Drunk Driving Defense

Kansas City DUI Attorney

For 18 years, Steve Schanker, a highly rated Kansas City DUI Lawyer by his peers (Martindale-Hubbell AV rating for excellence and ethics), has emphasized drunk driving defense as a major part of his criminal practice in Missouri and Kansas. Most recently, Mr. Schanker successfully appealed the license revocation of an alleged 3rd-time DUI offender, and in a separate case won an acquittal for an alleged 2nd-time DUI offender.

The threshold for alcohol impairment in Kansas and Missouri is very low. It is presumed as having a blood alcohol concentration of .08% (.04% for CDL holders; .02% for minors), but can also be established when a person refuses to take a breath test and exhibits other indicators of intoxication like bad driving, suspicious appearance, and poor performance on field sobriety tests.

A police officer will initiate two separate actions when arresting a person for DUI/DWI. First, a criminal charge is filed which carries penalties including jail time, fines and probation requiring alcohol counseling and treatment. Second, a civil suit is brought by the Department of Revenue to suspend, revoke and/or restrict driving privileges. Both matters are equally important and need to be urgently addressed.

A Successful DUI/DWI Defense

A successful DUI/DWI defense is based at least on a thorough review of the police reports, the in-car and jailhouse audio/videos, the breathalyzer maintenance records and in-depth meetings with the client and potential witnesses. A motion to suppress evidence may work to exclude a breath test result or a confession so that the prosecutor's job becomes difficult or impossible to secure a conviction.

A DUI/DWI can cause substantial damage to a person's ability to obtain or hold a job, can put a significant strain on family relations, and increase financial burdens well into the future. Mandatory jail time, fines and long periods of probation and license suspension are typical in the event of a conviction. It is imperative that you hire an attorney with a winning record and the patience to answer all of your important questions along the way. Looking for a lawyer for a DWI case in Kansas City? Get an effective and honest defense for your DUI charge. Contact Kansas City DUI lawyer Steve Schanker now for a FREE case evaluation and consultation.