Fulton, MO

DUI Attorney Near Me Fulton, MO

DUI attorney near me in Fulton, MO. No one enjoys being arrested, but it is important to understand that driving under the influence in Fulton 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 has successfully defended against DUI convictions in Fulton and Missouri. Depending on your unique situation, a savvy DUI attorney near Fulton, MO will make the best of your situation. They may be able to get the prosecutor to drop the charges, have the charges reduced to lesser offenses, fight the conviction in a trial or negotiate a lesser punishment through a plea bargain. Their principle responsibility is to use the law to your benefit and guide you through all legal proceedings for your Fulton, MO DUI case. For razor-sharp representation when you have been arrested of driving under the influence, call Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP.

What is a DUI in Fulton, MO?

Commonly referred to as a DUI (which stands for driving under the influence, the official nomenclature used in Missouri courts is a DWI (driving while intoxicated). Missouri Revised Statute §577.010 and §577.012 outline the definition of the crime of driving while intoxicated and establishes the guidelines for sentencing and punishments for 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 Fulton, MO to fight for your freedom 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. Under Missouri law, it is illegal to drive while intoxicated, including but not limited to driving under the influence of alcohol. While many DWI arrests in Missouri are done based on drunk driving allegations, you can also be arrested for a DWI due to allegedly driving a vehicle while under the influence of another psychoactive drug.

The DWI law in Missouri criminalizes not only drinking and driving, but also driving while impared by psychoactive 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 due to ingesting marijuana or even narcotics or pharmaceuticals like opiates.

If you were arrested for driving while intoxicated in Missouri, speak to a DUI attorney near you as soon as possible. Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is a skilled Fulton-based DUI attorney near you. For a trustworthy DUI attorney near you, call (314) 900-HELP.

DUI Stops and Arrests in Fulton, MO

You owe it to yourself to know your rights lest you are stopped for operating a vehicle while under the influence. Reach out to Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP immediately to speak to a leading Fulton, MO DUI attorney near you and understand your rights and what steps to take if you are ever stopped when driving in Missouri. And if you were already subjected to being pulled over and arrested for driving drunk or high, our incredible Fulton, MO defense law firm will shield you from injustice in court.

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

DUI Traffic Stops in Fulton, MO

In order to pull someone over, a Fulton, MO or any Missouri police officer must have reasonable suspicion. In the case of a DWI, reasonable suspicion could be things like splitting the lane, driving the wrong way down a road and other erratic driving behaviors such as driving extremely slow or fast, swerving or braking.

A police officer must have reasonable suspicion that you were driving under the influence in order to stop you, and are required to satisfy the higher burden of probable cause in order to actually arrest you for a DWI.

If you believe that you were wrongly stopped for or accused of your Fulton, 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 have proof that you were driving drunk, a DUI attorney near Fulton, MO can help get the prosecutor to dismiss your case so you can put this behind you and be free.

Sobriety Tests for DUIs in Fulton, MO

If a law officer stops you under suspicion of inhebriated driving, they will want to obtain proof to show that you are under the influence. When it comes to roadside tests used by Fulton, 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 Fulton MO for driving while intoxicated, 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 bodily samples from blood to breath to saliva to urine that are meant to identify the presence of and/or measure the concentration of various substances including alcohol.

   Like most US states, Missouri has what is known as an implied consent law, pursuant to whichFulton, MO and other Missouri drivers automatically agree to submit to chemical sobriety tests simply by driving a vehicle. A smart DUI attorney near you will tell you that you can refuse to a breathalyzer, but refusal can carry a criminal charge in itself. Still, the police cannot physically force you to produce a sample.

   If you do take a breathalyzer test, consult an experienced Fulton, MO DUI attorney near you to figure out your options and get the best quality defense in your case. As your DUI attorney near Fulton, MO, Combs Waterkotte will obtain discovery documents and comb through them to examine if the breathalyzer or other test was administered legally 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 gauge 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 Fulton, 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 Fulton, MO immediately. If you have already agreed to and performed a field test and have been arrested for a DUI in Missouri, your Fulton, MO DUI attorney will design a 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 Fulton, 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. Missouri lawmakers have discussed banning sobriety checkpoints, but curent Missouri law still allows police to use them.

Checkpoints in Fulton 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 regulating checkpoints. When it doubt, call 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
• visibly associated with law enforcement

In addition, there must be a logical reason for implementing the checkpoint related to public safety, .

If you are going through a checkpoint in Fulton, MO, speak to a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you at (314) 900-HELP. Our skilled Fulton, MO attorneys will tenaciously defend you and protect your rights in the court of law. Contact us online to discuss your situation with a kind and cunning DUI attorney near you today.

Get the best quality criminal defense available in Fulton, 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 of alcohol or drugs in Fulton or anywhere in Missouri. In addition, our top Fulton, MO defense lawyers can help you with a number of other case types, including:

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

Learn more about different kinds of DUI cases in Missouri and how Combs Waterkotte’s DUI attorneys in Fulton, 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 Fulton, MO | Combs Waterkotte

There is no time to waste. If you have been stopped or arrested for driving under the influence near Fulton, 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. When your freedom and future are at risk a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you in Fulton, MO will defend you. Contact our Fulton, MO defense law firm right away to discuss your rights, your case and your future.