DUI attorney near me in Johnson County, MO. Being arrested for driving under the influence in Johnson County, MO is a serious matter. Whatever the situation, when you are facing a conviction 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 Johnson County and Missouri. Depending on your unique situation, an astute Johnson County, MO DUI attorney near you 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. Their principle responsibility is to use the law to your benefit and guide you through all legal proceedings for your Johnson County, MO DUI case. For razor-sharp representation when you have been arrested of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, call Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP.
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What is a DUI in Johnson County, MO?
Commonly referred to as a DUI (which stands for driving under the influence, the official nomenclature used in Missouri legislation is a DWI (driving while intoxicated). Missouri Revised Statute §577.010 and §577.012 outline the definition of the crime of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and defines the law Missouri courts must follow to sentence and punish 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 may need a DUI attorney near Johnson County, MO who will stand up on your behalf and help you navigate what can be an intimidating Missouri court process.
A police officer may arrest someone 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 operating a vehicle while impaired by some kind of intoxicating substance.
The same Missouri law prohibits driving while impared by intoxicating 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 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 driving under the influence in Missouri, reach out to a DUI attorney near you right away. Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is a skilled Johnson County-based DUI attorney near you. For a trustworthy DUI attorney near you, call (314) 900-HELP.
Getting Stopped or Arrested for a DUI in Johnson County, MO
You owe it to yourself to know your rights in the event that you are stopped for driving intoxicated. Call Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP immediately to speak to a leading Johnson County, MO DUI attorney near you and learn about your rights and what to do if an officer ever stops you while you are driving in Missouri. And if you have already gone through a traffic stop and were arrested for driving drunk or high, our incredible Johnson County, MO defense law firm will protect your rights and freedoms.
Find out about the rules and procedure for regular traffic stops, sobriety tests and checkpoints.
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DUI Traffic Stops in Johnson 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 Johnson County, MO. In the case of a DWI, reasonable suspicion could be things like splitting the lane, driving on a road going in the wrong direction and any other driving behaviors such as inconsistencies in speed, 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 more stringent burden of probable cause before they can arrest you for a DWI.
If you believe that you were wrongly stopped or arrested for your Johnson County, 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 have proof that you were driving under the influence, turn to a DUI attorney near you in Johnson County, MO who will fight to get the prosecutor to dismiss your case so you can put this behind you and be free.
Sobriety Tests for DUIs in Johnson County, MO
If you are pulled over by an officer due to suspected drunk or drugged 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 Johnson County, MO police officers to determine intoxication, there are two primary types they may utilize: field sobriety tests and chemical tests.
- Chemical Tests (ie. a breathalizer)
In Johnson County, MO stops for driving while intoxicated, they often turn to chemical tests 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 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.
Each state has its own laws and many, including Missouri have what is known as an implied consent law, pursuant to whichJohnson County, MO and other Missouri drivers automatically agree to participate in chemical sobriety tests just by driving a vehicle. A smart DUI attorney near you will counsel you to know that you can refuse to submit to a chemical test like a breathalyzer, but refusal can carry a criminal charge in itself. Still, the police cannot physically force you to take the test.
If you already did a breathalyzer test, speak to an exemplary Johnson County, MO DUI attorney near you to discuss your defense and how they can help you. As your DUI attorney near Johnson County, MO, Combs Waterkotte will obtain discovery documents and comb through them to conclude whether the breathalyzer or other test was performed legally 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 impaired through a series of demonstrative tasks. The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration has spelled out three standardized field tests police officers subject drivers to in Johnson County, MO and throughout 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 a police officer stops you and asks you to perform field sobriety tests, call a DUI attorney near you in Johnson County, MO immediately. If you already performed a field test and have been arrested for a DUI in Missouri, your Johnson County, MO DUI attorney will design an unwavering defense to your case or may even be able to suppress the field test evidence if they do not meet the rules of evidence in Missouri court.
Johnson County Resources
Below are quick links to important websites that may assist you with your legal matters in Johnson County and Missouri.
Traffic Checkpoints in Johnson County, 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. There are federal laws that regulate the carriage of DUI checkpoints, but each state has its own rules and some prohibit the use of checkpoints. Lawmakers in Missouri have entertained banning sobriety checkpoints, but they are currently still allowed by Missouri law.
Police departments in Johnson County and around Missouri do not use checkpoints as heavily as they used to, 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.
A lawful sobriety checkpoint is justified when the police can show it is directly related to public safety. DUI checkpoints should be:
- 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 legitimate 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 Johnson County, MO, speak to a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you at (314) 900-HELP. Our experienced Johnson County, MO attorneys will ferociously defend you and protect your rights in the court of law. Contact us online to review your case 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 Johnson County, MO area. At Combs Waterkotte, a DUI attorney near you will fight for your rights and provide you with an infallible defense when you have been arrested for driving under the influence in Johnson County or anywhere in Missouri. In addition, our top Johnson County, MO defense lawyers can help you with a wide range of other case types, including:
Learn more about the different DUI cases in Missouri and what the DUI attorneys near you with Combs Waterkotte near Johnson County, MO can do to help you.
- DWI/DUI Lawyer in St. Louis
- CDL DWI Lawyer in St. Louis
- DWI Accident Lawyer in St. Louis
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- Second Offense DWI Lawyer in St. Louis
- DWI with Drugs Lawyer in St. Louis
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- Other Criminal Defense Cases
Work with a Top DUI Attorney Near Me in Johnson County, MO | Combs Waterkotte
Do not waste any time. If you have been stopped or arrested for driving under the influence near Johnson County, MO, you need to hire 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 Johnson County, MO can protect you. Contact our Johnson County, MO defense law firm now to consult a lawyer about your rights, your case and your future.
