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DUI Attorney Near Me Barry County, MO

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Last Updated: September 27, 2024

DUI attorney near me in Barry County, MO. Being arrested for driving under the influence in Barry County, MO is a serious matter. Regardless of the details of your situation, when you are facing a conviction for driving under the influence by drugs or alcohol, find an attorney you can trust to fight on your behalf and protect your future.

You deserve a talented defense attorney who has successfully defended against DUI convictions in Barry County and Missouri. Depending on the details of your case, a savvy DUI attorney near Barry County, MO will make the best of your situation. They may be able to get the prosecutor to drop the charges, reduce the charges to lesser offenses, fight the conviction in a trial or work with the prosecutor to negotiate a plea bargain. Most importantly, they will navigate the law and the entire legal process for your Barry County, MO DUI case. For dedicated, aggressive defense against injustice after being arrested of driving under the influence, call Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP.


DWI Stop Advice - Always Have Your Paperwork Ready
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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
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(Making Of) DWI Behind the Scenes Video – Bonus Footage

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Behind the Scenes of a DWI/DUI Traffic Stop (Step-by-Step Walkthrough)
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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 …

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What Is the Process of Going to Court for a DWI?

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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
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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 should you look for when hiring a DWI attorney?
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What should you look for when hiring a DWI attorney?

A drunk driving charge (DWI/DUI) doesn't have to wreck your bank account or cost you your driving license. Christopher Combs and Steven Waterkotte of Combs Waterkotte discuss what you should look …

What is an ignition interlock device and when is it required?
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What is an ignition interlock device and when is it required?

What is the purpose of the ignition interlock device, and when are you required to install one on your vehicle? Christopher Combs and Steven Waterkotte of Combs Waterkotte discuss what an ignition …

DWI Stop Advice - Always Have Your Paperwork Ready
Play video

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
Play video

(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)
Play 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?
Play video

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
Play video

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
Play video

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 should you look for when hiring a DWI attorney?
Play video

What should you look for when hiring a DWI attorney?

A drunk driving charge (DWI/DUI) doesn't have to wreck your bank account or cost you your driving license. Christopher Combs and Steven Waterkotte of Combs Waterkotte discuss what you should look …

What is an ignition interlock device and when is it required?
Play video

What is an ignition interlock device and when is it required?

What is the purpose of the ignition interlock device, and when are you required to install one on your vehicle? Christopher Combs and Steven Waterkotte of Combs Waterkotte discuss what an ignition …


What is a DUI in Barry County, MO?

Though people often 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 law. 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 those convicted of a DWI 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 Barry County, MO who will stand up on your behalf and help you navigate what can be an intimidating Missouri court process.

You could be arrested for a DWI in Missouri for a long list of reasons. The law prohibits driving while intoxicated — not explicitly for driving under the influence of alcohol. Though DWI arrests are often accusations of driving drunk, you can also be arrested for a DWI due to allegedly operating a vehicle while under the influence of some kind of psychoactive drug.

The same Missouri law prohibits 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 are liable to arrest if a police officer believes 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, contact a DUI attorney near you right away. Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is a reuptable and capable Barry County-based DUI attorney near you. For a trustworthy DUI attorney near you, call (314) 900-HELP.

DUI Stops and Arrests in Barry County, MO

You owe it to yourself to know your rights lest you are pulled over for operating a vehicle while under the influence. Speak to an experienced Barry County, MO DUI attorney near you with Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP to learn about your rights and what steps to take if an officer ever stops you while you are driving in Missouri. And if you have already gone through a traffic stop and were arrested for intoxicated driving, our unstoppable Barry County, MO defense attorneys will fight for your freedom and justice.

Know the rules and procedure for Missouri traffic stops, sobriety tests and checkpoints.

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DUI Traffic Stops in Barry 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 Barry County, MO. In the case of a DWI, reasonable suspicion could be things like drifting out of lane, traveling the wrong way down a road and any other driving behaviors such as inconsistencies in speed, swerving or stopping and going.

A police officer is not permitted to stop you unless they can identify reasonable suspicion that you are committing the crime of driving while intoxicated meet the higher burden of probable cause before they can place you under arrest for a DWI.

If you suspect that you were unlawfully stopped for or accused of your Barry County, MO DWI, contact a DUI attorney near you at your earliest opportunity. If an officer stopped you without any reasonable suspicion, even if they have proof that you were driving drunk, turn to a DUI attorney near you in Barry County, 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 Barry County, MO

If a law officer stops you under suspicion of intoxicated driving, they will want to obtain proof to show that you are under the influence. When it comes to roadside tests used by Barry County, MO police officers to determine intoxication, there are two primary types they may utilize: field sobriety tests and chemical tests.

  1. Chemical Tests (ie. a breathalizer)

    When police officers stop drivers in Barry County MO for DUIs, they often turn to chemical tests to collect evidence that the driver had ingested drugs or alcohol. 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 substances like alcohol.

    Each state has its own laws and many, including Missouri have what is known as an implied consent law, via whichBarry County, MO and other Missouri drivers automatically consent to submit to chemical sobriety tests simply by getting behind the wheel. A good DUI attorney near you will tell you 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, you cannot be physically forced to produce a sample.

    If you do take a breathalyzer test, consult an exemplary Barry 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 Barry County, MO, Combs Waterkotte will investigate and scrutinize the details of your test to conclude if the breathalyzer or other test was performed legally and whether it should or should not be admissible in court.

  2. Field Sobriety Tests

    Field tests are subjective tests sometimes used during a DWI stop that are designed to determine whether you are impaired through a series of demonstrative tasks. The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration has defined three standardized field tests police officers subject drivers to in Barry 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

    As a Missouri driver, you have the right 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 Barry County, MO immediately. If you already agreed to and participated in a field test and have been arrested for a DUI in Missouri, your Barry County, MO DUI attorney will design 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 Barry County, MO

A checkpoint is a roadblock temporarily set up on a roadway to systematically screen drivers for driving under the influence. Federal law allows the use of DUI checkpoints by police departments, but they must meet certain standards. Missouri lawmakers have entertained banning sobriety checkpoints, but curent Missouri law still allows police to use them.

Police departments in Barry County and around Missouri do not use checkpoints as heavily as they used to, but it is still prudent to educate yourself on your rights and the rules checkpoints must follow. 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. DUI checkpoints should be:

  • 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 logical reason for implementing the checkpoint related to public safety, .

If you are going through a checkpoint in Barry County, MO, speak to a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you at (314) 900-HELP. Our determined Barry County, MO attorneys will tenaciously defend you and protect your rights in the court of law. Contact us online to review your case with a kind and cunning DUI attorney near you today.

Get the best quality criminal defense available in Barry County, MO through Combs Waterkotte. At Combs Waterkotte, a DUI attorney near you will protect you against the court and navigate the legal process when you have been arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs in Barry County or anywhere in Missouri. Our team of Barry County, MO attorneys have expertise in a number of other case types, including:

Learn more about the different DUI cases in Missouri and what the DUI attorneys near you with Combs Waterkotte near Barry County, MO can do to help you.

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

There is no time to waste. If you were stopped or arrested for driving under the influence near Barry 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 Barry County, MO can defend you. Contact our Barry County, MO defense law firm right away to discuss your rights, your case and your future.

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