What are the costs involved in a DWI or DUI?
Missouri DWI/DUI defense attorneys Chris Combs and Steve Waterkotte discuss the costs involved in a DWI or DUI case, including fees, SATOP, community service, and more.
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Interview Transcript
Scott Michael Dunn: Now, we move on to the next topic, which is really like costs and insurance. Not that we need to know exactly how much it costs to handle a DUI. But what’s to anticipate, not the legal costs, but the costs of the chain of events that occur from a DUI?
Chris Combs: I would say, costs outside of your legal defense, which of course can vary on who you plan on hiring.
Scott Michael Dunn: That’s all subjective.
Chris Combs: Of course. Yes, you get what you pay for in this business like anything else With us you have a full team behind you. Three, four people, attorneys and whatnot are touching your file, not just one person.
Expenses. Insurance, there’s something called SR-22 insurance. It’s high risk insurance. When I first started doing this, 12 years ago, clients would scream bloody murder about the cost. No one really says anything anymore. I would say that I can’t give you the exact number, but if you had to obtain SR-22 insurance, which that’s of course very case specific, whether or not you have to have that. That’s one cost.
And then there’s some classes that you may or may not have to do. There’s SATOP, Substance Abuse Traffic Offender Program. That’s about $500 all in, depending on which level. There’s a screening process, and then they place you in a certain level class. There’s [the] Victim Impact Panel, which is an online class. It’s like $90.
I don’t know, what would you say, Steve? Outside legal expenses? Maybe you’re looking at another $500? $600?
Steve Waterkotte: More than that.
Chris Combs: $750, maybe?
Steve Waterkotte: Yeah. And it could vary too. The big thing is what number DWI this is.
Chris Combs: Yeah. That is huge.
Steve Waterkotte: Typically you can avoid fines on a first one.
Scott Michael Dunn: You mean succession of how many have you had?
Chris Combs: Whether it’s a first offense.
Steve Waterkotte: If you’re looking at a second, third, again, as Chris said, you’re doing a SATOP, you’re doing an increased level course. It gets more expensive. Several thousand, a couple thousand. Again, there’s a big variance.
I always tell them [that] they’re going to nickel and dime you the whole way. People are amazed that and are like, “I got to pay to do community service?” I don’t know how many people get asked that when you’re giving free work to the community.
Scott Michael Dunn: You got to rent the vest.
Steve Waterkotte: At an animal shelter, Elks Lodge, a church, or whatever. And they’re like, “I’m paying?” Because there’s these administrative fees and so forth, they’ll nickel and dime.
What I always say is, “How valuable is your license?” I’ve never had a client come into my office, ever, and say, “I can afford to lose my license.”
And a lot of people work from home, right? Especially in the wake of COVID and post-COVID. But nobody has ever come into my office and said –
Chris Combs: I don’t care about the license part of the case.
Steve Waterkotte: Yeah. Your license is your livelihood. And even folks that work at home, they still have meetings and kids, picking carpool up, taking kids to sports.
It’s one of our most valuable assets. And for most people, it’s our way to a livelihood. So I say to them, “How valuable is your license?” Again, you get what you pay for.
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