DUI attorney near me in Kirksville, MO. No one enjoys being arrested, but it is important to understand that driving under the influence in Kirksville is treated as a serious offense in Missouri court. Whatever the situation, when you are criminally charged for driving while intoxicated by drugs or alcohol, 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 Kirksville and Missouri. Depending on your unique situation, an astute DUI attorney near Kirksville, 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 work with the prosecutor to negotiate a plea bargain. Their principle responsibility is to use the law to your benefit and guide you through the entire legal process for your Kirksville, MO DUI case. For dedicated, aggressive defense against injustice after you have been accused of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, speak to Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP.
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What is a DUI in Kirksville, MO?
Though many people 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 lay forth what constitutes the crime of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and lays forth the guidelines 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, you may need a DUI attorney near Kirksville, 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 long list of reasons. The law prohibits driving while intoxicated — not explicitly for driving under the influence of alcohol. While DWI arrests are often drunk driving allegations, you can also be arrested for a DWI on suspicion of operating a vehicle while impaired by another mind-altering drug.
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 being high as a result of marijuana or THC use or under the influence of narcotics or pharmaceuticals like opiates.
If you were arrested for a DWI in Missouri, reach out to a DUI attorney near you right away. Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is a skilled Kirksville-based DUI attorney near you. For a trustworthy DUI attorney near you, call (314) 900-HELP.
DUI Stops and Arrests in Kirksville, 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 Kirksville, MO DUI attorney near you with Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP to learn about your rights and what steps to take 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 incredible Kirksville, MO defense attorneys will shield you from injustice in court.
Know the rules and procedure for Missouri traffic stops, sobriety tests and checkpoints.
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DUI Traffic Stops in Kirksville, MO
In order to pull someone over, a Kirksville, MO or any Missouri police officer must have reasonable suspicion. For a DWI, reasonable suspicion could be represented by behaviors like like splitting the lane, traveling the wrong way down a road and other erratic behaviors such as driving extremely slow or fast, swerving or alternating between braking and accelerating.
A police officer is not allowed to stop you unless they can identify reasonable suspicion that you are committing the crime of driving while intoxicated meet the more stringent burden of probable cause before they can place you under arrest for a DWI.
If you believe that you were unlawfully stopped or arrested for your Kirksville, MO DWI, reach out to a DUI attorney near you as soon as possible. If an officer stopped you without any reasonable suspicion, even if they then obtained evidence that you were driving drunk, turn to a DUI attorney near you in Kirksville, MO who will help get the prosecutor to dismiss your case so you can move forward in your life.
Sobriety Tests for DUIs in Kirksville, MO
If you are pulled over by an officer due to suspected intoxicated driving, they will likely try to get you to do a test to prove that you are under the influence. There are two types of tests Kirksville, 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 Kirksville MO for DUIs, they often turn to chemical tests to collect evidence that the driver had ingested drugs or alcohol. There are a few different types of chemical tests using blood, breath, saliva or urine that check for the presence and concentration of various substances including alcohol.
Each state has its own laws and many, including Missouri have in place an implied consent law, via whichKirksville, MO and other Missouri drivers automatically agree to participate in chemical sobriety tests simply by operating 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. You cannot be physically forced to take the test.
If you do take a breathalyzer test, consult an exemplary Kirksville, MO DUI attorney near you to discuss your defense and how they can help you. As your Kirksville, MO DUI attorney near you, 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 should or should not be admissible in court.
- Field Sobriety Tests
Field tests are subjective tests sometimes used during a DWI stop that are meant to determine whether you are intoxicated by asking the driver to perform motor tasks. The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration has spelled out three standardized field tests police officers subject drivers to in Kirksville, 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 you are stopped and asked to perform field sobriety tests, call a DUI attorney near you in Kirksville, 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 Kirksville, MO DUI attorney will design a defense to your case or make sure any illegally obtained evidence is thrown out and not used against you in Missouri court.
Adair County Resources
Below are quick links to important websites that may assist you with your legal matters in Adair County and Missouri.
Traffic Checkpoints in Kirksville, 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 that regulate the carriage of DUI checkpoints, but each state has its own rules and some prohibit the use of checkpoints. Missouri legislators have debated banning sobriety checkpoints, but they are currently still allowed by Missouri law.
Checkpoints in Kirksville 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.
A lawful sobriety checkpoint is justified when the police can show it is directly related to roadway safety. DUI checkpoints should be:
- advertised 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 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 Kirksville, MO, speak to a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you at (314) 900-HELP. Our skilled Kirksville, MO attorneys will tenaciously defend you and protect your rights in the court of law. Contact us online to discuss 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 Kirksville, MO area. At Combs Waterkotte, a DUI attorney near you will protect you against the court and defend you when you have been accused of driving under the influence in Kirksville or anywhere in Missouri. Our team of Kirksville, MO attorneys have expertise in a variety 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 Kirksville, 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
- 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 Kirksville, MO | Combs Waterkotte
There is no time to waste. If you were stopped or arrested for driving under the influence near Kirksville, 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. Your future and freedom are on the line, and a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you in Kirksville, MO will defend you. Contact our Kirksville, MO defense law firm right away to consult a lawyer about your rights, your case and your future.
