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DUI Attorney Near Me Monroe County, MO

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Last Updated: September 27, 2024

DUI attorney near me in Monroe County, MO. Being arrested for driving under the influence in Monroe County, MO is a serious matter. Regardless of 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 knows their way around DUI cases in Monroe County and Missouri. Depending on your unique situation, a savvy DUI attorney near Monroe County, MO 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 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 Monroe County, MO DUI case. For dedicated, aggressive defense against injustice after being arrested of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, call 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 Monroe County, MO?

Though people often 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 civil and criminal courts. Missouri Revised Statute §577.010 and §577.012 define the definition of the crime of driving while intoxicated and establishes the rules 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 deserve a DUI attorney near Monroe County, MO who will stand up on your behalf and protect you from unfair treatment by Missouri courts.

You could be arrested for a DWI in Missouri for a number of reasons. The law prohibits driving while intoxicated — not explicitly for 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 another psychoactive drug.

The DWI law in Missouri criminalizes not only drinking and driving, but also driving while intoxicated by drugs 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 were arrested for driving while intoxicated in Missouri, contact a DUI attorney near you right away. Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is a reuptable and capable Monroe County-based DUI attorney near you. When you need a DUI attorney near you whom you can trust, call (314) 900-HELP.

Getting Stopped or Arrested for a DUI in Monroe 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 Monroe County, MO DUI attorney near you with Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP to learn about your rights and what steps to take if you are ever stopped when driving in Missouri. And if you were already subjected to a traffic stop and were arrested for driving drunk or high, our incredible Monroe County, MO defense law firm will fight for your freedom and justice.

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

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DUI Traffic Stops in Monroe 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 Monroe County, MO. In the case of a DWI, reasonable suspicion would be things like drifting out of lane, driving the wrong way down a road and other erratic behaviors such as alternating extremes 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 in order to actually place you under arrest for a DWI.

If you feel that you were wrongly stopped for or accused of your Monroe County, MO DWI, contact a DUI attorney near you right away. If you were stopped by an officer without giving them reasonable suspicion, even if they then obtained evidence that you were driving under the influence, a DUI attorney near Monroe 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 Monroe County, MO

If you are pulled over by an officer due to suspected drunk or drugged driving, they will want to obtain proof to show that you are under the influence. There are two types of tests Monroe 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 Monroe 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. There are a few different types of chemical tests using blood, breath, saliva or urine that are meant to identify the presence of and/or measure the concentration of various substances including alcohol.

    Like most US states, Missouri has in place an implied consent law, via whichMonroe County, MO and other Missouri drivers automatically consent to submit to chemical sobriety tests just by driving a vehicle. A smart DUI attorney near you will tell you that you can refuse to submit to a breathalyzer, but refusal can carry a criminal charge in itself. You cannot be physically forced to produce a sample.

    If you do take a breathalyzer test, speak to an exemplary Monroe County, MO DUI attorney near you to discuss your defense and how they can help you. As your Monroe County, MO DUI attorney near you, Combs Waterkotte will obtain discovery documents and comb through them to determine if 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 are subjective tests sometimes used during a DWI stop that are meant to gauge 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 that police officers can use to test drivers in Monroe 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 you are stopped and asked to perform field sobriety tests, contact a DUI attorney near you in Monroe County, MO as soon as possible. If you have already completed a field test and have been arrested for a DUI in Missouri, your Monroe County, MO DUI attorney will build 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 Monroe County, MO

A checkpoint is a roadblock temporarily set up on a roadway 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. Lawmakers in Missouri have debated banning sobriety checkpoints, but curent Missouri law still allows their use.

Checkpoints in Monroe 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. When it doubt, 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 public 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
  • clearly 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 approach a checkpoint in Monroe County, MO, call (314) 900-HELP to talk to a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you immediately. Our experienced Monroe County, MO attorneys will fearlessly defend you and protect your rights in the court of law. Reach out to us online to discuss your case with a compassionate and cunning DUI attorney near you today.

Get the best quality criminal defense available in Monroe County, MO through Combs Waterkotte. A Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you will fight for your rights and navigate the legal process when you have been charged with driving under the influence in Monroe County or anywhere in Missouri. Our team of Monroe County, MO attorneys have expertise in a number of other case types, including:

Learn more about different kinds of DUI cases in Missouri and how Combs Waterkotte’s DUI attorneys in Monroe County, MO can defend you.

Work with a Top DUI Attorney Near Me in Monroe County, MO | Combs Waterkotte

Do yourself a favor and act now. If you have been stopped or arrested for driving under the influence near Monroe 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 Monroe County, MO can defend you. Contact our Monroe County, MO defense law firm right away to consult a lawyer about your rights, your case and your future.

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