blood draws, and officer training records.
3. Identify the weak points
Was the stop legal? Were the field sobriety tests administered correctly? Was the breath machine calibrated? Did the officer observe you for the required period before testing?
4. Negotiate or litigate
When the state's case has problems, we push for reductions to non-DWI offenses, diversion programs, or dismissal. When it does not, we try the case.
Common defenses
Improper stop. Improperly administered field sobriety tests. Breath machine calibration failures. Rising blood alcohol defenses. Medical conditions mimicking intoxication. And the officer's own failure to follow their own written procedures.
Why early is non-negotiable
The administrative license window is short. Evidence (especially officer bodycam) gets overwritten on a schedule. The first call matters more than later calls. We do not charge to have it.