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DUI Attorney Near Me Lebanon, MO

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Last Updated: September 27, 2024

DUI attorney near me in Lebanon, MO. Being arrested for driving under the influence in Lebanon, MO is a serious matter. Whatever the situation, when you are facing a conviction for driving under the influence by drugs or alcohol, a you need the best legal representation available to protect your rights and your future.

You deserve a talented defense attorney who has a track record of winning in Lebanon and Missouri. Depending on the details of your case, a savvy Lebanon, MO DUI attorney near you will make the best of your situation. They may be able to get the prosecutor to drop the charges, reduce the charges 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 all legal proceedings for your Lebanon, MO DUI case. For dedicated, aggressive defense against injustice when you have been accused of driving under the influence, call Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP.

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What is a DUI in Lebanon, MO?

Commonly referred to as a DUI (which stands for driving under the influence, Missouri law actually calls the offense a DWI (driving while intoxicated). Missouri Revised Statute §577.010 and §577.012 outline what constitutes the crime of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and establishes 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. After your Missouri DWI arrest, you deserve a DUI attorney near Lebanon, MO who will stand up on your behalf and help you navigate what can be an intimidating Missouri court process.

You could be arrested for a DWI in Missouri for a long list of reasons. The law outlaws driving while intoxicated — not explicitly for driving under the influence of alcohol. While DWI arrests are often accusations of driving drunk, you can also be arrested for a DWI due to allegedly driving a vehicle while under the influence of another intoxicating substance.

The DWI law in Missouri criminalizes not only drinking and driving, but also driving while impared by intoxicating substances or substances that impair your consciousness or motor skills. 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 or a family member have been arrested for driving under the influence in Missouri, contact a DUI attorney near you as soon as possible. Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is a reuptable and capable Lebanon-based DUI attorney near you, Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is responsive, experienced and sharp. For a trustworthy DUI attorney near you, call (314) 900-HELP.

Getting Stopped or Arrested for a DUI in Lebanon, MO

It is critical that you know your rights lest you are pulled over for driving intoxicated. Call Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP immediately to speak to a leading Lebanon, MO DUI attorney near you and learn about your rights and what to do if you are ever stopped when operating a vehicle in Missouri. And if you have already gone through being pulled over and arrested for driving drunk or high, our outstanding Lebanon, MO defense lawyers will fight for your freedom and justice.

Know the rules and what to expect for regular traffic stops, sobriety tests and checkpoints.

DUI Traffic Stops in Lebanon, MO

A Missouri officer of the law must have reasonable suspicion that you are driving drunk in order to pull an individual over in Lebanon, MO. In the case of a DWI, reasonable suspicion would be represented by behaviors like like splitting the lane, going the wrong way down a road and any other 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 breaking the law by driving while intoxicated meet the higher burden of probable cause before they can arrest you for a DWI.

If you believe that you were unlawfully stopped or arrested for your Lebanon, MO DWI, reach out to 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 intoxicated, turn to a DUI attorney near you in Lebanon, MO who can help get the prosecutor to dismiss your case so you can put this behind you and be free.

Sobriety Tests for DUIs in Lebanon, MO

If you are pulled over by an officer due to suspected intoxicated driving, they will want to obtain proof to show that you are intoxicated. There are two types of tests Lebanon, 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)

    In Lebanon, MO stops for drunk driving or driving under the influence, they often turn to chemical tests to prove that the driver was intoxicated at the time of the stop. Chemical tests include tests of the 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 in place an implied consent law, pursuant to whichLebanon, 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. Still, the police cannot physically force you to take the test.

    If you already did a breathalyzer test, consult an experienced Lebanon, MO DUI attorney near you to discuss your defense and how they can help you. As your DUI attorney near Lebanon, MO, Combs Waterkotte will investigate and scrutinize the details of your test to conclude whether the breathalyzer or other test was administered legally and whether it should or should not be admissible in court.

  2. Field Sobriety Tests

    Field tests during a DWI traffic stop are subjective tests that attempt to gauge whether you are intoxicated 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 Lebanon, MO and throughout 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 you are stopped and asked to perform field sobriety tests, contact a DUI attorney near you in Lebanon, MO immediately. If you already agreed to and participated in a field test and were then arrested for a DUI in Missouri, your DUI attorney in Lebanon, MO will design an impenetrable 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.

Traffic Checkpoints in Lebanon, MO

A checkpoint is a temporary roadblock used to systematically screen 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 explored banning sobriety checkpoints, but curent Missouri law still allows their use.

Checkpoints in Lebanon and throughout Missouri are not as prevalent as they once were, but you should still familiarize yourself with your rights and the rules checkpoints must follow. 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. 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

In addition, 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 find yourself at a checkpoint in Lebanon, MO, call (314) 900-HELP to talk to a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you immediately. Our skilled Lebanon, MO attorneys will fearlessly defend you and protect your rights in the court of law. Contact us online to review your case with a kind and cunning DUI attorney near you today.

Through Combs Waterkotte, you have access to some of the best criminal defense services in the Lebanon, MO area. At Combs Waterkotte, a DUI attorney near you will protect you against the court and defend you when you have been arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs in Lebanon or anywhere in Missouri. Our team of Lebanon, 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 Lebanon, MO can do to help you.

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

Do not waste any time. If you were stopped or arrested for driving under the influence near Lebanon, MO, find a DUI attorney near you whom you can trust. A Missouri DWI and similar charges are serious accusations that can carry significant consequences. When your freedom and future are at risk a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you in Lebanon, MO will protect you. Contact our Lebanon, MO defense law firm now to discuss your rights, your case and your future.

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