Posted on

How To Get Your Speeding Ticket Fixed

Illinois Driving Record

You can get your Missouri speeding ticket fixed by hiring an experienced traffic ticket lawyer to get your ticket reduced to a non-moving, no-point violation.

Why Should You Hire A Lawyer To Get Your Speeding Ticket Fixed?

If you hire a lawyer to get your speeding ticket fixed, here’s what will happen:

  • Your ticket will be reduced to a non-moving, no-point violation such as “Illegal Parking” or “Defective Equipment”
  • You will pay a fine that is slightly higher than the original fine, plus court costs
  • You won’t have to appear in court
  • No points will be added to your driving record
  • Your insurance company won’t find out that you got a speeding ticket

The outcome of your case depends on:

  • Which court your case is being prosecuted in
  • How many tickets you already have on your driving record
  • The skill and experience of your attorney

How Much Does It Cost To Hire An Attorney To Get Your Speeding Ticket Fixed?

Attorney rates vary depending on:

  • Which court your case is being prosecuted in
  • How bad your driving record is
  • How fast you were driving

Most traffic ticket lawyers offer a free consultation over the phone. They will give you a flat fee price quote for how much they will charge to represent you. They will also give you an estimate of the fines and court costs you will have to pay.

It’s cheaper to plead guilty than to hire an attorney to fix your speeding ticket. However, it’s more expensive in the long run if the state suspends your license or your insurance rates increase because you pleaded guilty to a speeding ticket.

How Many Points Will Be Added To Your Driving Record If You Plead Guilty To A Speeding Ticket in Missouri?

If you plead guilty to a speeding ticket, points will be added to your driving record. For example:

  • Speeding ticket (issued by a municipal police officer) = 2 points
  • Speeding ticket (issued by a state trooper on the highway) = 3 points
  • Driving While Suspended = 12 points
  • Driving Without Insurance = 4 points
  • Driving Without a License = 2 points (first offense)
  • Careless & Imprudent Driving = 2 to 4 points
  • Reckless Driving = 2 to 4 points
  • DWI = 8 to 12 points
  • Leaving The Scene of an Accident = 6 to 12 points
  • Stop Sign Violation = 2 points (state or county) (1 point if municipal violation and no accident involved)
  • Permitting Unlicensed Driver to Drive = 4 points

Click here to see the Missouri Department of Revenue list of tickets and how many points are assessed for each violation.

How Many Points Can You Get Before Your Driver’s License Is Suspended?

Every time you plead guilty to a moving violation, points are added to your Missouri driving record.

  • Your Missouri driver’s license will be suspended for 30 days if you accumulate 8 points within 18 months (if it’s a first-time suspension)
  • Your license will be revoked for 1 year  if you accumulate 12 points within 12 months

If you continue to drive with a suspended license, you risk getting a 12-point ticket for Driving While Suspended or Revoked.

If your license is suspended, you can apply for a Limited Driving Privilege (“Hardship License”) so you can drive to and from work, school, daycare, or the grocery store. Click here for the application for a Hardship License on the Missouri Department of Revenue website.

Attend Traffic School To Remove Points From Your Driving Record

You may be able to remove points from your driving record by taking the Missouri Driver Improvement Program (DIP) traffic school.

Here’s what you need to know about taking the DIP class to remove points:

  • Most courts require you or your attorney to appear in court to ask the judge for permission to take the DIP class
  • You are not eligible to take the DIP class if you have taken it within the past 3 years
  • You are not eligible to take the DIP class if you have a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL)
  • If your ticket is for a very high speed, the judge might not give permission to take the DIP class
  • You must plead guilty and pay the fine, then complete the DIP class within 60 days

PLEASE NOTE: Taking the DIP class will remove the points, but the speeding conviction will stay on your driving record. Your insurance company will see the speeding conviction on your record and may increase your car insurance rates.

