DUI Attorney Near Me Callaway County, MO

DUI Attorney Near Me Callaway County, MO. No one enjoys being arrested, but it is important to understand that driving under the influence in Callaway County is treated as a serious offense in Missouri court. Regardless of the situation, when you are facing a conviction for driving under the influence by drugs or alcohol, a you need the best legal representation available to protect your rights and your future.

You deserve a talented defense attorney who has a track record of winning in Callaway County and Missouri. Depending on the details of your case, an astute DUI attorney near Callaway County, MO may be able to get the charges dropped, have the charges reduced to lesser offenses, fight the conviction in a trial or negotiate a lesser punishment through a plea bargain. Most importantly, they will use the law to your benefit and guide you through all legal proceedings for your Callaway County, MO DUI case. For dedicated, aggressive defense against injustice when you have been arrested of driving under the influence, call Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP.

What is a DUI in Callaway County, MO?

Though many people refer to it as a DUI (which stands for driving under the influence, the official nomenclature used in Missouri courts is a DWI (driving while intoxicated). Missouri Revised Statute §577.010 and §577.012 define the definition of the crime of driving under the influence and specifies the guidelines for sentencing and punishments for those convicted of a DWI, with the latter specific to driving with a BAC, or blood alcohol content, over the legal limit. If you have been arrested in Missouri for a DWI, focus on finding a DUI attorney near Callaway County, MO who will stand up on your behalf and protect you from unfair treatment by Missouri courts.

A police officer may arrest someone for a DWI in Missouri for a variety of reasons. Under Missouri law, it is illegal to drive while intoxicated, including but not limited to driving under the influence of alcohol. While many DWI arrests in Missouri are done based on drunk driving allegations, you can also be arrested for a DWI due to allegedly operating a vehicle while under the influence of another intoxicating substance.

The DWI law in Missouri criminalizes not only drinking and driving, but also driving while intoxicated by drugs or substances that impair skills necessary to driving including motor skills, reaction time and decision making. That means that you can be subject to arrest if a police officer believes that you are impaired, including due to ingesting marijuana or even narcotics or pharmaceuticals like opiates.

If you or a family member have been arrested for driving while intoxicated in Missouri, speak to a DUI attorney near you right away. Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is a reuptable and capable Callaway County-based DUI attorney near you. For a trustworthy DUI attorney near you, call (314) 900-HELP.

DUI Stops and Arrests in Callaway County, MO

It is critical that you know your rights in the event that you are pulled over for operating a vehicle while under the influence. Speak to an experienced Callaway County, 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 operating a vehicle in Missouri. And if you were already subjected to a traffic stop and were arrested for intoxicated driving, our outstanding Callaway County, MO defense attorneys will fight for your freedom and justice.

Know the rules and what to expect for Missouri traffic stops, sobriety tests and sobriety checkpoints.

DUI Traffic Stops in Callaway County, MO

A Missouri officer of the law must have reasonable suspicion that you are driving drunk in order to pull an individual over in Callaway County, MO. In the case of a DWI, reasonable suspicion could be things like drifting out of lane, going the wrong way down a road and any other behaviors such as inconsistencies in speed, swerving or braking.

A police officer must have reasonable suspicion that you were driving under the influence in order to stop you, and are required to satisfy the higher burden of probable cause before they can arrest you for a DWI.

If you suspect that you were improperly stopped for or accused of your Callaway County, MO DWI, reach out to a DUI attorney near you at your earliest opportunity. If you were stopped by an officer without giving them reasonable suspicion, even if they then obtained evidence that you were driving drunk, a DUI attorney near Callaway County, MO can fight to get the prosecutor to dismiss your case so you can move forward in your life.

Sobriety Tests for DUIs in Callaway County, MO

If you are pulled over by an officer due to suspected inhebriated driving, they will want to obtain proof to show that you are under the influence. When it comes to roadside tests used by Callaway County, MO police officers to determine intoxication, there are two primary types they may utilize: field sobriety tests and chemical tests.

Chemical Tests (ie. a breathalizer)
When police officers stop drivers in Callaway County MO for driving while intoxicated, chemical tests are often used as evidence to prove that the driver was under the influence at the time of the stop. There are a few different types of chemical tests using bodily samples from blood to breath to saliva to urine that check for the presence and concentration of various substances including alcohol.

Each state has its own laws and many, including Missouri have in place an implied consent law, pursuant to which, as a Callaway County, MO driver or driver anywhere in Missouri, you automatically consent to submit to chemical sobriety tests just by getting behind the wheel. A good DUI attorney near you will counsel you to know that you can refuse to a chemical test like a breathalyzer, but you can face legal consequences for the act of refusing the test. Still, you cannot be physically forced to produce a sample.

If you already did a breathalyzer test, speak to an exemplary Callaway County, MO DUI attorney near you to figure out your options and get the best quality defense in your case. As your DUI attorney near Callaway County, MO, Combs Waterkotte will investigate and scrutinize the details of your test to determine if the breathalyzer or other test was administered legally 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 are meant to gauge whether you are impaired by asking the driver to perform motor tasks. The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration has specified three standardized field tests that police officers can use to test drivers in Callaway County, MO and throughout the United States.
1. Walk and turn – walk heel to toe in a straight line for nine steps, turn around and repeat in the opposite direction
2. 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
3. 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 a police officer stops you and asks you to perform field sobriety tests, call a DUI attorney near you in Callaway County, MO as soon as you can. If you already performed a field test and were then arrested for a DUI in Missouri, your Callaway County, MO DUI attorney will build an impenetrable defense to your case or ensure that evidence that does not meet Missouri’s rules of evidence such as improperly obtained sobriety tests are not used against you in Missouri court.

Traffic Checkpoints in Callaway County, MO

A checkpoint is a temporary roadblock used to randomly check drivers for behaviors like driving under the influence. Federal law allows the use of DUI checkpoints by police departments, but they must meet certain standards. Lawmakers in Missouri have explored banning sobriety checkpoints, but curent Missouri law still allows their use.

Police departments in Callaway County and around Missouri do not use checkpoints as heavily as they used to, but you should still familiarize yourself with your rights and the rules checkpoints must follow. If you are not sure, call a DUI attorney near you at (314) 900-HELP.

The police must be able to justify the use and location for a sobriety checkpoint by showing that the decisions are directly related to public safety. A lawful DUI checkpoint is:

announced to the public in advance
organized 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

In addition, there must be a logical reason for implementing the checkpoint related to public safety, such as an area where a higher-than-average rate of drunk driving-related accidents has occurred.

If you find yourself at a checkpoint in Callaway County, MO, speak to a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you at (314) 900-HELP. Our experienced Callaway County, MO attorneys will fearlessly defend you and protect your rights in the court of law. Reach out to us online to review your situation with a compassionate and cunning DUI attorney near you today.

Get the best quality criminal defense available in Callaway County, MO through Combs Waterkotte. A Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you will fight for your rights and navigate the legal process when you have been arrested for driving under the influence in Callaway County or anywhere in Missouri. Our team of Callaway County, MO attorneys have expertise in a wide range of other case types, including:

Learn more about the different DUI charges in Missouri and how Combs Waterkotte’s DUI attorneys in Callaway County, MO can defend you.

Hire a DUI Attorney Near Me in Callaway County, MO | Combs Waterkotte

Do not waste any time. If you were stopped or arrested for driving under the influence near Callaway County, 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 Callaway County, MO can defend you. Contact our Callaway County, MO defense law firm right away to discuss your rights, your case and your future.

Callaway County, MO