DUI attorney near me in Jasper County, MO. No one enjoys being arrested, but it is important to understand that driving under the influence in Jasper County is treated as a serious offense in Missouri court. Whatever the details of your situation, when you are facing a conviction 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 a talented defense attorney who has successfully defended against DUI convictions in Jasper County and Missouri. Depending on your unique situation, a savvy DUI attorney near Jasper County, MO may be able to get the charges dropped, 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 all legal proceedings for your Jasper County, MO DUI case. For razor-sharp representation after being arrested of driving under the influence, speak to Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP.
What is a DUI in Jasper County, MO?
Though many people refer to it as a DUI (which stands for driving under the influence, the offense is actually referred to a DWI (driving while intoxicated) in Missouri courts. Missouri Revised Statute §577.010 and §577.012 define the definition of the crime of driving under the influence and establishes the guidelines 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. If you have been arrested in Missouri for a DWI, you deserve a DUI attorney near Jasper 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 long list of reasons. The law prohibits driving while intoxicated — not explicitly for driving under the influence of alcohol. Though many DWI arrests in Missouri are done based on accusations of driving drunk, you can also be arrested for a DWI due to allegedly driving a vehicle while impaired by some kind of psychoactive drug.
The DWI law in Missouri criminalizes not only drinking and driving, but also driving while intoxicated by intoxicating substances that impair your consciousness or motor skills. That means that you are liable to arrest if a police officer believes 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 a DWI in Missouri, reach out to a DUI attorney near you right away. Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is a reuptable and capable Jasper County-based DUI attorney near you, Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is dedicated, diligent and sharp. When you need a DUI attorney near you whom you can trust, call (314) 900-HELP.
Getting Stopped or Arrested for a DUI in Jasper County, MO
You owe it to yourself to know your rights in the event that you are stopped for operating a vehicle while under the influence. Speak to an experienced Jasper County, MO DUI attorney near you with Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP to 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 have already gone through being pulled over and arrested for driving drunk or high, our outstanding Jasper County, MO defense lawyers will protect your rights and freedoms.
Learn the rules and procedure for regular traffic stops, sobriety tests and checkpoints.
Jasper County Resources
Below are quick links to important websites that may assist you with your legal matters in Jasper County and Missouri.
DUI Traffic Stops in Jasper 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 Jasper County, MO. In the case of a DWI, reasonable suspicion could be represented by behaviors like like drifting out of lane, driving on a road going in the wrong direction and other erratic behaviors such as alternating extremes in speed, swerving or braking.
A police officer is not permitted to conduct a traffic stop unless there is reasonable suspicion that you are breaking the law by driving while intoxicated meet the more stringent burden of probable cause in order to actually place you under arrest for a DWI.
If you feel that you were unlawfully stopped for or accused of your Jasper County, MO DWI, contact a DUI attorney near you right away. If an officer stopped you without any reasonable suspicion, even if they have proof that you were driving drunk, a DUI attorney near Jasper County, MO will fight to get your case dismissed and put to rest so you can put this behind you and be free.
Sobriety Tests for DUIs in Jasper 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. There are two types of tests Jasper County, MO police officers typically use in traffic stops for driving under the influence: field sobriety tests and chemical tests.
- Chemical Tests (ie. a breathalizer)
When police officers stop drivers in Jasper County MO for drunk driving or driving under the influence, they often turn to chemical tests to collect evidence that the driver was under the influence at the time of the stop. Chemical tests include tests of the 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 Jasper County, MO driver or driver anywhere in Missouri, you automatically consent to participate in 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, but refusal can carry a criminal charge in itself. Still, the police cannot physically force you to take the test.
If you do take a breathalyzer test, speak to an exemplary Jasper County, MO DUI attorney near you to figure out your options and get the best quality defense in your case. As your Jasper County, MO DUI attorney near you, Combs Waterkotte will obtain discovery documents and comb through them to conclude if the breathalyzer or other test was performed as according to law and whether it should or should not be admissible in court.
- Field Sobriety Tests
Field tests during a DWI traffic stop are subjective tests that are designed to determine whether you are intoxicated 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 Jasper County, MO and all over 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
It is your right in Missouri 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 Jasper County, MO immediately. If you already performed a field test and were then arrested for a DUI in Missouri, your Jasper County, MO DUI attorney will build an insurmountable 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 Jasper County, MO
A checkpoint is a temporary roadblock used to systematically screen 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. Lawmakers in Missouri have debated banning sobriety checkpoints, but curent Missouri law still allows police to use them.
Checkpoints in Jasper County and throughout Missouri are not as prevalent as they once were, but you should still familiarize yourself with your rights and the rules regulating checkpoints. If you are not sure, turn to 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 closely related to roadway safety. DUI checkpoints should be:
- advertised 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 approach a checkpoint in Jasper County, MO, speak to a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you at (314) 900-HELP. Our experienced Jasper County, MO attorneys will tenaciously 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 Jasper County, MO through Combs Waterkotte. At Combs Waterkotte, a DUI attorney near you will fight for your rights and defend you when you have been charged with driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs in Jasper County or anywhere in Missouri. In addition, our top Jasper County, MO defense lawyers can help you with a variety of other kinds of cases, including:
Click below to learn more about the different DUI cases in Missouri and how Combs Waterkotte’s DUI attorneys in Jasper County, MO can defend you.
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Hire a DUI Attorney Near Me in Jasper County, MO | Combs Waterkotte
There is no time to waste. If you have been stopped or arrested for driving under the influence near Jasper County, MO, you need to hire a trustworthy DUI attorney near you. 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 Jasper County, MO will protect you. Contact our Jasper County, MO defense law firm right away to discuss your rights, your case and your future.