Most people take the DIP class only if they receive a ticket in a county where the court DOES NOT allow speeding tickets to be reduced to non-moving violations.

If you receive a ticket in a county where the court DOES allow speeding tickets to be reduced to non-moving violations, you can hire a traffic ticket lawyer to get your ticket reduced without having to take the DIP class.

You Can Change Your Mind After Pleading Guilty

When you pay the fine for a speeding ticket, you are pleading guilty. If you change your mind later, you can withdraw your guilty plea even if you have already paid the fine.

You will need to hire an attorney to withdraw your guilty plea and get your ticket reduced to a non-moving, no-point violation.

If you had an attorney representing you when you pleaded guilty, or if too much time has passed since you pleaded guilty, it will be more difficult to convince the judge to let you withdraw your plea.

You can contact a traffic law attorney for a free consultation about withdrawing your guilty plea. The attorney will give you a price quote for how much they will charge to withdraw your plea. They can also give you an estimate of the fines and court costs you will have to pay, and how long it will take to resolve your case.

________________________________________
To get your speeding ticket fixed or withdraw your guilty plea, contact St. Louis traffic law attorney Andrea Storey Rogers at (314) 724-5059 or [email protected] for a free consultation.

Posted on

How To Get Your Shoplifting Ticket Dismissed Or Reduced To “Littering”

shoplifting ticket

Get your shoplifting ticket dismissed or reduced to “Littering” and avoid having a conviction for stealing on your permanent criminal record.

Penalties For Shoplifting in Missouri

Stealing under $500 is a class A misdemeanor in Missouri. The maximum penalty is a $1,000 fine and 1 year in jail.

Stealing Under $150 is a class D misdemeanor if you are a first-time offender. The maximum penalty is a $500 fine but no jail time.

Stealing items valued at $500 or more is a felony and is a much more serious crime, with worse penalties.

For more information, click here to read my previous blog post, “What Is The Penalty For Shoplifting In Missouri.”

Don’t Plead Guilty To Shoplifting

No experienced criminal defense attorney would advise their client to plead guilty to shoplifting or stealing because:

  • A conviction for shoplifting stays on your criminal record forever
  • A shoplifting conviction is NOT eligible for expungement from your criminal record under Missouri’s new expungement law
  • Having a conviction for shoplifting or stealing on your criminal record may prevent you from getting a job, renting an apartment, or obtaining federal student aid for college

Why Should You Hire An Attorney For Your Shoplifting Ticket?

If you want to get your shoplifting ticket dismissed or reduced to a less serious offense such as “Littering,” you will need to have an experienced attorney represent you in court.

It is very likely that you won’t have to appear in court if you hire an attorney to represent you for your shoplifting ticket.

How To Find Out If You Can Get A Public Defender To Represent You For Your Shoplifting Ticket

In most counties in Missouri, public defenders don’t represent people charged with misdemeanor shoplifting.

However, if your case is being prosecuted in circuit court (rather than municipal court) and you have no income or assets, you might qualify for a public defender.

You can contact the public defender’s office in the county in which your case is being prosecuted to see if you qualify to have a public defender represent you.

How Much Does It Cost To Hire An Attorney To Get Your Shoplifting Ticket Dismissed or Reduced To “Littering”?

Most criminal defense attorneys offer a free consultation for a shoplifting ticket. They can give you a flat-fee price quote for how much they will charge to represent you, and an estimate of any fines and court costs you may have to pay.

What Happens If You Don’t Pay The $250 Civil Fine For Shoplifting?

Most people who get caught shoplifting will later receive a “Civil Demand” letter in the mail from the store. The letter will state that you owe the store $250 to pay for their expenses. However, you don’t owe the store anything unless they successfully sue you in civil court.

If you consult an experienced criminal defense attorney, they will tell you to refuse to pay the Civil Demand.

The Civil Demand is completely separate from your criminal shoplifting case. If you pay the Civil Demand, it will have no effect on your criminal case. The prosecutor and judge in criminal court will not view your criminal case more favorably if you pay the Civil Demand.

