DUI attorney near me in New Madrid County, MO. No one enjoys being arrested, but it is important to understand that driving under the influence in New Madrid County is treated as a serious offense in Missouri court. Whatever the details of your situation, when you are arrested 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 successfully defended against DUI convictions in New Madrid County and Missouri. Depending on the details of your case, a savvy New Madrid County, 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, fight the conviction in a trial or work with the prosecutor to negotiate a plea bargain. Most importantly, they will use the law to your benefit and guide you through the entire legal process for your New Madrid County, MO DUI case. For razor-sharp representation after you have been arrested 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 New Madrid County, MO?
Commonly referred to as a DUI (which stands for driving under the influence, the offense is actually referred to a DWI (driving while intoxicated) in Missouri law. Missouri Revised Statute §577.010 and §577.012 outline the definition of the crime of driving under the influence and specifies the law Missouri courts must follow to sentence and punish DWI offenders, with the latter specific to driving with a BAC, or blood alcohol content, over the legal limit. After your Missouri DWI arrest, focus on finding a DUI attorney near New Madrid County, MO to fight for your freedom 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 long list 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 due to allegedly operating a vehicle while impaired by some kind of psychoactive drug.
The DWI law in Missouri criminalizes not only drinking and driving, but also 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 a police officer can arrest you if they suspect that you are impaired, including due to ingesting marijuana or even narcotics or pharmaceuticals like opiates.
If you or a family member have been arrested for a DWI in Missouri, reach out to a DUI attorney near you right away. Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is a reuptable and capable New Madrid County-based DUI attorney near you, Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is dedicated, experienced and skilled. When you need a DUI attorney near you whom you can trust, call (314) 900-HELP.
Getting Stopped or Arrested for a DUI in New Madrid County, MO
You owe it to yourself to know your rights lest you are pulled over for driving intoxicated. Reach out to Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP immediately to speak to a leading New Madrid County, MO DUI attorney near you and learn about your rights and what you should do if an officer ever stops you while you are driving in Missouri. And if you have already gone through being pulled over and arrested for intoxicated driving, our outstanding New Madrid County, MO defense law firm will fight for your freedom and justice.
Find out about the rules and what to expect for regular traffic stops, sobriety tests and sobriety checkpoints.
DUI Traffic Stops in New Madrid 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 New Madrid County, MO. In the case of a DWI, reasonable suspicion would be things like splitting the lane, driving the wrong way down a road and other erratic driving behaviors such as inconsistencies in speed, swerving or stopping and going.
A police officer is not able to lawfully stop you unless they can identify reasonable suspicion that you are committing the crime of driving while intoxicated satisfy the more stringent burden of probable cause in order to actually place you under arrest for a DWI.
If you believe that you were wrongly stopped for or accused of your New Madrid County, MO DWI, reach out to a DUI attorney near you at your earliest opportunity. If you were stopped by an officer without giving them reasonable suspicion, even if they have proof that you were driving drunk, turn to a DUI attorney near you in New Madrid County, MO who can 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 New Madrid County, MO
If a law officer stops you under suspicion of drunk or drugged 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 New Madrid County, MO police officers typically use in traffic stops for driving under the influence: field sobriety tests and chemical tests.
- Chemical Tests (ie. a breathalizer)
In New Madrid County, MO stops for DUIs, they often turn to chemical tests to collect evidence 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, pursuant to which, as a New Madrid County, MO driver or driver anywhere in Missouri, you automatically agree 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 or other chemical test, 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 New Madrid County, MO DUI attorney near you to figure out your options and get the best quality defense in your case. As your New Madrid County, MO DUI attorney near you, Combs Waterkotte will obtain discovery documents and comb through them to examine if the breathalyzer or other test was performed as according to law and whether it is or is not admissible in court.
- Field Sobriety Tests
Field tests are subjective tests sometimes used during a DWI stop that attempt to determine 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 New Madrid 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 you are stopped and asked to perform field sobriety tests, contact a DUI attorney near you in New Madrid County, MO immediately. If you have already performed a field test and have been arrested for a DUI in Missouri, your DUI attorney in New Madrid County, MO will design a 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.
New Madrid County Resources
Below are quick links to important websites that may assist you with your legal matters in New Madrid County and Missouri.
Traffic Checkpoints in New Madrid County, MO
A checkpoint is a temporary roadblock used as a way to randomly check drivers for behaviors like 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 they are currently still allowed by Missouri law.
Police departments in New Madrid 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 checkpoints must follow. When it doubt, 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:
- 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 carrying out the checkpoint related to public safety, .
If you approach a checkpoint in New Madrid County, MO, call (314) 900-HELP to talk to a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you immediately. Our experienced New Madrid County, MO attorneys will fearlessly 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.
Get the best quality criminal defense available in New Madrid County, MO through Combs Waterkotte. At Combs Waterkotte, a DUI attorney near you will fight for your rights and navigate the legal process when you have been charged with driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs in New Madrid County or anywhere in Missouri. Our team of New Madrid County, MO attorneys have expertise in a number of other case types, including:
Learn more about the different DUI charges in Missouri and what the DUI attorneys near you with Combs Waterkotte near New Madrid County, MO can do to help you.
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- Other Criminal Defense Cases
Hire a DUI Attorney Near Me in New Madrid County, MO | Combs Waterkotte
Do not waste any time. If you were stopped or arrested for driving under the influence near New Madrid 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 New Madrid County, MO will defend you. Contact our New Madrid County, MO defense law firm right away to consult a lawyer about your rights, your case and your future.

