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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
A Lawyer Who Teaches Other Lawyers
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 & Publications
Ohio Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Faculty Member, Spring 2022
Topic: Re-Examining the "Totality of Circumstances"
Topic: Trial Skills Workshop
DUI Defense Lawyers Association
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
The Missouri DWI Institute, LLC
Fall 2021: Co-Chair, Faculty
Topic: Re-Thinking to PBT: Admissibility v Reliability
Summer 2020: Co-Chair, Moderator, Faculty
Topic: Weighing Evidence: Probable Cause for a DWI Arrest
Missouri Solo & Small Firm Conference, Speaker
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
Bernard Edelman DWI Law & Science Seminar, Assistant Co-Chair, Speaker, Moderator
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
St. Louis County Police Academy, Speaker
Aug 3, 2018; October 27, 2018; May 4, 2018; August 11, 2017; May 12, 2017
Missouri Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Speaker, Jan 2019
Topic: 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”
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
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
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 - present
Personal Memberships
St. Peter Catholic Church, Parishioner
St. Charles City Parks and Recreation Board, Board Member, Board Secretary, 2020 - present St. Charles Liquor License Appeals Board, Board Member, 2021 - present
BCI, Board Member, 2022 - present
Federated Republican Women of St. Charles County, Member, 2022 - present
St. Charles County Pachyderm Club, Member, 2020 - present
Old Town Neighborhood Association, Member
Saint Charles Neighborhood Night Out, Volunteer
Community Involvement
Foster Adoption Support Team, Volunteer, 2021-present
Boone Center, Inc., Development Committee Volunteer, 2021-present
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
St. Charles Christmas Traditions Gingerbread Village, Judge, 2020 - present
Special Olympics Polar Plunge, 2014-2015
Operation: Reveille, Volunteer for homeless veterans, 2014
Denise L. Childress
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. She is engaged to lifelong St. Charles County resident Matthew Barker. Ms. Childress also 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 member of the Development Committee at Boone Center, Inc (BCI), a nonprofit company proud to provide employment opportunities for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in 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.
Ms. Childress has spent her career honing her skills in the specific area of DWI law. She can also help you out with various criminal charges and anything that comes with a ticket and points. In short, if you have had an encounter with a law enforcement officer in any capacity, she has you covered!
Ms. Childress is also experienced in handling driver's 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 39 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. 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 taught recruits at 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”). Ms. Childress is proud of her extensive multi-jurisdictional practice and has represented clients on the record regarding various matters in thirty-nine different counties throughout Missouri.
Originally from St. Louis, Missouri, Ms. Childress attended Truman State University. 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.