Stores rarely follow through on their threats to sue shoplifters because the cost to litigate the case in court is much more than the $250 they would get if they win a judgment against the shoplifter.

I discussed this topic in a previous blog post, “Should You Pay A Shoplifting Civil Demand Fine?”

What To Do If You Already Pleaded Guilty To Shoplifting

If you have already pleaded guilty to shoplifting, you may still be able to withdraw your guilty plea and hire an attorney to get your shoplifting ticket dismissed or reduced to a less serious offense, such as “Littering.”

Withdrawing your guilty plea is something you will need to hire an attorney to do for you — you can’t just go to court and tell the judge you changed your mind.

It is possible to withdraw your plea if:

  • You were not represented by an attorney when you pleaded guilty, and
  • Not much time has passed since your guilty plea

For more information about withdrawing a guilty plea, read my blog post, “Withdraw Your Guilty Plea To Remove A Conviction From Your Record.”

________________________________________
For a free consultation about your Missouri shoplifting case, contact criminal defense attorney Andrea Storey Rogers at (314) 724-5059 or [email protected]

Posted on

Withdraw Your Guilty Plea To Remove A Conviction From Your Record

Missed Court Date

You can withdraw your guilty plea for a speeding ticket or criminal offense such as marijuana possession or shoplifting if 1) not much time has passed since your plea, and 2) you did not have an attorney representing you when you pleaded guilty.

Withdraw Your Guilty Plea For A Speeding Ticket And Remove Points From Your Driving Record

When you plead guilty to a moving violation, points are added to your Missouri driving record. If you accumulate too many points, your driver’s license will be suspended or revoked. Click here for a list of Missouri traffic violation points.

If you withdraw your plea and hire an attorney to get your ticket reduced to a non-moving, no-point infraction, the points will be removed from your driving record.

Removing points from your driving record can lift your license suspension and prevent an increase in your car insurance rates.

Withdraw Your Guilty Plea For A Criminal Charge And Remove The Conviction From Your Criminal Record

If you have pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor, such as possession of marijuana or shoplifting, it’s not too late to change your mind and withdraw your plea.

Many people plead guilty to a minor criminal offense and later realize the conviction is causing them problems when trying to rent an apartment or get a job, internship, or financial aid for college.

An experienced criminal defense attorney can withdraw your guilty plea and get your criminal charge dismissed or reduced to a less serious offense, such as “Littering,” which does not show up on a criminal record.

How Can An Attorney Help You Withdraw Your Guilty Plea

You can’t just walk in to court and tell the judge you changed your mind and want to withdraw your guilty plea. You will need to hire an experienced attorney to file the right motion and represent you in court if you want to successfully withdraw your guilty plea.

If the judge allows you to change your plea from “guilty” to “not guilty,” then your attorney will meet the Prosecuting Attorney to get the original charge reduced to a less serious offense. For example, your attorney can get a speeding ticket reduced to “Illegal Parking” or a shoplifting charge reduced to “Littering.”

Your attorney can walk you through the process and tell you what to expect. The outcome of your case depends on the following:

  • Which court is your case being prosecuted in?
  • Do you have prior arrests, charges, or convictions on your criminal record?
  • How much time has passed since you pleaded guilty?
  • Did you have an attorney representing you when you pleaded guilty?

In many cases in which a defendant hires an attorney to withdraw their guilty plea, the defendant does not have to appear in court at all.

What Happens After You Withdraw Your Guilty Plea

Once you withdraw your guilty plea and a new plea bargain deal is negotiated, the Prosecutor will assess a new fine for the amended charge. The new fine may be higher than the fine you already paid when you pleaded guilty to the original charge. You will have to pay the difference between the original fine amount and the new higher fine.

After you withdraw your plea and pay the difference between the old fine and the new fine, the court will revise their records and the original conviction will be removed from your record.

