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DUI Attorney Near Me Gentry County, MO

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Last Updated: September 27, 2024

DUI attorney near me in Gentry County, MO. No one enjoys being arrested, but it is important to understand that driving under the influence in Gentry County is treated as a serious offense in Missouri court. Regardless of the situation, when you are criminally charged for driving drunk or high, a you need the best legal representation available 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 Gentry County and Missouri. Depending on the circumstances, a sharp DUI attorney near Gentry County, MO 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 work with the prosecutor to negotiate a plea bargain. Most importantly, they will navigate the law and the entire legal process for your Gentry County, MO DUI case. For dedicated, aggressive defense against injustice when you have been arrested of driving under the influence, call Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP.


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DWI Stop Advice – Always Have Your Paperwork Ready

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(Making Of) DWI Behind the Scenes Video – Bonus Footage

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Behind the Scenes of a DWI/DUI Traffic Stop (Step-by-Step Walkthrough)

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What to Do If You Are Pulled Over for DWI in Missouri

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What should you look for when hiring a DWI attorney?

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What is an ignition interlock device and when is it required?

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DWI Stop Advice - Always Have Your Paperwork Ready
Play video

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
Play video

(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)
Play 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?
Play video

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
Play video

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
Play video

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 should you look for when hiring a DWI attorney?
Play video

What should you look for when hiring a DWI attorney?

A drunk driving charge (DWI/DUI) doesn't have to wreck your bank account or cost you your driving license. Christopher Combs and Steven Waterkotte of Combs Waterkotte discuss what you should look …

What is an ignition interlock device and when is it required?
Play video

What is an ignition interlock device and when is it required?

What is the purpose of the ignition interlock device, and when are you required to install one on your vehicle? Christopher Combs and Steven Waterkotte of Combs Waterkotte discuss what an ignition …


What is a DUI in Gentry County, MO?

Commonly referred to as a DUI (which stands for driving under the influence, Missouri law actually calls the offense a DWI (driving while intoxicated). Missouri Revised Statute §577.010 and §577.012 define what constitutes the crime of driving under the influence and lays forth the law 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, focus on finding a DUI attorney near Gentry County, 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. The law outlaws driving while intoxicated — not explicitly for driving under the influence of alcohol. While 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 or substances 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 due to ingesting marijuana or even narcotics or pharmaceuticals like opiates.

If you were arrested for driving under the influence in Missouri, reach out to a DUI attorney near you as soon as possible. Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is a skilled Gentry 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 Gentry County, MO

It is critical that you know your rights in the event that you are pulled over for operating a vehicle while intoxicated. Reach out to Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP immediately to speak to a leading Gentry County, MO DUI attorney near you and understand your rights and what you should do if you are ever stopped when 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 Gentry County, MO defense law firm will protect your rights and freedoms.

Find out about the rules and procedure for Missouri traffic stops, sobriety tests and checkpoints.

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DUI Traffic Stops in Gentry County, MO

A Missouri officer of the law must have reasonable suspicion that you are driving drunk in order to pull an individual over in Gentry County, MO. In the case of a DWI, reasonable suspicion could be things like drifting out of lane, driving the wrong way down a road and any other 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 meet the higher burden of probable cause in order to actually arrest you for a DWI.

If you suspect that you were unlawfully stopped for or accused of your Gentry County, MO DWI, reach out to a DUI attorney near you as soon as possible. If you were stopped by an officer without giving them reasonable suspicion, even if they then obtained evidence that you were driving intoxicated, turn to a DUI attorney near you in Gentry County, MO who can fight to get the prosecutor to dismiss your case so you can put this behind you and be free.

Sobriety Tests for DUIs in Gentry County, MO

If you are pulled over by an officer under suspicion of intoxicated 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 Gentry 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 Gentry County MO for driving while intoxicated, 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 blood, breath, saliva or urine that are meant to identify the presence of and/or measure the concentration of substances like alcohol.

    Each state has its own laws and many, including Missouri have what is known as an implied consent law, via whichGentry County, MO and other Missouri drivers automatically consent to participate in chemical sobriety tests simply by operating 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 produce a sample.

    If you do take a breathalyzer test, speak to an experienced Gentry County, MO DUI attorney near you to discuss your defense and how they can help you. As your Gentry County, MO DUI attorney near you, Combs Waterkotte will obtain discovery documents and comb through them to determine if the breathalyzer or other test was performed as according to law and whether it should or should not be 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 spelled out three standardized field tests that police officers can use to test drivers in Gentry County, MO and all over 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

    It is your right in Missouri 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 Gentry County, MO immediately. If you already agreed to and participated in a field test and have been arrested for a DUI in Missouri, your DUI attorney in Gentry County, MO will design an impenetrable defense to your case or ensure that evidence that does not meet Missouri’s rules of evidence such as improperly obtained sobriety tests are not used against you in Missouri court.

Traffic Checkpoints in Gentry County, MO

A checkpoint is a temporary roadblock used as a way to randomly check drivers for 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 curent Missouri law still allows their use.

Checkpoints in Gentry County and throughout Missouri are not as prevalent as they once were, but it is still prudent to familiarize yourself with your rights and the rules regulating checkpoints. If you are not sure, 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:

  • 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
  • visibly associated with law enforcement

In addition, there must be a logical reason for implementing 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 approach a checkpoint in Gentry County, MO, call (314) 900-HELP to talk to a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you immediately. Our determined Gentry County, MO attorneys will tenaciously defend you and protect your rights in the court of law. Reach out to us online to review your situation with a kind and cunning DUI attorney near you today.

Get the best quality criminal defense available in Gentry County, MO through Combs Waterkotte. A Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you will protect you against the court and navigate the legal process when you have been charged with driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs in Gentry County or anywhere in Missouri. In addition, our top Gentry County, MO defense lawyers can help you with a variety of other case types, including:

Click below to learn more about the different DUI charges in Missouri and what the DUI attorneys near you with Combs Waterkotte near Gentry County, MO can do to help you.

Hire a DUI Attorney Near Me in Gentry County, MO | Combs Waterkotte

Do not waste any time. If you were stopped or arrested for driving under the influence near Gentry 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 Gentry County, MO can protect you. Contact our Gentry County, MO defense law firm now to consult a lawyer about your rights, your case and your future.

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