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Childress Legal, LLC

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  • Home
  • Denise L. Childress
  • Practice Areas
  • Testimonials & Results
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    • Home
    • Denise L. Childress
    • Practice Areas
    • Testimonials & Results
    • Missouri DWI Institute
    • Connect

Childress Legal, LLC

Childress Legal, LLCChildress Legal, LLCChildress Legal, LLC
  • Home
  • Denise L. Childress
  • Practice Areas
  • Testimonials & Results
  • Missouri DWI Institute
  • Connect

Experienced Trial Lawyer

Denise L. Childress is an experienced trial lawyer and the President of Childress Legal, LLC. She is licensed to practice law in the State of Missouri.

Education

Saint Louis University School of Law, Juris Doctorate, 2012

Truman State University, Bachelor of Science in Justice Systems with a Minor in Spanish, 2009

Nerinx Hall High School, 2005

Continuing Legal Education

One of Ms. Childress's core values is to be as educated in her field as possible because it allows her to strive for excellence in representing her clients. Every year Missouri lawyers are required to have a minimum of 15.0 hours of continuing legal education. Based on her years in practice, Ms. Childress is required to have a minimum of 165 hours, but instead has amassed 784.5 hours of reported continuing legal education. 


Not only is education important to Ms. Childress, but she also values ethics and integrity. Every year, Missouri lawyers are required to have a minimum of 3.0 hours of continuing legal education in ethics. Based on her years of practice, Ms. Childress is required to have a minimum of 33 hours, but instead has amassed 87.7 hours of reported continuing legal education in ethics.

A Lawyer Who Teaches Others

Drawing from her extensive courtroom experience and continuing education and training, Ms. Childress teaches other lawyers, judges, and law enforcement both locally and nationally the law and science of driving while intoxicated. She is proud to be the lawyer hired by other lawyers.

Educational Engagements, Media Interviews, & Publications

The Highway Podcast, Featured Guest

         Season 1, Episode 9:   Sweaty, Nervous, & Afraid, 

                                                 LISTEN HERE.

         Season 2, Episode 11: A Defense Attorney, a State Rep, and a Cop Walk into a Bar, Pt 1, 

                                                 LISTEN HERE. 

         Season 2, Episode 12: A Defense Attorney, a State Rep, and a Cop Walk into a Bar, Pt 2,

                                                 LISTEN HERE. 


Missouri State Highway Patrol Academy, Civilian Instructor

         September 10, 2024; April 10, 2024; November 21, 2023; April 7, 2023 

St. Louis County Police Academy, Civilian Instructor

         Nov 22, 2022; Aug 3, 2018; October 27, 2018; May 4, 2018; August 11, 2017; May 12, 2017


St. Charles County Sheriff's Department Citizen Police Academy 2.0, Civilian Instructor

         October 29, 2024; March 19, 2024; May 2, 2023


Sheriff Lewis Investigates, Featured Guest

         December 16, 2023, radio broadcast. LISTEN HERE.


Saint Charles County Pachyderm Club, Speaker

         Aug 2024: United States Supreme Court Recap, October Term 2023 

         Oct 2023: A Boots on the Ground Look at Protecting Constitutional Rights in Court


Lewis & Clark Pachyderm Club, Speaker 

         July 2023: A Boots on the Ground Look at Protecting Constitutional Rights in Court


Saint Louis County Pachyderm Club, Speaker

         Nov 2024: All About Missouri's Judges: Popular Vote v Nonpartisan Court Plan

Missouri Solo & Small Firm Conference, Speaker 

         June 2024: Re-examining "the totality of circumstances" in a DWI arrest 

         June 2023: Intro to Standardized Field Sobriety Testing

         June 2021: What to Do with Your First Criminal Law Case

         June 2021: To Blow or Not to Blow: A Crash Course for the Non-DWI Practitioner

         June 2017: Handling a Traffic Case Post-Ferguson


The Missouri DWI Institute, LLC

         Fall 2023: What Missouri Public Defenders Need to Know About Driver's Licensing Actions

         Fall 2022: Police Academy Training for Lawyers: NHTSA DWI Detection & 

                  Standardized Field Sobriety Testing, Co-Chair, Faculty

                  Topic: Session 3: The Legal Environment

                  Topic: Recognizing Implicit Bias in DWI Investigations 

                  Topic: Session 12: Video and Report Analysis and Trial Prep
                 Topic: Session 13: Moot Court 

