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Clarkson Valley, MO

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Posted by Emily Herr on July 18, 2022

DUI Attorney Near Me Clarkson Valley, MO

DUI attorney near me in Clarkson Valley, MO. Being arrested for driving under the influence in Clarkson Valley, MO is a serious matter. Whatever the details of your situation, when you are arrested 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 quality legal representation from an attorney who knows their way around DUI cases in Clarkson Valley and Missouri. Depending on the circumstances, an astute Clarkson Valley, MO DUI attorney near you will make the best of your situation. They may be able to get the charges dropped, have the charges reduced 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 Clarkson Valley, MO DUI case. For dedicated, aggressive defense against injustice after being arrested of driving under the influence, call Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP.

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What is a DUI in Clarkson Valley, MO?

Commonly referred to as a DUI (which stands for driving under the influence, Missouri courts actually call the offense a DWI (driving while intoxicated). Missouri Revised Statute §577.010 and §577.012 outline the definition of the crime of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and specifies the law 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, you may need a DUI attorney near Clarkson Valley, 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. Under Missouri law, it is illegal to drive while intoxicated, including but not limited to driving under the influence of alcohol. While DWI arrests are often drunk driving allegations, you can also be arrested for a DWI due to allegedly driving a vehicle while under the influence of some kind of psychoactive drug.

The same Missouri law prohibits driving while intoxicated by intoxicating substances 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, contact a DUI attorney near you right away. Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is a skilled Clarkson Valley-based DUI attorney near you. When you need a DUI attorney near you whom you can trust, call (314) 900-HELP.

DUI Stops and Arrests in Clarkson Valley, MO

You owe it to yourself to know your rights in the event that you are stopped for driving intoxicated. Speak to an experienced Clarkson Valley, MO DUI attorney near you with Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP to understand your rights and what steps to take if an officer ever stops you while you are driving in Missouri. And if you were already subjected to a traffic stop and were arrested for driving drunk or high, our unstoppable Clarkson Valley, MO defense law firm will protect your rights and freedoms.

Become familiar with the rules and procedure for regular traffic stops, sobriety tests and sobriety checkpoints.

DUI Traffic Stops in Clarkson Valley, MO

A Missouri officer of the law must have reasonable suspicion that you are driving drunk in order to pull an individual over in Clarkson Valley, MO. For a DWI, reasonable suspicion could be things like drifting out of lane, traveling on a road going in the wrong direction and other erratic behaviors such as alternating extremes in speed, swerving or stopping and going.

A police officer is not allowed to stop you unless there is reasonable suspicion that you are breaking the law by driving while intoxicated meet the higher burden of probable cause in order to actually arrest you for a DWI.

If you feel that you were unlawfully stopped for or accused of your Clarkson Valley, MO DWI, reach out to a DUI attorney near you right away. If an officer stopped you without any reasonable suspicion, even if they have proof that you were driving drunk, a DUI attorney near Clarkson Valley, MO can help get your case dismissed and put to rest so you can move on with your life.

Sobriety Tests for DUIs in Clarkson Valley, MO

If you are pulled over by an officer under suspicion of inhebriated driving, they will want to obtain proof to show that you are under the influence. There are two types of tests Clarkson Valley, 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 Clarkson Valley, MO stops for drunk driving or driving under the influence, chemical tests are often used as evidence to collect evidence that the driver was under the influence 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 substances like alcohol.

    Like most US states, Missouri has in place an implied consent law, via whichClarkson Valley, MO and other Missouri drivers automatically agree to participate in chemical sobriety tests simply by getting behind the wheel. A good DUI attorney near you will tell you that you can refuse to a breathalyzer or other chemical test, but you can face legal consequences for the act of refusing the test. You cannot be physically forced to produce a sample.

    If you already did a breathalyzer test, consult an exemplary Clarkson Valley, MO DUI attorney near you to figure out your options and get the best quality defense in your case. As your DUI attorney near Clarkson Valley, MO, Combs Waterkotte will investigate and scrutinize the details of your test to conclude whether the breathalyzer or other test was performed lawfully 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 are designed to gauge whether you are intoxicated by asking the driver to perform motor tasks. The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration has spelled out three standardized field tests police officers subject drivers to in Clarkson Valley, 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 a police officer stops you and asks you to perform field sobriety tests, contact a DUI attorney near you in Clarkson Valley, MO as soon as possible. If you have already agreed to and participated in a field test and have been arrested for a DUI in Missouri, your Clarkson Valley, MO DUI attorney will design an unwavering 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 Clarkson Valley, MO

A checkpoint is a temporary roadblock used as a way 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 legislators have explored banning sobriety checkpoints, but they are currently still allowed by Missouri law.

Police departments in Clarkson Valley 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. When it doubt, speak 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 public safety. A lawful DUI checkpoint is:

  • 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
  • visibly associated with law enforcement

In addition, there must be a logical reason for carrying out 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 Clarkson Valley, MO, call (314) 900-HELP to talk to a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you immediately. Our experienced Clarkson Valley, MO attorneys will ferociously 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 Clarkson Valley, MO through Combs Waterkotte. At Combs Waterkotte, a DUI attorney near you will fight for your rights and navigate the legal process when you have been accused of driving under the influence in Clarkson Valley or anywhere in Missouri. In addition, our top Clarkson Valley, MO defense lawyers can help you with a wide range of other kinds of cases, including:

Learn more about different kinds of DUI cases in Missouri and how Combs Waterkotte’s DUI attorneys in Clarkson Valley, MO can defend you.

Hire a DUI Attorney Near Me in Clarkson Valley, MO | Combs Waterkotte

Do not waste any time. If you have been stopped or arrested for driving under the influence near Clarkson Valley, MO, you need to hire a trustworthy DUI attorney near you. 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 Clarkson Valley, MO will protect you. Contact our Clarkson Valley, MO defense law firm right away to consult a lawyer about your rights, your case and your future.

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