DUI Attorney Near Me Hillsboro, MO

DUI attorney near me in Hillsboro, MO. Being arrested for driving under the influence in Hillsboro, MO is a serious matter. Regardless of the circumstances, when you are arrested for driving drunk or high, find an attorney you can trust to protect your rights and your future.

You deserve quality legal representation from an attorney who has successfully defended against DUI convictions in Hillsboro and Missouri. Depending on the circumstances, an astute Hillsboro, MO DUI attorney near you 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 navigate the law and the entire legal process for your Hillsboro, MO DUI case. For razor-sharp representation after you have been accused of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, speak to Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP.

What is a DUI in Hillsboro, MO?

Though people often refer to it 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 what constitutes the crime of driving while intoxicated and establishes the rules 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. If you have been arrested in Missouri for a DWI, you may need a DUI attorney near Hillsboro, 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 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 DWI arrests are often accusations of driving drunk, you can also be arrested for a DWI on suspicion of operating a vehicle while impaired by another psychoactive drug.

The DWI law in Missouri criminalizes not only drinking and driving, but also driving while impared by intoxicating substances or substances that impair skills necessary to driving including motor skills, reaction time and decision making. That means that you can be subject to arrest if a police officer believes 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 right away. Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is a skilled Hillsboro-based DUI attorney near you. When you need a DUI attorney near you whom you can trust, call (314) 900-HELP.

DUI Stops and Arrests in Hillsboro, MO

It is critical that you know your rights lest you are pulled over for operating a vehicle while intoxicated. Call Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP immediately to speak to a leading Hillsboro, MO DUI attorney near you and learn about your rights and what you should do if an officer ever stops you while you are operating a vehicle in Missouri. And if you were already subjected to a traffic stop and were arrested for intoxicated driving, our incredible Hillsboro, MO defense law firm will protect your rights and freedoms.

Become familiar with the rules and what to expect for regular traffic stops, sobriety tests and sobriety checkpoints.

DUI Traffic Stops in Hillsboro, MO

A Missouri officer of the law must have reasonable suspicion that you are driving drunk in order to pull an individual over in Hillsboro, MO. For a DWI, reasonable suspicion could be represented by behaviors like like splitting the lane, driving the wrong way down a road and any other behaviors such as alternating extremes in speed, swerving or stopping and going.

A police officer is not able to lawfully stop you unless they can identify reasonable suspicion that you are breaking the law by driving while intoxicated satisfy the more stringent 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 Hillsboro, 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 then obtained evidence that you were driving drunk, a DUI attorney near Hillsboro, MO will help get the prosecutor to dismiss your case so you can put this behind you and be free.

Sobriety Tests for DUIs in Hillsboro, MO

If you are pulled over by an officer under suspicion of drunk or drugged driving, they will want to obtain proof to show that you are under the influence. When it comes to roadside tests used by Hillsboro, 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)

   In Hillsboro, MO stops for DUIs, 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.

   Each state has its own laws and many, including Missouri have what is known as an implied consent law, via which, as a Hillsboro, MO driver or driver anywhere in Missouri, you automatically agree to submit to chemical sobriety tests simply 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 or other chemical test, but refusal can carry a criminal charge in itself. Still, you cannot be physically forced to produce a sample.

   If you do take a breathalyzer test, consult an exemplary Hillsboro, MO DUI attorney near you to figure out your options and get the best quality defense in your case. As your Hillsboro, MO DUI attorney near you, Combs Waterkotte will obtain discovery documents and comb through them to conclude whether the breathalyzer or other test was performed lawfully 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 spelled out three standardized field tests that police officers can use to test drivers in Hillsboro, 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

   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 Hillsboro, MO as soon as you can. If you have already completed a field test and have been arrested for a DUI in Missouri, your DUI attorney in Hillsboro, MO will build an impenetrable 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 Hillsboro, MO

A checkpoint is a roadblock temporarily set up on a roadway to randomly check drivers for driving under the influence. Federal law allows the use of DUI checkpoints by police departments, but they must meet certain standards. Missouri lawmakers have debated banning sobriety checkpoints, but curent Missouri law still allows their use.

Police departments in Hillsboro and around Missouri do not use checkpoints as heavily as they used to, but you should still 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 roadway safety. A lawful DUI checkpoint is:

• 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
• visibly associated with law enforcement

Perhaps most importantly, there must be a logical reason for implementing the checkpoint related to public safety, .

If you are going through a checkpoint in Hillsboro, MO, call (314) 900-HELP to talk to a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you immediately. Our experienced Hillsboro, MO attorneys will ferociously defend you and protect your rights in the court of law. Reach out to us online to review your situation with a compassionate and cunning DUI attorney near you today.

Through Combs Waterkotte, you have access to some of the best criminal defense services in the Hillsboro, MO area. A Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you will fight for your rights and defend you when you have been accused of driving under the influence in Hillsboro or anywhere in Missouri. Our team of Hillsboro, MO attorneys have expertise in a number of other case types, including:

• Drivers License Reinstatement Attorney
• Careless Imprudent Driving Attorneys
• Weapons Crime Attorney

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

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

Do yourself a favor and act now. If you have been stopped or arrested for driving under the influence near Hillsboro, 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 Hillsboro, MO can protect you. Contact our Hillsboro, MO defense law firm now to consult a lawyer about your rights, your case and your future.