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DUI Attorney Near Me Jefferson County, MO

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Posted by Emily Herr on July 18, 2022

DUI attorney near me in Jefferson County, MO. Being arrested for driving under the influence in Jefferson County, MO is a serious matter. Whatever the situation, when you are arrested 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 Jefferson County and Missouri. Depending on the details of your case, a savvy DUI attorney near Jefferson County, MO may be able to get the prosecutor to drop the charges, reduce the charges to lesser offenses, fight the conviction in a trial or negotiate a lesser punishment through a plea bargain. Most importantly, they will use the law to your benefit and guide you through all legal proceedings for your Jefferson County, MO DUI case. For razor-sharp representation after being arrested of driving under the influence, speak to Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP.


DWI Stop Advice - Always Have Your Paperwork Ready
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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
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(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)
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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?
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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
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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
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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?
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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?
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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 …

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 Jefferson County, MO?

Commonly referred to as a DUI (which stands for driving under the influence, Missouri courts actually call the offense a DWI (driving while intoxicated). Missouri Revised Statute §577.010 and §577.012 lay forth what constitutes the crime of driving while intoxicated and defines the rules 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, you deserve a DUI attorney near Jefferson County, MO to fight for your freedom and protect you from unfair treatment by Missouri courts.

You could be arrested for a DWI in Missouri for a variety of reasons. The law outlaws 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 impaired by some kind of mind-altering drug.

The same Missouri law prohibits driving while impared by psychoactive substances or substances that impair skills necessary to driving including motor skills, reaction time and decision making. That means that you are liable 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 under the influence in Missouri, speak to a DUI attorney near you right away. Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is a skilled Jefferson County-based DUI attorney near you, Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is dedicated, diligent and skilled. When you need a DUI attorney near you whom you can trust, call (314) 900-HELP.

DUI Stops and Arrests in Jefferson County, MO

You owe it to yourself to know your rights in the event that you are stopped for driving under the influence. Speak to an experienced Jefferson County, MO DUI attorney near you with Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP to understand your rights and what steps to take if an officer ever stops you while you are driving in Missouri. And if you were already subjected to a traffic stop and were arrested for intoxicated driving, our incredible Jefferson County, MO defense attorneys will protect your rights and freedoms.

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

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DUI Traffic Stops in Jefferson County, MO

In order to pull someone over, a Jefferson County, MO or any Missouri police officer must have reasonable suspicion. For a DWI, reasonable suspicion would be things like drifting out of lane, driving on a road going in the wrong direction and other erratic driving behaviors such as inconsistencies in speed, swerving or stopping and going.

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 place you under arrest for a DWI.

If you suspect that you were unlawfully stopped for or accused of your Jefferson 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, a DUI attorney near Jefferson County, MO can fight to get the prosecutor to dismiss your case so you can move on with your life.

Sobriety Tests for DUIs in Jefferson County, 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. There are two types of tests Jefferson County, MO police officers typically use in traffic stops for driving under the influence: field sobriety tests and chemical tests.

  1. Chemical Tests (ie. a breathalizer)

    When police officers stop drivers in Jefferson County MO for drunk driving or driving under the influence, chemical tests are often used as evidence to prove that the driver had ingested drugs or alcohol. Chemical tests include tests of the blood, breath, saliva or urine that check for the presence and concentration of various substances including alcohol.

    Like most US states, Missouri has in place an implied consent law, via which, as a Jefferson County, MO driver or driver anywhere in Missouri, you automatically consent to participate in chemical sobriety tests simply by driving a vehicle. A smart DUI attorney near you will tell you that you can refuse to submit to a breathalyzer, 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 already did a breathalyzer test, speak to an experienced Jefferson County, MO DUI attorney near you to discuss your defense and how they can help you. As your DUI attorney near Jefferson County, MO, Combs Waterkotte will investigate and scrutinize the details of your test to examine if the breathalyzer or other test was performed legally and whether it is or is not admissible in court.

  2. Field Sobriety Tests

    Field tests during a DWI traffic stop are subjective tests that attempt to determine 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 Jefferson 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, call a DUI attorney near you in Jefferson County, MO as soon as possible. If you already agreed to and participated in a field test and were then arrested for a DUI in Missouri, your DUI attorney in Jefferson County, MO will design 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 Jefferson County, MO

A checkpoint is a roadblock temporarily set up on a roadway 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 legislators have explored banning sobriety checkpoints, but curent Missouri law still allows police to use them.

Police departments in Jefferson County 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. 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 public safety. A lawful DUI checkpoint is:

  • 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
  • visibly associated with law enforcement

Perhaps most importantly, there must be a legitimate 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 Jefferson County, MO, call (314) 900-HELP to talk to a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you immediately. Our determined Jefferson County, MO attorneys will ferociously defend you and protect your rights in the court of law. Contact us online to discuss your case with a kind and cunning DUI attorney near you today.

Get the best quality criminal defense available in Jefferson 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 arrested for driving under the influence in Jefferson County or anywhere in Missouri. Our team of Jefferson County, MO attorneys have expertise in a number of other case types, including:

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

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

Do not waste any time. If you have been stopped or arrested for driving under the influence near Jefferson County, MO, you need to hire a trustworthy DUI attorney near you. A Missouri DWI and similar charges are serious accusations that can carry significant consequences. Your future and freedom are on the line, and a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you in Jefferson County, MO can protect you. Contact our Jefferson County, MO defense law firm now to discuss your rights, your case and your future.

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