DUI attorney near me in Atchison County, MO. No one enjoys being arrested, but it is important to understand that driving under the influence in Atchison County is treated as a serious offense in Missouri court. Regardless of the situation, when you are arrested for driving drunk or high, a you need the best legal representation available to fight on your behalf and protect your future.
You deserve a talented defense attorney who has successfully defended against DUI convictions in Atchison County and Missouri. Depending on the circumstances, a sharp Atchison County, MO DUI attorney near you may be able to get the prosecutor to drop the charges, reduce the charges to lesser offenses, lead your case to trial to fight the conviction or work with the prosecutor to negotiate a plea bargain. Most importantly, they will use the law to your benefit and guide you through the entire legal process for your Atchison County, MO DUI case. For dedicated, aggressive defense against injustice after you have been accused of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, call Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP.
Legal Videos
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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 …
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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 …
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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 Atchison County, MO?
Though many people refer to it 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 courts. Missouri Revised Statute §577.010 and §577.012 define what constitutes the crime of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and defines the guidelines Missouri courts must follow to sentence and punish DWI offenders for operating a vehicle with a BAC (blood alcohol content) over the legal limit or while otherwise intoxicated. If you have been arrested in Missouri for a DWI, focus on finding a DUI attorney near Atchison County, MO to fight for your freedom and help you navigate what can be an intimidating Missouri court process.
A police officer may arrest someone for a DWI in Missouri for a number of reasons. The law prohibits driving while intoxicated — not explicitly for driving under the influence of alcohol. Though many DWI arrests in Missouri are done based on drunk driving allegations, you can also be arrested for a DWI due to allegedly driving a vehicle while impaired by some kind of psychoactive drug.
The DWI law in Missouri criminalizes not only drinking and driving, but also driving while intoxicated by intoxicating substances that impair skills necessary to driving including motor skills, reaction time and decision making. 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 or a family member have been arrested for driving under the influence in Missouri, reach out to a DUI attorney near you right away. Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is a reuptable and capable Atchison County-based DUI attorney near you. For a trustworthy DUI attorney near you, call (314) 900-HELP.
DUI Stops and Arrests in Atchison County, MO
You owe it to yourself to know your rights lest you are stopped for operating a vehicle while under the influence. Reach out to Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP immediately to speak to a leading Atchison County, MO DUI attorney near you and learn about your rights and what steps to take if you are ever stopped when operating a vehicle in Missouri. And if you have already gone through being pulled over and arrested for driving drunk or high, our outstanding Atchison County, MO defense law firm will fight for your freedom and justice.
Know the rules and procedure for Missouri traffic stops, sobriety tests and sobriety checkpoints.
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DUI Traffic Stops in Atchison County, MO
In order to pull someone over, a Atchison County, MO or any Missouri police officer must have reasonable suspicion. 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 any other behaviors such as driving extremely slow or fast, swerving or braking.
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 meet the higher burden of probable cause before they can place you under arrest for a DWI.
If you feel that you were unlawfully stopped or arrested for your Atchison County, MO DWI, contact a DUI attorney near you right away. If an officer stopped you without any reasonable suspicion, even if they then obtained evidence that you were driving drunk, turn to a DUI attorney near you in Atchison County, MO who will help get the prosecutor to dismiss your case so you can put this behind you and be free.
Sobriety Tests for DUIs in Atchison County, MO
If a law officer stops you due to suspected intoxicated driving, they will likely try to get you to do a test to prove that you are under the influence. When it comes to roadside tests used by Atchison 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)
In Atchison County, MO stops for DUIs, they often turn to chemical tests 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 various substances including alcohol.
Each state has its own laws and many, including Missouri have what is known as an implied consent law, via which, as a Atchison County, MO driver or driver anywhere in Missouri, you automatically agree to submit to chemical sobriety tests simply by operating a vehicle. A good DUI attorney near you will counsel you to know that you can refuse to submit to a breathalyzer or other chemical test, but you can face legal consequences for the act of refusing the test. Still, the police cannot physically force you to take the test.
If you do take a breathalyzer test, consult an exemplary Atchison 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 Atchison County, MO, Combs Waterkotte will investigate and scrutinize the details of your test to conclude if the breathalyzer or other test was administered 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 determine whether you are intoxicated through a series of demonstrative tasks. The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration has spelled out three standardized field tests police officers subject drivers to in Atchison County, MO and throughout 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 Atchison County, MO as soon as you can. If you have already agreed to and performed a field test and were then arrested for a DUI in Missouri, your Atchison County, MO DUI attorney will build a 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.
Atchison County Resources
Below are quick links to important websites that may assist you with your legal matters in Atchison County and Missouri.
Traffic Checkpoints in Atchison County, MO
A checkpoint is a roadblock temporarily set up on a roadway as a way to randomly check drivers for driving under the influence. There are federal laws allowing but regulating the carriage of DUI checkpoints, but each state has its own rules and some prohibit the use of checkpoints. Missouri lawmakers have entertained banning sobriety checkpoints, but curent Missouri law still allows police to use them.
Checkpoints in Atchison County and throughout Missouri are not as prevalent as they once were, but you should still educate yourself on your rights and the rules regulating checkpoints. When it doubt, 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 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
- visibly associated with law enforcement
Perhaps most importantly, 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 Atchison County, MO, call (314) 900-HELP to talk to a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you immediately. Our skilled Atchison County, MO attorneys will tenaciously 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 Atchison 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 of alcohol or drugs in Atchison County or anywhere in Missouri. Our team of Atchison County, MO attorneys have expertise in a wide range of other case types, including:
Click below to learn more about the different DUI charges in Missouri and how Combs Waterkotte’s DUI attorneys in Atchison County, MO can defend you.
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Work with a Top DUI Attorney Near Me in Atchison County, MO | Combs Waterkotte
There is no time to waste. If you were stopped or arrested for driving under the influence near Atchison 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. When your freedom and future are at risk a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you in Atchison County, MO will protect you. Contact our Atchison County, MO defense law firm right away to consult a lawyer about your rights, your case and your future.
