DUI Attorney Near Me Butler County, MO

DUI attorney near me in Butler County, MO. No one enjoys being arrested, but it is important to understand that driving under the influence in Butler County is treated as a serious offense in Missouri court. Regardless of the details of your situation, when you are criminally charged for driving while intoxicated 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 knows their way around DUI cases in Butler County and Missouri. Depending on your unique situation, a savvy Butler County, MO DUI attorney near you 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. Their principle responsibility is to navigate the law and the entire legal process for your Butler County, MO DUI case. For razor-sharp representation when you have been accused of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, speak to Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP.

What is a DUI in Butler County, MO?

Though many people refer to it as a DUI (which stands for driving under the influence, the official nomenclature used in Missouri legislation is a DWI (driving while intoxicated). 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 law for sentencing and punishments for DWI offenders, with the latter specific to driving with a BAC, or blood alcohol content, over the legal limit. After your Missouri DWI arrest, focus on finding a DUI attorney near Butler County, MO to fight for your freedom and protect you from unfair treatment by Missouri courts.

A police officer may arrest someone for a DWI in Missouri for a number of reasons. The law outlaws driving while intoxicated — not explicitly for driving under the influence of alcohol. While DWI arrests are often accusations of driving drunk, you can also be arrested for a DWI on suspicion of driving a vehicle while under the influence of some kind of intoxicating substance.

The same Missouri law prohibits driving while intoxicated by drugs that impair your consciousness or motor skills. That means that a police officer can arrest you if they suspect that you are impaired, including due to ingesting marijuana or even narcotics or pharmaceuticals like opiates.

If you were arrested for driving under the influence in Missouri, contact a DUI attorney near you as soon as possible. Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is a reuptable and capable Butler County-based DUI attorney near you. For a trustworthy DUI attorney near you, call (314) 900-HELP.

DUI Stops and Arrests in Butler County, MO

You owe it to yourself to know your rights in the event that you are stopped for operating a vehicle while intoxicated. Speak to an experienced Butler County, MO DUI attorney near you with Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP to learn about 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 intoxicated driving, our incredible Butler County, MO defense attorneys will protect your rights and freedoms.

Find out about the rules and procedure for Missouri traffic stops, sobriety tests and sobriety checkpoints.

DUI Traffic Stops in Butler 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 Butler County, MO. In the case of a DWI, reasonable suspicion would be represented by behaviors like like splitting the lane, driving on a road going in the wrong direction and other erratic driving behaviors such as inconsistencies in speed, 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 satisfy the higher burden of probable cause before they can arrest you for a DWI.

If you believe that you were unlawfully stopped or arrested for your Butler 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 Butler County, MO will help get your case dismissed and put to rest so you can put this behind you and be free.

Sobriety Tests for DUIs in Butler County, MO

If a law officer stops you under suspicion of drunk or drugged driving, they will likely try to get you to do a test to prove that you are intoxicated. There are two types of tests Butler County, MO police officers typically use in traffic stops for driving under the influence: field sobriety tests and chemical tests.

1. Chemical Tests (ie. a breathalizer)

   In Butler County, MO stops for DUIs, they often turn to chemical tests to prove 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.

   Each state has its own laws and many, including Missouri have what is known as an implied consent law, pursuant to which, as a Butler County, MO driver or driver anywhere in Missouri, you automatically consent to participate in 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 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 already did a breathalyzer test, speak to an experienced Butler County, MO DUI attorney near you to figure out your options and get the best quality defense in your case. As your Butler County, MO DUI attorney near you, Combs Waterkotte will investigate and scrutinize the details of your test to determine whether the breathalyzer or other test was administered as according to law and whether it is or is not admissible in court.

2. Field Sobriety Tests

   Field tests are subjective tests sometimes used during a DWI stop that attempt to determine whether you are impaired 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 Butler 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, contact a DUI attorney near you in Butler County, MO immediately. If you already agreed to and performed a field test and have been arrested for a DUI in Missouri, your Butler County, MO DUI attorney will design an insurmountable defense to your case or make sure any illegally obtained evidence is thrown out and not used against you in Missouri court.

Traffic Checkpoints in Butler 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. Lawmakers in Missouri have explored banning sobriety checkpoints, but they are currently still allowed by Missouri law.

Checkpoints in Butler County and throughout Missouri are not as prevalent as they once were, but you should still educate yourself on your rights and the rules checkpoints must follow. If you are not sure, turn to a DUI attorney near you at (314) 900-HELP.

A lawful sobriety checkpoint is justified when the police can show it is directly related to roadway safety. DUI checkpoints should be:

• advertised 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

In addition, there must be a logical 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 Butler County, MO, call (314) 900-HELP to talk to a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you immediately. Our experienced Butler County, MO attorneys will fearlessly defend you and protect your rights in the court of law. Reach out to us online to discuss your case with a compassionate and cunning DUI attorney near you today.

Get the best quality criminal defense available in Butler County, MO through Combs Waterkotte. At Combs Waterkotte, a DUI attorney near you will fight for your rights and defend you when you have been arrested for driving under the influence in Butler County or anywhere in Missouri. In addition, our top Butler County, MO defense lawyers can help you with a wide range of other case types, including:

• Drivers License Reinstatement Attorney

Learn more about different kinds of DUI charges in Missouri and how Combs Waterkotte’s DUI attorneys in Butler County, 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

Work with a Top DUI Attorney Near Me in Butler County, MO | Combs Waterkotte

Do yourself a favor and act now. If you have been stopped or arrested for driving under the influence near Butler County, MO, you need to hire 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 Butler County, MO can protect you. Contact our Butler County, MO defense law firm now to consult a lawyer about your rights, your case and your future.