DUI attorney near me in Dent County, MO. No one enjoys being arrested, but it is important to understand that driving under the influence in Dent County is treated as a serious offense in Missouri court. Whatever the details of your situation, when you are facing a conviction for driving while intoxicated by drugs or alcohol, find an attorney you can trust to protect your rights and your future.
You deserve a talented defense attorney who has successfully defended against DUI convictions in Dent County and Missouri. Depending on the circumstances, an astute DUI attorney near Dent County, MO will make the best of your situation. They may be able to get the prosecutor to drop the charges, reduce the charges to lesser offenses, lead your case to trial to fight the conviction or negotiate a lesser punishment through a plea bargain. Their principle responsibility is to use the law to your benefit and guide you through the entire legal process for your Dent County, MO DUI case. For razor-sharp representation after you have been arrested of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, speak to Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP.
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What is a DUI in Dent County, MO?
Commonly referred to 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 law. Missouri Revised Statute §577.010 and §577.012 define the definition of the crime of driving under the influence and establishes the law for sentencing and punishments for those convicted of a DWI, 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 Dent County, MO who will stand up on your behalf and help you navigate what can be an intimidating Missouri court process.
A person can be arrested for a DWI in Missouri for a variety of reasons. The law prohibits driving while intoxicated — not explicitly for driving under the influence of alcohol. Though 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 another 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 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 driving under the influence in Missouri, speak to a DUI attorney near you as soon as possible. Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is a reuptable and capable Dent County-based DUI attorney near you, Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is accessible, diligent and sharp. For a trustworthy DUI attorney near you, call (314) 900-HELP.
DUI Stops and Arrests in Dent County, MO
It is critical that you know your rights lest you are stopped for driving under the influence. Call Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP immediately to speak to a leading Dent County, MO DUI attorney near you and understand your rights and what steps to take if you are ever stopped when operating a vehicle in Missouri. And if you were already subjected to being pulled over and arrested for intoxicated driving, our incredible Dent County, MO defense law firm will shield you from injustice in court.
Learn the rules and what to expect for regular traffic stops, sobriety tests and sobriety checkpoints.
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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. For a DWI, reasonable suspicion would be things like drifting out of lane, going the wrong way down a road and any other behaviors such as alternating extremes in speed, swerving or braking.
A police officer is not allowed to conduct a traffic stop unless there is reasonable suspicion that you are breaking the law by driving while intoxicated meet the higher burden of probable cause before they can arrest you for a DWI.
If you believe that you were wrongly stopped for or accused of your Dent County, MO DWI, reach out to a DUI attorney near you right away. If you were stopped by an officer without giving them reasonable suspicion, even if they have proof that you were driving intoxicated, turn to a DUI attorney near you in Dent County, MO who will fight to get your case dismissed and put to rest so you can move forward in 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 likely try to get you to do a test to prove 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.
- Chemical Tests (ie. a breathalizer)
When police officers stop drivers in Dent County MO for drunk driving or driving under the influence, chemical tests are often used as evidence to prove that the driver was under the influence 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.
Each state has its own laws and many, including Missouri have what is known as an implied consent law, pursuant to whichDent County, MO and other Missouri drivers automatically agree to participate in chemical sobriety tests just by getting behind the wheel. A smart 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, speak to an exemplary Dent County, MO DUI attorney near you to figure out your options and get the best quality defense in your case. As your DUI attorney near Dent County, MO, Combs Waterkotte will investigate and scrutinize the details of your test to determine if the breathalyzer or other test was performed lawfully and whether it should or should not be admissible in court.
- 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 police officers subject drivers to in Dent 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, contact a DUI attorney near you in Dent County, MO as soon as you can. If you have already agreed to and participated in a field test and have been arrested for a DUI in Missouri, your Dent County, MO DUI attorney will build an impenetrable 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.
Dent County Resources
Below are quick links to important websites that may assist you with your legal matters in Dent County and Missouri.
Traffic Checkpoints in Dent County, MO
A checkpoint is a roadblock temporarily set up on a roadway as a way to randomly check 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 lawmakers have entertained banning sobriety checkpoints, but they are currently still allowed by Missouri law.
Police departments in Dent County and around Missouri do not use checkpoints as heavily as they used to, but it is still wise to educate yourself on your rights and the rules checkpoints must follow. If you are not sure, call a DUI attorney near you at (314) 900-HELP.
The police must be able to justify the use and location for a sobriety checkpoint by showing that the decisions are directly related to roadway safety. DUI checkpoints should be:
- announced 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 carrying out the checkpoint related to public safety, usually because the area has an abnormally high rate of drunk driving accidents.
If you are going through a checkpoint in Dent County, MO, speak to a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you at (314) 900-HELP. Our determined Dent County, 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 Dent County, MO through Combs Waterkotte. A Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you will fight for your rights and provide you with an infallible defense when you have been accused of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs in Dent County or anywhere in Missouri. Our team of Dent County, MO attorneys have expertise in a number of other kinds of cases, including:
Click below to learn more about the different DUI charges in Missouri and what the DUI attorneys near you with Combs Waterkotte near Dent County, MO can do to help you.
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Work with a Top DUI Attorney Near Me in Dent County, MO | Combs Waterkotte
There is no time to waste. If you have been stopped or arrested for driving under the influence near Dent County, MO, find a trustworthy DUI attorney near you. A Missouri DWI and similar charges are serious accusations that can carry significant consequences. When your freedom and future are at risk a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you in Dent County, MO will protect you. Contact our Dent County, MO defense law firm right away to consult a lawyer about your rights, your case and your future.