For example:  If your original guilty plea was for a speeding ticket, the original speeding conviction (and the points) will be removed from your driving record. If the original conviction caused your license to be suspended, removing the points will lift the suspension.

Other Ways To Avoid Adding Points To Your Driving Record

If you have not already pleaded guilty to a traffic violation, here are some suggestions for how to keep speeding ticket points off your driving record:

  • If you have not already paid the fine and pleaded guilty, you can hire a traffic law attorney to get your speeding ticket reduced to a non-moving, no-point infraction that won’t affect your driving record or car insurance rates.
  • Ask the judge to let you attend traffic school to remove the points from your driving record. This option may not be available in all counties, and it does NOT hide the speeding conviction from your insurance company.

________________________________________
For a free consultation about withdrawing your guilty plea, contact St. Louis attorney Andrea Storey Rogers at (314) 724-5059 or [email protected]

Posted on

Fight Your Speeding Ticket or Plead Guilty?

Illinois Driving Record

When deciding whether to fight your speeding ticket or plead guilty, consider how many points you have accumulated on your driving record and whether you can afford an increase in your car insurance rates.

What Are Your Options When You Get A Speeding Ticket in Missouri?

When you get a speeding ticket in Missouri, you can choose from the following options:

  • Plead guilty by paying the fine
  • Plead not guilty and go to trial
  • Hire an attorney to fight your speeding ticket

Pleading guilty to the original speeding ticket will cause points to be added to your driving record and your car insurance rates may increase as a result of having a speeding conviction on your driving record. You also might have to go to court if your ticket requires a mandatory court appearance.

Taking your case to trial is much more expensive than hiring a traffic law attorney to get your ticket reduced to a non-moving, no-point infraction. You also risk losing and ending up with a conviction.

Hiring a traffic law attorney to fight your speeding ticket is the option many people choose because:

  • Most traffic ticket lawyers charge a reasonable flat-fee price to get your ticket reduced to a non-moving violation
  • You won’t have to appear in court
  • There will be no points added to your driving record
  • Your car insurance company will never know you received the speeding ticket, so they will have no cause to increase your insurance rates

How To Fight Your Speeding Ticket In Court And Avoid Points On Your Driving Record

An experienced traffic law attorney can fight your speeding ticket in court and keep points off your driving record. Your attorney will negotiate a plea bargain deal with the Prosecutor to get your speeding ticket or other traffic violation reduced to a non-moving, no-point violation that won’t cause points to be added to your driving record or an increase in your car insurance rates.

Usually a standard speeding ticket can be reduced to “Illegal Parking” or a similar non-moving, no-point infraction. You will have to pay a fine and court costs in exchange for the court agreeing to reduce your ticket, and the fine will be higher than the original fine. Your attorney can give you an estimate of the amount of the fine and court costs.

Once the court receives your payment, they will reduce your speeding ticket to a non-moving, no-point violation and there will be no negative effect on your driving record or car insurance rates.

How Many Points Can You Accumulate Before Your License Gets Suspended?

If you accumulate 8 points on your driving record within 18 months, your Missouri driver’s license will be suspended for 30 days (if it’s your first suspension).

Your license will be revoked for 1 year if you accumulate 12 points within 12 months.

Pleading guilty to a speeding ticket issued by a municipal police officer will cause 2 points to be added to your driving record.

Pleading guilty to a speeding ticket issued by a Missouri State Highway Patrol officer will cause 3 points to be added to your driving record.

Other types of traffic violations also cause points to be added to your driving record, such as:

  • Careless & Imprudent Driving = 2 to 4 points
  • DWI = 8 to 12 points
  • Driving While Suspended = 12 points
  • Leaving The Scene of an Accident = 6 to 12 points
  • Driving Without Insurance = 4 points
  • Stop Sign Violation = 1 to 2 points

You Can Attend Traffic School To Remove Points From Your Driving Record

Some people remove points from their driving record by taking the Missouri Driver Improvement Program (DIP) class. The DIP class is an 8-hour in-person traffic school program.

