DUI attorney near me in Buchanan County, MO. No one enjoys being arrested, but it is important to understand that driving under the influence in Buchanan County is treated as a serious offense in Missouri court. Whatever 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 a talented defense attorney who has successfully defended against DUI convictions in Buchanan County and Missouri. Depending on the circumstances, an astute DUI attorney near Buchanan County, MO will make the best of your situation. They may be able to get the charges dropped, 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 Buchanan County, MO DUI case. For razor-sharp representation after being 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 …
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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 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.
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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 …
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 Buchanan 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 outline what constitutes the crime of driving while intoxicated and lays forth the guidelines for sentencing and punishments for those convicted of a DWI for operating a vehicle with a BAC (blood alcohol content) over the legal limit or while otherwise intoxicated. After your Missouri DWI arrest, you deserve a DUI attorney near Buchanan County, MO to fight for your freedom and protect you from unfair treatment by Missouri courts.
You could be arrested for a DWI in Missouri for a long list of reasons. Under Missouri law, it is illegal to drive while intoxicated, and that covers more than just driving under the influence of alcohol. While many DWI arrests in Missouri are done based on accusations of driving drunk, you can also be arrested for a DWI on suspicion of operating a vehicle while impaired by another psychoactive drug.
The DWI law in Missouri criminalizes not only drinking and driving, but also driving while impared by drugs that impair your consciousness or motor skills. That means that you can be subject 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 were arrested for a DWI in Missouri, contact a DUI attorney near you as soon as possible. Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is a skilled Buchanan County-based DUI attorney near you, Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is dedicated, diligent and sharp. When you need a DUI attorney near you whom you can trust, call (314) 900-HELP.
Getting Stopped or Arrested for a DUI in Buchanan County, MO
You owe it to yourself to know your rights lest you are pulled over for driving intoxicated. Call Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP immediately to speak to a leading Buchanan County, MO DUI attorney near you and understand your rights and what to do if an officer ever stops you while you are operating a vehicle in Missouri. And if you have already gone through a traffic stop and were arrested for driving drunk or high, our incredible Buchanan County, MO defense law firm will fight for your freedom and justice.
Find out about the rules and what to expect for Missouri traffic stops, sobriety tests and sobriety checkpoints.
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DUI Traffic Stops in Buchanan County, MO
In order to pull someone over, a Buchanan County, MO or any Missouri police officer must have reasonable suspicion. In the case of a DWI, reasonable suspicion could be things like drifting out of lane, driving the wrong way down a road and any other behaviors such as driving extremely slow or fast, swerving or stopping and going.
A police officer is not allowed to conduct a traffic stop unless there is reasonable suspicion that you are committing the crime of driving while intoxicated satisfy the higher burden of probable cause in order to actually arrest you for a DWI.
If you believe that you were wrongly stopped for or accused of your Buchanan County, MO DWI, contact a DUI attorney near you as soon as possible. If you were stopped by an officer without giving them reasonable suspicion, even if they then obtained evidence that you were driving intoxicated, turn to a DUI attorney near you in Buchanan County, MO who will help get your case dismissed and put to rest so you can move forward in your life.
Sobriety Tests for DUIs in Buchanan County, MO
If you are pulled over by an officer due to suspected inhebriated driving, they will likely try to get you to do a test to prove that you are intoxicated. There are two types of tests Buchanan County, MO police officers typically use in traffic stops for driving under the influence: field sobriety tests and chemical tests.
- Chemical Tests (ie. a breathalizer)
When police officers stop drivers in Buchanan County MO for driving while intoxicated, they often turn to chemical tests to prove that the driver was intoxicated at the time of the stop. There are a few different types of chemical tests using 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, pursuant to which, as a Buchanan County, MO driver or driver anywhere in Missouri, you automatically agree to submit to chemical sobriety tests simply by getting behind the wheel. A smart DUI attorney near you will tell you that you can refuse to submit to a chemical test like a breathalyzer, but you can face legal consequences for the act of refusing the test. Still, the police cannot physically force you to produce a sample.
If you already did a breathalyzer test, consult an exemplary Buchanan County, MO DUI attorney near you to discuss your defense and how they can help you. As your DUI attorney near Buchanan 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 is or is not admissible in court.
- Field Sobriety Tests
Field tests during a DWI traffic stop are subjective tests that are meant to gauge whether you are intoxicated through a series of demonstrative tasks. The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration has specified three standardized field tests that police officers can use to test drivers in Buchanan 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
As a Missouri driver, you have the right 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 Buchanan 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 Buchanan County, MO DUI attorney will design an impenetrable defense to your case or make sure any illegally obtained evidence is thrown out and not used against you in Missouri court.
Buchanan County Resources
Below are quick links to important websites that may assist you with your legal matters in Buchanan County and Missouri.
Traffic Checkpoints in Buchanan County, MO
A checkpoint is a roadblock temporarily set up on a roadway as a way to systematically screen 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. Missouri lawmakers have debated banning sobriety checkpoints, but curent Missouri law still allows police to use them.
Checkpoints in Buchanan County and throughout Missouri are not as prevalent as they once were, but it is still prudent to educate yourself on your rights and the rules regulating checkpoints. When it doubt, call 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:
- advertised 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
Perhaps most importantly, there must be a logical reason for carrying out 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 Buchanan County, MO, call (314) 900-HELP to talk to a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you immediately. Our determined Buchanan County, MO attorneys will tenaciously defend you and protect your rights in the court of law. Reach out to us online to review your situation with a kind and cunning DUI attorney near you today.
Through Combs Waterkotte, you have access to some of the best criminal defense services in the Buchanan County, MO area. A Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you will fight for your rights and navigate the legal process when you have been charged with driving under the influence in Buchanan County or anywhere in Missouri. In addition, our top Buchanan County, MO defense lawyers can help you with a number of other case types, including:
- Weapon Crime Defense Lawyer
- DWI Lawyer With Payment Plans
- Criminal Defense Lawyer with Payment Plans
Learn more about the different DUI charges in Missouri and what the DUI attorneys near you with Combs Waterkotte near Buchanan County, MO can do to help 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
Work with a Top DUI Attorney Near Me in Buchanan County, MO | Combs Waterkotte
Do yourself a favor and act now. If you have been stopped or arrested for driving under the influence near Buchanan County, MO, you need to hire a DUI attorney near you whom you can trust. A Missouri DWI and similar charges are serious accusations that can carry significant consequences. Your future and freedom are on the line, and a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you in Buchanan County, MO can protect you. Contact our Buchanan County, MO defense law firm right away to discuss your rights, your case and your future.
