Dent County, MO

DUI Attorney Near Me Dent County, MO

DUI attorney near me in Dent County, MO. Being arrested for driving under the influence in Dent County, MO is a serious matter. Whatever the situation, when you are arrested 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 quality legal representation from an attorney who has successfully defended against DUI convictions in Dent County and Missouri. Depending on your unique situation, an astute DUI attorney near Dent 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 all legal proceedings for your Dent County, MO DUI case. For dedicated, aggressive defense against injustice after you have been accused of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, call Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP.

What is a DUI in Dent County, 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 lay forth 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, you deserve a DUI attorney near Dent County, MO who will stand up on your behalf and protect you from unfair treatment by Missouri courts.

A person can be arrested 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. Though many DWI arrests in Missouri are done based on drunk driving allegations, 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 DWI law in Missouri criminalizes not only drinking and driving, but also driving while impared by drugs that impair skills necessary to driving including motor skills, reaction time and decision making. 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 were arrested for driving under the influence in Missouri, speak to a DUI attorney near you right away. Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is a reuptable and capable Dent County-based DUI attorney near you. When you need a DUI attorney near you whom you can trust, call (314) 900-HELP.

Getting Stopped or Arrested for a DUI in Dent County, MO

You owe it to yourself to know your rights lest you are pulled over for operating a vehicle while intoxicated. Speak to an experienced Dent County, 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 driving in Missouri. And if you were already subjected to being pulled over and arrested for intoxicated driving, our outstanding Dent County, MO defense attorneys will protect your rights and freedoms.

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

DUI Traffic Stops in Dent County, MO

In order to pull someone over, a Dent 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, traveling on a road going in the wrong direction and other erratic behaviors such as inconsistencies in speed, swerving or braking.

A police officer is not allowed to conduct a traffic stop unless they can identify reasonable suspicion that you are committing the crime of driving while intoxicated satisfy the more stringent burden of probable cause before they can place you under arrest for a DWI.

If you feel that you were improperly stopped or arrested for your Dent County, MO DWI, reach out to a DUI attorney near you as soon as possible. If an officer stopped you without any reasonable suspicion, even if they have proof that you were driving under the influence, turn to a DUI attorney near you in Dent County, MO who will help get the prosecutor to dismiss your case so you can move on with your life.

Sobriety Tests for DUIs in Dent County, 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 intoxicated. When it comes to roadside tests used by Dent 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 Dent 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 bodily samples from blood to breath to saliva to 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, via whichDent County, MO and other Missouri drivers automatically consent to submit to chemical sobriety tests just by getting behind the wheel. A smart DUI attorney near you will counsel you to know that you can refuse to submit to a breathalyzer, but refusal can carry a criminal charge in itself. You cannot be physically forced to take the test.

   If you do take a breathalyzer test, consult an exemplary Dent County, MO DUI attorney near you to discuss your defense and how they can help you. As your DUI attorney near Dent County, MO, Combs Waterkotte will obtain discovery documents and comb through them to conclude if the breathalyzer or other test was performed legally and whether it is or is not admissible in court.

2. 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 Dent 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 Dent County, MO as soon as possible. If you have already completed a field test and were then arrested for a DUI in Missouri, your Dent County, MO DUI attorney will design a defense to your case or may even be able to suppress the field test evidence if they do not meet the rules of evidence in Missouri court.

Traffic Checkpoints in Dent County, MO

A checkpoint is a roadblock temporarily set up on a roadway 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. Lawmakers in Missouri have entertained banning sobriety checkpoints, but they are currently still allowed by Missouri law.

Checkpoints in Dent County and throughout Missouri are not as prevalent as they once were, but you should still educate yourself on your rights and the rules regulating checkpoints. When it doubt, 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 public safety. A lawful DUI checkpoint is:

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

If you find yourself at a checkpoint in Dent County, MO, speak to a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you at (314) 900-HELP. Our experienced Dent County, MO attorneys will ferociously defend you and protect your rights in the court of law. Reach out to us online to discuss your situation with a compassionate and cunning DUI attorney near you today.

Get the best quality criminal defense available in Dent County, MO through Combs Waterkotte. A Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you will protect you against the court and provide you with an infallible defense when you have been accused of driving under the influence in Dent County or anywhere in Missouri. In addition, our top Dent County, MO defense lawyers can help you with a number of other case types, including:

• Weapons Crime Attorney
• DWI Administrative Hearing Lawyer
• Violent Crime Lawyer

Click below to learn more about different kinds of DUI charges in Missouri and what the DUI attorneys near you with Combs Waterkotte near Dent 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 Dent County, MO | Combs Waterkotte

Do yourself a favor and act now. If you were stopped or arrested for driving under the influence near Dent 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. Your future and freedom are on the line, and a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you in Dent County, MO can defend you. Contact our Dent County, MO defense law firm now to consult a lawyer about your rights, your case and your future.