                  Topic: Diligent DWI Defense: Measures Required to Vindicate your Client's Cause

                  Topic: Session 14: "Testing Subjects" Practice Session: WET LAB

         Fall 2021: Co-Chair, Faculty 

                  Topic: Re-Thinking the PBT: Admissibility v Reliability

         Summer 2020: Co-Chair, Moderator, Faculty

                  Topic: Weighing Evidence: Probable Cause for a DWI Arrest

Ohio Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Faculty Member, Spring 2022  

         Topic: Re-Examining the "Totality of Circumstances"

         Topic: Trial Skills Workshop


Ohio State Bar Association, Faculty Member

         Nov 2024: Beginning an OVI Representation 

DUI Defense Lawyers Association

         Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: CLE Chair, Faculty Member, Spring 2025

                  Topic: Fourth Freedom: DWI Probable Cause Analysis 

         Austin, Texas: CLE Chair, Fall 2024

         Orlando, Florida: CLE Chair, Spring 2024

         Atlanta, Georgia: CLE Chair, Faculty Member, Fall 2023

                  Topic: Unsportsmanlike Conduct: Exploring Bias & Professionalism in DUI Cases 

         Nashville, Tennessee: CLE Chair, Spring 2023

         Denver, Colorado: Course Director, Faculty Member, Spring 2022 

                  Topic: Cops as Witnesses: Framing Their Character to Shape Your Narrative

         Chicago, Illinois: Faculty Member, Fall 2021

                  Topic: Preparing for Hearings and Trials

         Charleston, South Carolina: Faculty Member, Spring 2021  

                  Topic: Improv for Lawyers: Small Group Trial Skills Breakout Session

Bernard Edelman DWI Law & Science Seminar, Assistant Co-Chair, Speaker, Moderator                                    

         July 2024: Ignition Interlock 101: Science, Discovery, Defenses, & More 

         July 2019: Making the Record and Winning Your Case Through Proposed Judgments

         July 2018: Defending Against PBTs and No SFST Counties

         July 2017: Nuts & Bolts of Admin Hearings and Refusals

         July 2016: Ethics: The Second Hour - Electronics and Rule 4

         July 2015: Moderator

         July 2014: Moderator


Saint Charles County Bar Association, Speaker, 2019

         Topic: To Blow or Not to Blow: A Crash Course for the Non-DWI Practitioner


Missouri Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Speaker

         Jan 2014: Ethical Considerations When Dealing with Difficult People and Situations


American Bar Association, Research Contributor, 2012     "Evaluating Fairness and Accuracy in State Death Penalty Systems: The Missouri Death Penalty Assessment Report, An Analysis of Missouri’s Death Penalty  Laws, Procedures, and Practices”  

A Lawyer Recognized by Her Peers

Ms. Childress Proudly Earns Recognition in her Field

Unfortunately, many awards in the legal field are for sale and no one is the wiser. However, Ms. Childress has never paid one penny towards any award she has received. Instead, the below awards were truly earned.

Professional Awards

2024 Missouri Rising Stars List, Super Lawyers, Thomson Reuters, 2024

Women's Justice Award for General Practitioner, Missouri Lawyers Weekly, 2020

President's Award for Distinguished Service, Missouri Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, 2019

Up & Coming Law Firm Leader Award, Missouri Lawyers Weekly, 2016

A Lawyer Involved in Her Community

Ms. Childress Volunteers her Time and Invests in Community

Ms. Childress strives to be a well-rounded woman. Ms. Childress believes that to better represent her clients, and to grow as an individual, she must remain plugged in to the communities around her, both professional and personal. Ms. Childress volunteers her time in many ways throughout both her professional and personal communities to give back in honor of the many blessings she has received.

Professional Memberships

The Missouri Bar, Member in Good Standing, 2012 - present

St. Charles County Bar Association, Member, Past President, 2019 - present
St. Louis County Bar Association, Member 2013-2015, 2020 - present
The Missouri DWI Institute, LLC, Co-Founder, Faculty, 2020 - present 

Missouri Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Amicus Committee Member, 2016 - present
Missouri Society for Criminal Justice, Member, 2014 - present 

The DUI Defense Lawyers Association, Board Member, Course Director, Faculty, 2020 - present

National College for DUI Defense, Forensic Science Committee, 2020 - present

American Association of Premier DUI Attorneys, State Ambassador, 2020 - 2023

Personal Memberships

St. Peter Catholic Church, Parishioner

Boone Center Inc., Board Member, Chair of Community Development Committee 2022 - present 