The DIP class may be an option if you received a speeding ticket in a county where the court does not allow speeding tickets to be reduced to non-moving violations.

If you want to take the DIP class, here are some tips:

  • You are not eligible to take the DIP class if you have taken it within the past 3 years
  • You are not eligible to take the DIP class if you have a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) or if you were driving a commercial motor vehicle when you got the ticket
  • You must obtain the judge’s permission to take the DIP class, or else the DOR will not accept proof of completion
  • If your ticket is for an excessively high speed, the judge may refuse to allow you to take the DIP class
  • Most courts require the defendant (or their attorney) to appear in person to ask the judge for permission to take the DIP class
  • You must complete the DIP class within 60 days after pleading guilty and paying the fine for your ticket
  • If you complete the Missouri DIP class, points will be removed from your driving record but the speeding conviction will remain on your driving record, which may cause your insurance rates to increase

You May Be Able To Change Your Mind After Paying The Fine For A Speeding Ticket

Many people pay the fine for a speeding ticket and then change their mind after seeing how many points have accumulated on their driving record, or how high their car insurance is going to increase. Or they may need to withdraw their plea on a speeding ticket to lift the suspension of their driver’s license.

An experienced traffic law attorney can withdraw your plea and get your ticket reduced to a non-moving, no-point violation.

Withdrawing your guilty plea is easier to do if:

  • You did not have an attorney representing you when you pleaded guilty,
  • A relatively short amount of times has passed since you pleaded guilty, and
  • Your ticket is for an offense that the Prosecutor is willing to reduce to a no-point violation

Consult an experienced traffic ticket lawyer to get a price quote for how much it will cost to withdraw your plea and get your ticket reduced to a non-moving, no-point violation.

________________________________________
To get your Missouri speeding ticket reduced to a non-moving, no-point violation, contact traffic law attorney Andrea Storey Rogers at (314) 724-5059 or [email protected] for a flat-fee price quote and an estimate of your fine and court costs.

 

Posted on

How To Clean Up Your Driving Record in Missouri

Call St. Louis traffic law attorney Andrea Storey Rogers today at (314) 724-5059 to clean up your Missouri driving record.

Withdraw Your Guilty Plea To Get a Clean Driving Record

When you plead guilty to a speeding ticket, three things happen:

  1. A conviction shows up on your driving record.
  2. Points are added to your driving record.
  3. Your insurance rates will probably increase.

If you accumulate too many points on your driving record, your license will be suspended or revoked.

Many defendants have hired me to withdraw their plea because their license has been suspended for having too many points on their driving record and they need to get those points removed from their record. Often, people don’t realize how many points they have on their driving record until they receive a warning from the state that their license is about to be suspended or revoked.

Some people hire me to withdraw their guilty plea and get their ticket reduced to a no-point violation because they have been offered a job that requires that they have a clean driving record.

Regardless of the reason, if you want to clean up your driving record and remove points, you will need to hire an experienced traffic law attorney to withdraw your guilty plea.

How to Withdraw Your Guilty Plea For a Speeding Ticket 

First, your attorney will file a motion with the court to withdraw your guilty plea.

Next, if the judge approves the motion to withdraw your guilty plea, your attorney will then work out a deal with the Prosecutor to reduce your speeding ticket to a non-moving no-point violation that won’t affect your driving record or insurance rates.

In many cases, the attorney can take care of everything without the defendant having to appear in court.

Please Note:  It is much more difficult, if not impossible, to withdraw your guilty plea if you were represented by an attorney when you originally pleaded guilty, or if too much time has passed since your guilty plea.

Withdrawing Your Plea Removes Points From Your Driving Record

After your attorney withdraws your guilty plea and reduces your speeding ticket to a non-moving, no-point violation, the court will require you to pay the difference between the original fine you already paid and the new fine assessed by the Prosecutor.

