DUI attorney near me in Clayton, MO. Being arrested for driving under the influence in Clayton, MO is a serious matter. Regardless of 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 has a track record of winning in Clayton and Missouri. Depending on the circumstances, an astute DUI attorney near Clayton, MO will make the best of your situation. They may be able to get the charges dropped, have the charges reduced 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 Clayton, MO DUI case. For dedicated, aggressive defense against injustice when you have been arrested of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, call 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 …
(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 …
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 …
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 …
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 is a DUI in Clayton, 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 the definition of the crime of driving under the influence and defines the law for sentencing and punishments for DWI offenders for operating a vehicle with a BAC (blood alcohol content) over the legal limit or while otherwise intoxicated. After your Missouri DWI arrest, you may need a DUI attorney near Clayton, MO who will stand up on your behalf 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, and that covers more than just driving under the influence of alcohol. While DWI arrests are often drunk driving allegations, you can also be arrested for a DWI on suspicion of operating a vehicle while impaired by some kind of intoxicating substance.
The same Missouri law prohibits driving while intoxicated by drugs or substances that impair your consciousness or motor skills. 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 a DWI in Missouri, speak to a DUI attorney near you as soon as possible. Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is a reuptable and capable Clayton-based DUI attorney near you, Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is responsive, diligent and sharp. For a trustworthy DUI attorney near you, call (314) 900-HELP.
Getting Stopped or Arrested for a DUI in Clayton, MO
It is critical that you know your rights in the event that you are pulled over for driving intoxicated. Speak to an experienced Clayton, MO DUI attorney near you with Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP to 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 unstoppable Clayton, MO defense attorneys will fight for your freedom and justice.
Know the rules and what to expect for regular traffic stops, sobriety tests and sobriety checkpoints.
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DUI Traffic Stops in Clayton, MO
A Missouri officer of the law must have reasonable suspicion that you are driving drunk in order to pull an individual over in Clayton, MO. For a DWI, reasonable suspicion could be represented by behaviors like like splitting the lane, traveling on a road going in the wrong direction and other erratic driving behaviors such as driving extremely slow or fast, swerving or stopping and going.
A police officer is not permitted to stop you unless there is reasonable suspicion that you are committing the crime of driving while intoxicated satisfy the more stringent burden of probable cause before they can arrest you for a DWI.
If you suspect that you were improperly stopped or arrested for your Clayton, MO DWI, contact a DUI attorney near you at your earliest opportunity. If an officer stopped you without any reasonable suspicion, even if they then obtained evidence that you were driving intoxicated, turn to a DUI attorney near you in Clayton, MO who can fight to get your case dismissed and put to rest so you can move forward in your life.
Sobriety Tests for DUIs in Clayton, MO
If you are pulled over by an officer 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 Clayton, MO police officers typically use in traffic stops for driving under the influence: field sobriety tests and chemical tests.
- Chemical Tests (ie. a breathalizer)
In Clayton, MO stops for driving while intoxicated, chemical tests are often used as evidence 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.
Like most US states, Missouri has in place an implied consent law, pursuant to whichClayton, MO and other Missouri drivers automatically agree to submit to chemical sobriety tests simply by driving a vehicle. 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. Still, the police cannot physically force you to take the test.
If you do take a breathalyzer test, consult an exemplary Clayton, MO DUI attorney near you to figure out your options and get the best quality defense in your case. As your Clayton, MO DUI attorney near you, Combs Waterkotte will obtain discovery documents and comb through them to conclude if the breathalyzer or other test was administered 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 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 Clayton, MO and all over 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 you are stopped and asked to perform field sobriety tests, call a DUI attorney near you in Clayton, MO as soon as possible. If you already performed a field test and have been arrested for a DUI in Missouri, your DUI attorney in Clayton, MO will build an unwavering defense to your case or make sure any illegally obtained evidence is thrown out and not used against you in Missouri court.
St. Louis County Resources
Below are quick links to important websites that may assist you with your legal matters in St. Louis County and Missouri.
Traffic Checkpoints in Clayton, MO
A checkpoint is a temporary roadblock used as a way to systematically screen drivers for behaviors like 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 legislators have explored banning sobriety checkpoints, but curent Missouri law still allows their use.
Checkpoints in Clayton 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 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 roadway safety. A lawful DUI checkpoint is:
- announced 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
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 Clayton, MO, speak to a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you at (314) 900-HELP. Our experienced Clayton, MO attorneys will ferociously defend you and protect your rights in the court of law. Reach out to us online to review your case with a kind and cunning DUI attorney near you today.
Get the best quality criminal defense available in Clayton, 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 in Clayton or anywhere in Missouri. Our team of Clayton, MO attorneys have expertise in a number of other case types, including:
Click below to learn more about different kinds of DUI cases in Missouri and how Combs Waterkotte’s DUI attorneys in Clayton, 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 Clayton, MO | Combs Waterkotte
There is no time to waste. If you have been stopped or arrested for driving under the influence near Clayton, 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 Clayton, MO will defend you. Contact our Clayton, MO defense law firm now to consult a lawyer about your rights, your case and your future.
