DUI Attorney Near Me Olivette, MO
DUI attorney near me in Olivette, MO. Being arrested for driving under the influence in Olivette, MO is a serious matter. Regardless of the situation, when you are facing a conviction 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 Olivette and Missouri. Depending on your unique situation, a savvy DUI attorney near Olivette, MO may be able to get the charges dropped, have the charges reduced to lesser offenses, lead your case to trial to fight the conviction or negotiate a lesser punishment through a plea bargain. Their principle responsibility is to navigate the law and the entire legal process for your Olivette, MO DUI case. For dedicated, aggressive defense against injustice when you have been arrested of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, speak to Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP.
What is a DUI in Olivette, MO?
Commonly referred to as a DUI (which stands for driving under the influence, Missouri courts actually call the offense a DWI (driving while intoxicated). Missouri Revised Statute §577.010 and §577.012 outline the definition of the crime of driving while intoxicated and defines the guidelines for sentencing and punishments for DWI offenders, 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 Olivette, 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 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 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 impared by drugs or 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 due to ingesting marijuana or even narcotics or pharmaceuticals like opiates.
If you were arrested for a DWI in Missouri, contact a DUI attorney near you right away. Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is a skilled Olivette-based DUI attorney near you, Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is accessible, experienced and sharp. When you need a DUI attorney near you whom you can trust, call (314) 900-HELP.
DUI Stops and Arrests in Olivette, MO
You owe it to yourself to know your rights in the event that you are pulled over for operating a vehicle while intoxicated. Reach out to Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP immediately to speak to a leading Olivette, 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 were already subjected to being pulled over and arrested for intoxicated driving, our incredible Olivette, MO defense lawyers will fight for your freedom and justice.
Find out about the rules and procedure for Missouri traffic stops, sobriety tests and sobriety checkpoints.
DUI Traffic Stops in Olivette, MO
A Missouri officer of the law must have reasonable suspicion that you are driving drunk in order to pull an individual over in Olivette, MO. In the case of a DWI, reasonable suspicion could be represented by behaviors like like drifting out of lane, driving on a road going in the wrong direction and any other driving behaviors such as driving extremely slow or fast, swerving or stopping and going.
A police officer is not allowed to stop you unless there is 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 improperly stopped or arrested for your Olivette, MO DWI, reach out to a DUI attorney near you at your earliest opportunity. If an officer stopped you without any reasonable suspicion, even if they then obtained evidence that you were driving intoxicated, a DUI attorney near Olivette, MO can fight to get the prosecutor to dismiss your case so you can move on with your life.
Sobriety Tests for DUIs in Olivette, MO
If you are pulled over by an officer under suspicion of intoxicated driving, they will want to obtain proof to show that you are intoxicated. When it comes to roadside tests used by Olivette, 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 Olivette, MO stops for drunk driving or driving under the influence, chemical tests are often used as evidence 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 check for the presence and concentration of substances like alcohol.
Each state has its own laws and many, including Missouri have in place an implied consent law, via whichOlivette, MO and other Missouri drivers automatically consent to submit to chemical sobriety tests simply by getting behind the wheel. A smart DUI attorney near you will tell you that you can refuse to a breathalyzer or other chemical test, but refusal can carry a criminal charge in itself. Still, you cannot be physically forced to take the test.
If you do take a breathalyzer test, speak to an experienced Olivette, MO DUI attorney near you to discuss your defense and how they can help you. As your DUI attorney near Olivette, MO, Combs Waterkotte will investigate and scrutinize the details of your test to determine whether the breathalyzer or other test was administered as according to law 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 gauge whether you are intoxicated by asking the driver to perform motor tasks. The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration has specified three standardized field tests police officers subject drivers to in Olivette, 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 Olivette, MO as soon as possible. If you have already performed a field test and have been arrested for a DUI in Missouri, your Olivette, 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.
Traffic Checkpoints in Olivette, MO
A checkpoint is a roadblock temporarily set up on a roadway 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.
Checkpoints in Olivette and throughout Missouri are not as prevalent as they once were, but it is still wise to educate yourself on 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:
- advertised 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 implementing the checkpoint related to public safety, .
If you approach a checkpoint in Olivette, MO, speak to a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you at (314) 900-HELP. Our determined Olivette, MO attorneys will fearlessly defend you and protect your rights in the court of law. Contact us online to review your situation 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 Olivette, MO area. At Combs Waterkotte, a DUI attorney near you will protect you against the court and navigate the legal process when you have been accused of driving under the influence in Olivette or anywhere in Missouri. Our team of Olivette, MO attorneys have expertise in a variety of other kinds of cases, including:
Learn more about the different DUI charges in Missouri and what the DUI attorneys near you with Combs Waterkotte near Olivette, MO can do to help you.
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- Other Criminal Defense Cases
Hire a DUI Attorney Near Me in Olivette, MO | Combs Waterkotte
Do not waste any time. If you have been stopped or arrested for driving under the influence near Olivette, MO, find a trustworthy DUI attorney near you. A Missouri DWI and similar charges are serious accusations that can carry significant consequences. Your future and freedom are on the line, and a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you in Olivette, MO will protect you. Contact our Olivette, MO defense law firm now to discuss your rights, your case and your future.