Federated Republican Women of St. Charles County, Member, 2022 - present

St. Charles County Pachyderm Club, Board Member, Member, 2020 - present

Missouri Federation of Republican Woman, Parliamentarian, 2023 - present

St. Charles City Parks and Recreation Board, Board Member, Board Secretary, 2020 - 2024

St. Charles Liquor License Appeals Board, Board Member, 2021 - 2022

Old Town Neighborhood Association, Member

Community Involvement

Foster Adoption Support Team, Volunteer, 2021-present

BCI, Development Committee Volunteer,  2021-present 

St. Charles Christmas Traditions Gingerbread Village, Judge, 2020 - present
Saint Charles Neighborhood Night Out, Volunteer, 2015-2019

Saint Charles County Public Defender Overflow Counsel, Pro Bono,  2019-present

Warrenton City Municipal Court Appointed Counsel, 2017-present

Green Beret Casualty Fund Benefit for Special Forces Association, Volunteer, 2014-2016 

Special Olympics Polar Plunge, 2014-2015

Operation: Reveille, Volunteer for homeless veterans, 2014 

Denise L. Childress

Ms. Childress has spent her career honing her skills in the specific area of DWI law. She also helps individuals with various criminal charges and anything that comes with a ticket and points. She is proud to defend both the Missouri and United States Constitutions every day in court, holding the line between Joe Citizen and the Government. The Government has to get through me before they get to you. In short, if you have had an encounter with a law enforcement officer in any capacity, she has you covered! 


Ms. Childress is experienced in handling driver licensing matters: if your driving privileges have been suspended, revoked, disqualified, or denied, Ms. Childress may be able to help you get reinstated or obtain a limited or restricted driving privilege. If you are on a five or ten year denial, the laws may have changed since your denial began and you may now be eligible for a Limited Driving Privilege where you weren't before. If you're not sure whether this applies to you, contact Ms. Childress - she may be able to help you start driving again! Ms. Childress has extensive experience with CDL holders whose jobs depend on holding a valid license and is familiar with the unique associated challenges.


She has had the privilege to try many civil DWI cases all over the state of Missouri, appearing on the record in 41 counties. She has cross-examined the Senior Public Health Laboratory Scientist for the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, as well as other government expert witnesses. 


She's proud to say that she has built a strong reputation in the legal community and is a sought-after educator in her field. In 2020, Ms. Childress founded The Missouri DWI Institute, which launched with a two-day live online conference, The 2020 Missouri DWI Institute. The Missouri DWI Institute's mission is to educate Missouri lawyers, judges, and law enforcement officers on the scientific and technical aspects of DWI law. Ms. Childress has also instructed recruits at the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the  Saint Louis County Police Academy.


Ms. Childress has argued before the Court of Appeals for the Eastern District of Missouri and the Court of Appeals for the Southern District of Missouri and has written two Amicus Briefs in the Missouri Supreme Court on behalf of the Missouri Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (“MACDL”). 

Originally from St. Louis, Ms. Childress now lives in Saint Charles, Missouri, and enjoys spending time with her three-legged rescue dog, Holly, who is a brindle Plott Hound. . 


Ms. Childress obtained her JD from SLU Law and attended Truman State University for undergrad. While in college, Ms. Childress played goalie for Truman’s seventh-ranked varsity soccer team all four years. She also played varsity soccer at her alma mater, Nerinx Hall. In 2008, Ms. Childress spent a month living with a local family in Santa Ana, Costa Rica while attending a Full Immersion Spanish Program at the Centro Linguistico, Conversa. 


Ms. Childress enjoys volunteering her time within the community. She volunteers at the Foster Adoption Support Team St. Charles (FAST) food pantry and clothing closet to help support the foster families and the foster children within St. Charles County. She also volunteers as a Board member at Boone Center, Inc (BCI), a nonprofit company proud to provide employment opportunities for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the St. Charles region and beyond. She is also particularly proud to volunteer on the Board of Directors for the St. Charles City Parks and Recreation Department, which provides parks, facilities and programs to enrich the quality of life for residents and visitors, while preserving green space for future generations to enjoy.


Disclaimer

  The information you obtain at this site is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice. You should consult an attorney for advice regarding your individual situation. We invite you to contact us and welcome your calls, letters, and electronic mail. Contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship. Please do not send any confidential information to us until such time as an attorney-client relationship has been established. The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely on advertisements. Past results afford no guarantee of future results. Every case must be judged on its own merits.  This website contains simulated portrayals of a client, victim, scene, or event.  

Childress Legal, LLC

709 South Fifth Street, St. Charles Missouri 63301*

(314) 956-7099

 *by appointment only 

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