Then the points for the original speeding ticket will be removed from your driving record and there will be no conviction on your driving record.

Withdrawing Your Guilty Plea Can Lift Your Driver’s License Suspension

If your driver’s license was suspended because you accumulated too many points on your driving record, withdrawing your guilty plea and getting your ticket reduced to a no-point violation will clean up your record and lift your suspension. 

You Can Also Withdraw Your Guilty Plea For a Criminal Offense

If you pleaded guilty in the past to a criminal offense and you have now changed your mind about your plea, you can withdraw your guilty plea and hire an attorney to negotiate a plea bargain with the Prosecutor to get your criminal charge dismissed or reduced to a lesser offense.

Click here to read my previous blog post about how to withdraw your guilty plea for a criminal offense, such as marijuana possession, drug paraphernalia, or shoplifting.

To withdraw your guilty plea and clean up your driving record, call St. Louis attorney Andrea Storey Rogers at (314) 724-5059 for a flat-fee price quote for legal representation. Or email Andrea at [email protected]

Posted on

How to Withdraw Your Guilty Plea

Call St. Louis attorney Andrea Storey Rogers today at (314) 724-5059 about withdrawing your guilty plea for a Missouri speeding ticket or criminal charge.

You Can Change Your Mind After Pleading Guilty

It is possible to change your mind after pleading guilty to a speeding ticket or criminal offense such as marijuana possession or shoplifting if you were not represented by an attorney when you pleaded guilty.

Withdrawing a Guilty Plea Can Remove Points From Your Driving Record

Withdrawing your guilty plea for a speeding ticket or other traffic violation will remove the points that were added to your Missouri driving record when you paid the fine.

Some people need points removed so a license suspension can be lifted, while others want points removed to prevent an increase in their car insurance rates

Get a Conviction Off Your Criminal Record by Withdrawing Your Guilty Plea 

Anyone who pleads guilty to a minor criminal offense, such as marijuana possession, drug paraphernalia, or stealing, quickly realizes that the conviction shows up on their criminal background report. Even a minor criminal conviction can prevent you from getting a job, renting an apartment, or getting financial aid for school.

In many cases, an experienced attorney can withdraw the guilty plea and negotiate a plea bargain deal with the Prosecutor to get your criminal charge dismissed or reduced to a lesser offense, such as “Littering.” Having a conviction for “Littering” on your criminal record is much better than a conviction for drug possession or stealing.

How to Withdraw Your Guilty Plea

Hire an experienced attorney to help you withdraw your guilty plea. Your attorney will file a motion with the court to request that the judge allow you to withdraw your guilty plea.

If the judge agrees to let you change your plea, then your attorney will  negotiate a plea bargain deal with the Prosecutor to get your traffic ticket amended to a non-moving no-point violation.

Or, if you are withdrawing a guilty plea for a criminal offense, your attorney will negotiate with the Prosecutor to get your criminal charges dismissed or amended to a lesser offense.

In many cases of withdrawing a guilty plea, the defendant does not have to appear in court at all.

What Happens After You Withdraw Your Guilty Plea?

Once your attorney successfully withdraws your guilty plea and negotiates a plea bargain deal with the Prosecutor, a new fine will be assessed by the Prosecutor. The new fine will be higher than the fine you already paid. The court will subtract the amount you already paid from the new higher fine and you will pay the difference.

Then the court will revise the court records to remove the original conviction from your record. So, if you originally pleaded guilty to marijuana possession but your attorney was able to change your plea and get the charge amended to “Littering,” your criminal record will now show that you have a conviction for “Littering.”

If you originally pleaded guilty to speeding and your attorney withdrew your guilty plea and got your ticket amended to “Illegal Parking,” the points will be removed from your driving record and there will be no conviction on your record.

