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.

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

St. Charles County Bar Association, President, 2022

Missouri Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Amicus Committee Member, 2016 - present

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

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

The Missouri DWI Institute, LLC, Co-Founder, Faculty, 2020 - present

Missouri Society for Criminal Justice, Member, 2014 - present

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

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

St. Louis County Bar Association, Member

Personal Memberships

St. Peter Catholic Church, Parishioner

Federated Republican Women of St. Charles County, Member

St. Charles County Pachyderm Club, Member

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

Special Olympics Polar Plunge, 2014-2015

Operation: Reveille, Volunteer for homeless veterans, 2014