DUI attorney near me in Union, MO. No one enjoys being arrested, but it is important to understand that driving under the influence in Union is treated as a serious offense in Missouri court. Regardless of the circumstances, when you are facing a conviction for driving drunk or high, a you need the best legal representation available to protect your rights and your future.
You deserve quality legal representation from an attorney who has a track record of winning in Union and Missouri. Depending on the details of your case, a savvy Union, MO DUI attorney near you will make the best of your situation. They may be able to get the prosecutor to drop the charges, have the charges reduced to lesser offenses, lead your case to trial to fight the conviction or negotiate a lesser punishment through a plea bargain. Their principle responsibility is to use the law to your benefit and guide you through the entire legal process for your Union, MO DUI case. For razor-sharp representation when you have been arrested of driving under the influence, speak to Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP.
Legal Videos
DWI Stop Advice – Always Have Your Paperwork Ready
DWI/DUI Stop Advice and Tips. Attorneys Christopher Combs and Steven Waterkotte provide a real-time walkthrough of the proper actions to take—and crucial mistakes to avoid—during a DWI/DUI …
(Making Of) DWI Behind the Scenes Video – Bonus Footage
Before we could shoot our behind-the-scenes video, there was… this. A quick glimpse at the setup, the laughs, and everything that didn’t quite make the final cut. While this is a fun video …
Behind the Scenes of a DWI/DUI Traffic Stop (Step-by-Step Walkthrough)
Missouri criminal defense and DWI attorneys Christopher Combs and Steven Waterkotte provide a real-time walkthrough of the proper actions to take—and crucial mistakes to avoid—during a DWI/DUI …
What Is the Process of Going to Court for a DWI?
What happens when you go to court for a DWI or DUI charge? Christopher Combs and Steven Waterkotte of Combs Waterkotte outline what to expect when going to court for a DWI or DUI.
Long Term Consequences of a DWI
What are the long-term consequences of a DWI? Christopher Combs and Steven Waterkotte of Combs Waterkotte discuss the potential long-term consequences of a DWI or DUI conviction on your …
What to Do If You Are Pulled Over for DWI in Missouri
What actions should you take if you are pulled over for suspicion of a DWI in Missouri? Christopher Combs and Steven Waterkotte of Combs Waterkotte discuss how to handle the difficult situation of …
DWI Stop Advice – Always Have Your Paperwork Ready
DWI/DUI Stop Advice and Tips. Attorneys Christopher Combs and Steven Waterkotte provide a real-time walkthrough of the proper actions to take—and crucial mistakes to avoid—during a DWI/DUI …
(Making Of) DWI Behind the Scenes Video – Bonus Footage
Before we could shoot our behind-the-scenes video, there was… this. A quick glimpse at the setup, the laughs, and everything that didn’t quite make the final cut. While this is a fun video …
Behind the Scenes of a DWI/DUI Traffic Stop (Step-by-Step Walkthrough)
Missouri criminal defense and DWI attorneys Christopher Combs and Steven Waterkotte provide a real-time walkthrough of the proper actions to take—and crucial mistakes to avoid—during a DWI/DUI …
What Is the Process of Going to Court for a DWI?
What happens when you go to court for a DWI or DUI charge? Christopher Combs and Steven Waterkotte of Combs Waterkotte outline what to expect when going to court for a DWI or DUI.
Long Term Consequences of a DWI
What are the long-term consequences of a DWI? Christopher Combs and Steven Waterkotte of Combs Waterkotte discuss the potential long-term consequences of a DWI or DUI conviction on your …
What to Do If You Are Pulled Over for DWI in Missouri
What actions should you take if you are pulled over for suspicion of a DWI in Missouri? Christopher Combs and Steven Waterkotte of Combs Waterkotte discuss how to handle the difficult situation of …
What is a DUI in Union, MO?
Commonly referred to as a DUI (which stands for driving under the influence, the offense is actually referred to a DWI (driving while intoxicated) in Missouri civil and criminal law. Missouri Revised Statute §577.010 and §577.012 outline what constitutes the crime of driving while intoxicated and defines the law Missouri courts must follow to sentence and punish DWI offenders, with the latter specific to driving with a BAC, or blood alcohol content, over the legal limit. After your Missouri DWI arrest, you may need a DUI attorney near Union, MO to fight for your freedom and protect you from unfair treatment by Missouri courts.
A person can be arrested for a DWI in Missouri for a variety of reasons. The law outlaws driving while intoxicated — not explicitly for driving under the influence of alcohol. While DWI arrests are often drunk driving allegations, you can also be arrested for a DWI due to allegedly operating a vehicle while under the influence of another psychoactive drug.
The same Missouri law prohibits driving while impared by intoxicating substances that impair your consciousness or motor skills. That means that a police officer can arrest you if they suspect that you are impaired, including being high as a result of marijuana or THC use or under the influence of narcotics or pharmaceuticals like opiates.
If you were arrested for driving under the influence in Missouri, speak to a DUI attorney near you as soon as possible. Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is a reuptable and capable Union-based DUI attorney near you, Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is accessible, diligent and skilled. For a trustworthy DUI attorney near you, call (314) 900-HELP.
Getting Stopped or Arrested for a DUI in Union, MO
You owe it to yourself to know your rights lest you are pulled over for driving under the influence. Speak to an experienced Union, MO DUI attorney near you with Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP to understand your rights and what you should do if you are ever stopped when driving in Missouri. And if you were already subjected to a traffic stop and were arrested for driving drunk or high, our outstanding Union, MO defense law firm will protect your rights and freedoms.
Learn the rules and procedure for regular traffic stops, sobriety tests and checkpoints.