To change your plea or withdraw your guilty plea for a traffic ticket or criminal offense, call St. Louis attorney Andrea Storey Rogers at (314) 724-5059 to discuss your case and get a price quote for legal representation. Or email Andrea at [email protected]

Posted on

How to Remove Points From License After Paying Fine

You can get speeding ticket points removed from your driving record even though you already pleaded guilty and paid the fine.

You Can Change Your Mind After Pleading Guilty

When you pay a speeding ticket fine, you are pleading guilty to a traffic violation. Points are added to your driving record for the violation, and if you accumulate too many points, your driver’s license will be suspended or revoked.

It’s not too late to hire a lawyer to remove old speeding ticket points from your driver’s license if:

    • You paid a speeding ticket fine but changed your mind and want to hire a lawyer to get your ticket reduced to a non-moving, no-point violation, or
    • You paid a speeding ticket fine without realizing the points for that ticket will cause your license to be suspended, and you want to hire a lawyer to get your ticket reduced to a non-moving violation.

Removal of Points Can Cancel the License Suspension

In both situations listed above, an attorney can withdraw your guilty plea and get your speeding ticket reduced to a non-moving, no-point violation. After your ticket is reduced, the Missouri Department of Revenue will remove the points from your driving record that were added when you originally paid the fine. If your license was suspended because of the added points, removal of those points will cancel the suspension.

PLEASE NOTE:  Withdrawing a guilty plea is much more difficult if you were represented by an attorney when you pleaded guilty, or if too much time has passed since the conviction date.

How to Withdraw Your Guilty Plea For a Speeding Ticket

To withdraw your guilty plea, you will need to hire an experienced traffic law attorney to file the proper motion in court. If the judge approves the motion and allows you to withdraw your guilty plea, your attorney can negotiate a plea bargain deal with the prosecutor to get your ticket reduced to a non-moving, no-point violation.

Your Fine Will be Higher After Your Ticket is Reduced to a Non-Moving Violation

Most courts charge higher fines if they agree to reduce a traffic ticket to a non-moving, no-point violation. After your attorney gets your guilty plea withdrawn and your ticket reduced to a non-moving, no-point violation, the prosecutor will assess a new fine that will be higher than the fine you already paid. You will be required to pay the difference between the original fine and the new, higher fine.

The Driver Improvement Program Won’t Keep Tickets Off Your Driving Record

You may have heard that you can get points removed from your license if you take the Missouri Driver Improvement Program (DIP). This is true in many Missouri courts, but the DIP class won’t prevent the ticket from being reported on your driving record and possibly causing your car insurance rates to increase.

If you take the DIP class instead of hiring a traffic law attorney to get your ticket reduced to a non-moving, no-point violation, the points will be removed after you pay the fine. However, the speeding ticket will show up on your driving record, and your insurance company will see it the next time they review your driving record.

For more information, click here to read my previous blog post about how to remove points from your license by completing the Missouri Driver Improvement Program.

To withdraw your guilty plea and remove points from your license after you have paid a speeding ticket fine, call St. Louis traffic law attorney Andrea Storey Rogers at (314) 724-5059 for a price quote and estimate of your fine and court costs. Or email Andrea at [email protected] or at [email protected]

Posted on

Some Drug and Alcohol Convictions Stay on Your Missouri Driving Record Forever

The following drug & alcohol-related convictions stay on your Missouri driving record forever:

    • DUI/DWI (Driving While Intoxicated)
    • DUID (Driving Under the Influence of Drugs)
    • Excessive BAC (Blood Alcohol Content)

Please Note:  It is possible to get a first-time DUI conviction expunged after 10 years of good behavior. (See below for further information regarding expungement of a first-time DUI.)

