Clinton County, MO

DUI Attorney Near Me Clinton County, MO

DUI attorney near me in Clinton County, MO. Being arrested for driving under the influence in Clinton County, MO is a serious matter. Whatever the situation, when you are arrested for driving while intoxicated 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 Clinton County and Missouri. Depending on your unique situation, a savvy Clinton County, MO DUI attorney near you will make the best of your situation. They may be able to get the charges dropped, reduce the charges to lesser offenses, fight the conviction in a trial 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 Clinton County, MO DUI case. For dedicated, aggressive defense against injustice after being accused of driving under the influence, speak to Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP.

What is a DUI in Clinton 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 courts. Missouri Revised Statute §577.010 and §577.012 define the definition of the crime of driving under the influence and establishes the rules Missouri courts must follow to sentence and punish DWI offenders for operating a vehicle with a BAC (blood alcohol content) over the legal limit or while otherwise intoxicated. After your Missouri DWI arrest, focus on finding a DUI attorney near Clinton County, MO who will stand up on your behalf 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 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 many DWI arrests in Missouri are done based on drunk driving allegations, you can also be arrested for a DWI due to allegedly driving a vehicle while under the influence of another psychoactive drug.

The same Missouri law prohibits driving while intoxicated by drugs 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, speak to a DUI attorney near you as soon as possible. Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is a reuptable and capable Clinton County-based DUI attorney near you, Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is accessible, experienced and sharp. For a trustworthy DUI attorney near you, call (314) 900-HELP.

Getting Stopped or Arrested for a DUI in Clinton County, MO

You owe it to yourself to know your rights in the event that you are stopped for driving under the influence. Speak to an experienced Clinton County, MO DUI attorney near you with Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP to 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 a traffic stop and were arrested for intoxicated driving, our incredible Clinton County, MO defense attorneys will shield you from injustice in court.

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

DUI Traffic Stops in Clinton County, MO

In order to pull someone over, a Clinton County, MO or any Missouri police officer must have reasonable suspicion. For a DWI, reasonable suspicion could be things like splitting the lane, driving on a road going in the wrong direction and any other driving behaviors such as alternating extremes in speed, swerving or alternating between braking and accelerating.

A police officer must have reasonable suspicion that you were driving under the influence in order to stop you, and are required to meet the more stringent burden of probable cause before they can place you under arrest for a DWI.

If you feel that you were improperly stopped for or accused of your Clinton County, MO DWI, reach out to a DUI attorney near you as soon as possible. If an officer stopped you without any reasonable suspicion, even if they have proof that you were driving drunk, turn to a DUI attorney near you in Clinton County, MO who 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 Clinton County, MO

If you are pulled over by an officer under suspicion of drunk or drugged driving, they will likely try to get you to do a test to prove that you are intoxicated. When it comes to roadside tests used by Clinton County, MO police officers to determine intoxication, there are two primary types they may utilize: field sobriety tests and chemical tests.

1. Chemical Tests (ie. a breathalizer)

   In Clinton County, MO stops 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 what is known as an implied consent law, via which, as a Clinton County, MO driver or driver anywhere in Missouri, you automatically consent to submit to chemical sobriety tests simply by getting behind the wheel. A good DUI attorney near you will tell you that you can refuse to a breathalyzer, but refusal can carry a criminal charge in itself. Still, you cannot be physically forced to take the test.

   If you already did a breathalyzer test, consult an experienced Clinton County, MO DUI attorney near you to discuss your defense and how they can help you. As your DUI attorney near Clinton County, MO, Combs Waterkotte will investigate and scrutinize the details of your test to conclude if the breathalyzer or other test was performed as according to law and whether it is or is not admissible in court.

2. Field Sobriety Tests

   Field tests during a DWI traffic stop are subjective tests 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 specified three standardized field tests that police officers can use to test drivers in Clinton County, 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, call a DUI attorney near you in Clinton County, MO immediately. If you already performed a field test and were then arrested for a DUI in Missouri, your Clinton County, MO DUI attorney will build an impenetrable 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.

Traffic Checkpoints in Clinton County, MO

A checkpoint is a temporary roadblock used as a way to systematically screen drivers for driving under the influence. There are federal laws that regulate the carriage of DUI checkpoints, but each state has its own rules and some prohibit the use of checkpoints. Lawmakers in Missouri have debated banning sobriety checkpoints, but they are currently still allowed by Missouri law.

Police departments in Clinton County and around Missouri do not use checkpoints as heavily as they used to, but it is still prudent to familiarize yourself with your rights and the rules regulating checkpoints. 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
• 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

Perhaps most importantly, there must be a logical reason for implementing the checkpoint related to public safety, .

If you approach a checkpoint in Clinton County, MO, call (314) 900-HELP to talk to a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you immediately. Our experienced Clinton 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 kind and cunning DUI attorney near you today.

Get the best quality criminal defense available in Clinton County, MO through Combs Waterkotte. At Combs Waterkotte, a DUI attorney near you will fight for your rights and provide you with an infallible defense when you have been accused of driving under the influence in Clinton County or anywhere in Missouri. In addition, our top Clinton County, MO defense lawyers can help you with a wide range of other case types, including:

• Child Abuse & Neglect Lawyer
• Homicide Lawyer
• Assault Lawyer
• Rape Defense Lawyer
• Sex Offense Lawyers
• DWI Attorney
• Crime Defense Lawyers
• Domestic Violence Defense Attorneys
• Child Pornography Defense Lawyer
• Criminal Lawyer

Learn more about the different DUI charges in Missouri and what the DUI attorneys near you with Combs Waterkotte near Clinton County, 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 Clinton County, MO | Combs Waterkotte

Do not waste any time. If you have been stopped or arrested for driving under the influence near Clinton 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 Clinton County, MO will defend you. Contact our Clinton County, MO defense law firm now to discuss your rights, your case and your future.