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DUI Traffic Stops in Union, MO
A Missouri officer of the law must have reasonable suspicion that you are driving drunk in order to pull an individual over in Union, MO. In the case of a DWI, reasonable suspicion would be things like drifting out of lane, traveling on a road going in the wrong direction and other erratic driving behaviors such as inconsistencies in speed, swerving or alternating between braking and accelerating.
A police officer is not permitted to conduct a traffic stop unless there is reasonable suspicion that you are breaking the law by driving while intoxicated satisfy the more stringent burden of probable cause before they can place you under arrest for a DWI.
If you suspect that you were wrongly stopped for or accused of your Union, MO DWI, reach out to a DUI attorney near you as soon as possible. If an officer stopped you without any reasonable suspicion, even if they have proof that you were driving intoxicated, turn to a DUI attorney near you in Union, MO who can help get your case dismissed and put to rest so you can put this behind you and be free.
Sobriety Tests for DUIs in Union, MO
If a law officer stops you under suspicion of inhebriated driving, they will want to obtain proof to show that you are intoxicated. There are two types of tests Union, MO police officers typically use in traffic stops for driving under the influence: field sobriety tests and chemical tests.
- Chemical Tests (ie. a breathalizer)
In Union, MO stops for DUIs, chemical tests are often used as evidence to collect evidence that the driver had ingested drugs or alcohol. Chemical tests include tests of the blood, breath, saliva or urine that check for the presence and concentration of substances like alcohol.
Like most US states, Missouri has in place an implied consent law, pursuant to which, as a Union, MO driver or driver anywhere in Missouri, you automatically agree to submit to chemical sobriety tests simply by driving a vehicle. A good DUI attorney near you will tell you that you can refuse to submit to a chemical test like a breathalyzer, but refusal can carry a criminal charge in itself. Still, the police cannot physically force you to take the test.
If you already did a breathalyzer test, consult an experienced Union, MO DUI attorney near you to figure out your options and get the best quality defense in your case. As your DUI attorney near Union, MO, Combs Waterkotte will investigate and scrutinize the details of your test to determine if the breathalyzer or other test was performed as according to law and whether it is or is not admissible in court.
- Field Sobriety Tests
Field tests are subjective tests sometimes used during a DWI stop that attempt to gauge whether you are impaired by asking the driver to perform motor tasks. The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration has spelled out three standardized field tests police officers subject drivers to in Union, MO and all over the United States.
- Walk and turn – walk heel to toe in a straight line for nine steps, turn around and repeat in the opposite direction
- One leg stand – lift one leg six inches above the ground and stand on the other leg for a period of time without losing balance
- Gaze tests – the officer holds an object and asks the driver to follow the object with their gaze as the officer moves the object
It is your right in Missouri to refuse to perform a field test. If you are stopped and asked to perform field sobriety tests, call a DUI attorney near you in Union, MO as soon as possible. If you have already agreed to and participated in a field test and have been arrested for a DUI in Missouri, your Union, MO DUI attorney will build an insurmountable defense to your case or may even be able to suppress the field test evidence if they do not meet the rules of evidence in Missouri court.
Franklin County Resources
Below are quick links to important websites that may assist you with your legal matters in Franklin County and Missouri.
Traffic Checkpoints in Union, MO
A checkpoint is a roadblock temporarily set up on a roadway to systematically screen drivers for behaviors like driving under the influence. There are federal laws that regulate the carriage of DUI checkpoints, but each state has its own rules and some prohibit the use of checkpoints. Missouri lawmakers have debated banning sobriety checkpoints, but they are currently still allowed by Missouri law.
Police departments in Union and around Missouri do not use checkpoints as heavily as they did in the past, but it is still wise to educate yourself on your rights and the rules regulating checkpoints. If you are not sure, speak to a DUI attorney near you at (314) 900-HELP.
A lawful sobriety checkpoint is justified when the police can show it is closely related to roadway safety. A lawful DUI checkpoint is:
- announced to the public in advance
- sanctioned or planned by supervising law enforcement officers
- carried out in a way that is neutral to all drivers (i.e. randomly selected drivers)
- limited in time
- clearly associated with law enforcement
Perhaps most importantly, there must be a legitimate reason for implementing the checkpoint related to public safety, usually because the area has an abnormally high rate of drunk driving accidents.
If you approach a checkpoint in Union, MO, speak to a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you at (314) 900-HELP. Our experienced Union, MO attorneys will ferociously defend you and protect your rights in the court of law. Reach out to us online to discuss your case with a kind and cunning DUI attorney near you today.
Get the best quality criminal defense available in Union, MO through Combs Waterkotte. A Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you will protect you against the court and provide you with an infallible defense when you have been arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs in Union or anywhere in Missouri. Our team of Union, MO attorneys have expertise in a number of other case types, including:
Learn more about different kinds of DUI cases in Missouri and how Combs Waterkotte’s DUI attorneys in Union, MO can defend you.
- DWI/DUI Lawyer in St. Louis
- CDL DWI Lawyer in St. Louis
- DWI Accident Lawyer in St. Louis
- First Offense DWI Lawyer in St. Louis
- Marijuana DWI Lawyer in St. Louis
- Second Offense DWI Lawyer in St. Louis
- DWI with Drugs Lawyer in St. Louis
- Felony DWI Lawyer in St. Louis
- Hit and Run DWI Lawyer in St. Louis
- Other Criminal Defense Cases
Hire a DUI Attorney Near Me in Union, MO | Combs Waterkotte
There is no time to waste. If you have been stopped or arrested for driving under the influence near Union, MO, find a DUI attorney near you whom you can trust. Being arrested and convicted of a DWI or similar charge in Missouri is a serious matter that can carry significant consequences. Your future and freedom are on the line, and a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you in Union, MO can defend you. Contact our Union, MO defense law firm right away to consult a lawyer about your rights, your case and your future.