Types of Convictions That Stay on Your Missouri Driving Record Forever

In a previous blog post about convictions that stay on your driving record forever, I listed the types of convictions that remain permanently on your Missouri driving record. In addition to DUI, DUID, and Excessive BAC, the following convictions stay on your Missouri driving record forever and are not eligible for removal:

    • No Insurance
    • No Driver’s License (state, not municipal)
    • Vehicular Manslaughter
    • Driving While Suspended or Revoked
    • Leaving the Scene of an Accident (state, not municipal)
    • Any Felony

What is Expungement?

Expungement is the removal or deletion of all court records of your arrest, plea, trial or conviction. The only types of alcohol-related convictions that are eligible for expungement in Missouri are first-time DUI or MIP convictions. The option of expungement is not available for felony DUIs or for anyone convicted of driving a commercial motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol.

How to Get a First-Time DUI Conviction Expunged

Missouri law allows anyone who pleaded guilty to, or was convicted of, a first-time misdemeanor DUI to apply to have the court expunge (remove or delete) the DUI charge 10 years after the offense occurred, as long as the individual has had no other alcohol-related driving convictions, “alcohol-related enforcement contacts,” or any pending “alcohol-related enforcement actions” within the 10-year period since the conviction. See Missouri statute RSMo 302.525.3 for an explanation of what is an alcohol-related law enforcement contact.

If a judge finds that you meet these requirements, then the court will enter an order of expungement, and all records of your DUI arrest, plea, trial, or conviction will be deleted.

How to Get an MIP Conviction Expunged

For a first-time MIP conviction to be expunged, you must show that you have had no other alcohol-related convictions or “alcohol-related enforcement contacts” since the original MIP conviction, and that you are applying for expungement at least 1 year after the original conviction date, or after you have reached age 21.

Marijuana and Drug Paraphernalia Convictions Stay on Your Criminal Record Forever and Can Not be Expunged

If a police officer pulls you over for a traffic stop and charges you with possession of drugs (marijuana) or drug paraphernalia (such as a pipe) and you are convicted of those charges, no points will be added to your Missouri driving record for that conviction. However, a conviction for possession of drugs or drug paraphernalia will remain on your criminal record forever.

An Attorney May be Able to Get Your Drug Possession Charges Reduced to a Lesser Offense

When facing a misdemeanor charge of possession of drugs or drug paraphernalia, you can hire an attorney to negotiate a plea bargain with the court to get your drug charges dismissed or reduced to a lesser offense, so they won’t show up on your permanent criminal record. Keep in mind that your chances of success are not as good if you have multiple prior drug-related convictions on your record.

The outcome of your case depends on which court your case is being prosecuted in, your criminal history, and the details of your specific case.

While expungement is an option for some first-time DWI or MIP convictions, drug-related convictions can never be expunged from your Missouri criminal record.

The Court May Order You to Attend “ADEP” or “SATOP” Class

If your attorney is able to get your drug possession charges reduced to a lesser offense, you will have to pay a fine and court costs, and you may also be required to take a court-ordered class, such as “ADEP” (Alcohol and Drug Education Program) or “SATOP” (Substance Abuse Traffic Offender Program).

Depending on the facts of your case, you may be offered an “SIS” (Suspended Imposition of Sentence) and 1 or 2 years of unsupervised probation. With an “SIS,” no conviction is entered on your permanent record if you successfully complete your period of probation without any further convictions.

If You Have Already Pleaded Guilty to Drug Possession Charges, an Attorney May be Able to Withdraw Your Guilty Plea

If you have already pleaded guilty to drug charges, it may be possible for an attorney to withdraw your guilty plea and negotiate a plea bargain with the court to have your drug charges reduced to a lesser offense.

However, if too much time has passed since your guilty plea, or if you were originally represented by an attorney when you pleaded guilty, the court may not allow the withdrawal. For more information, go to the Withdrawal of Guilty Plea page on my website.

If you have been charged with possession of marijuana or drug paraphernalia and would like a price quote for legal representation, contact St. Louis traffic law attorney Andrea Storey Rogers at (314) 724-5059 or email her at [email protected]

[This post was updated on November 11, 2013.]