DUI attorney near me in St. Charles, MO. No one enjoys being arrested, but it is important to understand that driving under the influence in St. Charles is treated as a serious offense in Missouri court. Regardless of the situation, when you are arrested 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 St. Charles and Missouri. Depending on the details of your case, an astute St. Charles, 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 St. Charles, MO DUI case. For dedicated, aggressive defense against injustice when you have been arrested of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, call Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP.
Legal Videos
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
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)
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 …
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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
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
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 …
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
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)
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?
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
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
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 is a DUI in St. Charles, 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 courts. Missouri Revised Statute §577.010 and §577.012 lay forth what constitutes the crime of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs 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, focus on finding a DUI attorney near St. Charles, MO who will stand up on your behalf and protect you from unfair treatment by Missouri courts.
A police officer may arrest someone for a DWI in Missouri for a variety of reasons. Under Missouri law, it is illegal to drive while intoxicated, and that covers more than just driving under the influence of alcohol. Though many DWI arrests in Missouri are done based on accusations of driving drunk, you can also be arrested for a DWI due to allegedly operating 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 intoxicated by intoxicating substances that impair your consciousness or motor skills. That means that you can be subject to arrest if a police officer believes 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 while intoxicated in Missouri, reach out to a DUI attorney near you as soon as possible. Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is a skilled St. Charles-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 St. Charles, MO
It is critical that you know your rights lest you are pulled over for driving under the influence. Reach out to Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP immediately to speak to a leading St. Charles, MO DUI attorney near you and understand your rights and what you should do if an officer ever stops you while you are operating a vehicle in Missouri. And if you were already subjected to being pulled over and arrested for driving drunk or high, our outstanding St. Charles, MO defense attorneys will shield you from injustice in court.
Find out about the rules and procedure for Missouri traffic stops, sobriety tests and sobriety checkpoints.
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DUI Traffic Stops in St. Charles, MO
A Missouri officer of the law must have reasonable suspicion that you are driving drunk in order to pull an individual over in St. Charles, MO. In the case of a DWI, reasonable suspicion would be things like splitting the lane, driving on a road going in the wrong direction and any other behaviors such as alternating extremes in speed, swerving or braking.
A police officer is not allowed to conduct a traffic stop unless they can identify reasonable suspicion that you are committing the crime of driving while intoxicated satisfy the higher burden of probable cause before they can place you under arrest for a DWI.
If you believe that you were improperly stopped for or accused of your St. Charles, 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 St. Charles, MO can help get your case dismissed and put to rest so you can move forward in your life.
Sobriety Tests for DUIs in St. Charles, MO
If a law officer stops you under suspicion of drunk or drugged driving, they will want to obtain proof to show that you are under the influence. There are two types of tests St. Charles, 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 St. Charles, MO stops for drunk driving or driving under the influence, they often turn to chemical tests to collect evidence 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 various substances including alcohol.
Like most US states, Missouri has in place an implied consent law, pursuant to whichSt. Charles, MO and other Missouri drivers automatically agree to participate in chemical sobriety tests simply by getting behind the wheel. A good 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 produce a sample.
If you do take a breathalyzer test, speak to an experienced St. Charles, MO DUI attorney near you to discuss your defense and how they can help you. As your DUI attorney near St. Charles, 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 attempt to gauge whether you are intoxicated through a series of demonstrative tasks. The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration has specified three standardized field tests that police officers can use to test drivers in St. Charles, 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, contact a DUI attorney near you in St. Charles, 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 DUI attorney in St. Charles, MO will design an insurmountable defense to your case or ensure that evidence that does not meet Missouri’s rules of evidence such as improperly obtained sobriety tests are not used against you in Missouri court.
St. Charles County Resources
Below are quick links to important websites that may assist you with your legal matters in St. Charles County and Missouri.
Traffic Checkpoints in St. Charles, MO
A checkpoint is a roadblock temporarily set up on a roadway to systematically screen 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 explored banning sobriety checkpoints, but curent Missouri law still allows their use.
Police departments in St. Charles and around Missouri do not use checkpoints as heavily as they did in the past, but it is still wise to educate yourself on 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 public safety. DUI checkpoints should be:
- 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
- clearly associated with law enforcement
Perhaps most importantly, there must be a legitimate reason for implementing 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 St. Charles, MO, call (314) 900-HELP to talk to a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you immediately. Our experienced St. Charles, 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 kind and cunning DUI attorney near you today.
Get the best quality criminal defense available in St. Charles, 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 in St. Charles or anywhere in Missouri. In addition, our top St. Charles, MO defense lawyers can help you with a wide range of other case types, including:
Click below to learn more about the different DUI cases in Missouri and what the DUI attorneys near you with Combs Waterkotte near St. Charles, MO can do to help you.
- DWI/DUI Lawyer in St. Louis
- CDL DWI Lawyer in St. Louis
- DWI Accident Lawyer in St. Louis
- First Offense DWI Lawyer in St. Louis
- Marijuana DWI Lawyer in St. Louis
- 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 St. Charles, MO | Combs Waterkotte
Do yourself a favor and act now. If you have been stopped or arrested for driving under the influence near St. Charles, MO, find 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 St. Charles, MO will protect you. Contact our St. Charles, MO defense law firm now to consult a lawyer about your rights, your case and your future.
