First Offense DUI in St. Charles, Missouri

Missouri First-Offense DWI Defense Rooted in St. Charles County

Brockmeyer Law Offices is a family-run firm with roots in St. Charles, 65 years of combined attorney experience, and a direct approach: when you call us, you work with an attorney from that first conversation through final resolution. No handoffs to support staff.

The 15-day deadline to protect your license isn’t flexible. Call Brockmeyer Law Offices at (314) 582-5053 for a free consultation before that window closes.

What a First-Offense DWI Charge Means in Missouri

Under RSMo 577.010, a first DWI in Missouri is a Class B misdemeanor carrying up to 6 months in jail and a fine of up to $500. A conviction also adds 8 points to your driving record and triggers a 90-day license suspension. Missouri additionally requires completion of SATOP, the Substance Awareness Traffic Offender Program, a state-mandated alcohol education and assessment course.

Blood alcohol content (BAC) at arrest affects the minimum sentence even on a first offense. A BAC between .15% and under .20% carries a mandatory minimum 48-hour jail term. A BAC of .20% or greater carries a mandatory minimum of 5 days. These floors apply regardless of other circumstances, which is one reason why how the case is handled from the start matters.

Two Proceedings, One 15-Day Deadline

A Missouri DWI arrest creates two entirely separate cases. The criminal case proceeds through the court system. A parallel proceeding runs through the Department of Revenue, which issues a Notice of Suspension/Revocation at the time of arrest. You have 15 days from that notice to request an administrative hearing. Miss that deadline, and the suspension begins automatically.

The administrative hearing examines the breathalyzer results and police reports independently of the criminal case. Missouri’s implied consent law requires drivers arrested for DWI to submit to a chemical test of breath, blood, saliva, or urine. Refusing that test typically triggers an automatic one-year license revocation rather than the standard 90-day suspension. We handle both the criminal defense and the Department of Revenue administrative hearing, so details don’t fall through the cracks between the two tracks.

Local Court Knowledge in the 11th Judicial Circuit

St. Charles County is served by Missouri’s 11th Judicial Circuit. Our attorneys work within that circuit regularly and have developed a working familiarity with how its judges weigh DWI evidence and how local prosecutors approach first-offense cases, including whether a charge reduction is a realistic option given a particular set of facts. That context shapes how we build a defense.

Ronald Brockmeyer has been licensed in Missouri since 1975 and in Illinois since 1989. He holds a Martindale-Hubbell Distinguished Peer-Review Rating for 2025 and was recognized by The National Trial Lawyers in its Top 100 from 2015 through 2018. Missouri law does allow a DWI charge to be reduced, for example to reckless driving, when there is a procedural error or an irregularity in the evidence. Whether that path is available depends on the facts of your case, and we’ll give you a candid assessment of where you stand.

Start Your Defense Before the 15-Day Window Closes

A free consultation costs nothing and gives you a clear picture of what you’re facing and what options exist. We represent first-offense DWI clients throughout St. Charles and across Missouri, keeping the attorney-client relationship direct from the first call to the last court date.

Contact Brockmeyer Law Offices today at (314) 582-5053 to schedule your free consultation before the Department of Revenue deadline passes.