Greene County, MO

DUI Attorney Near Me Greene County, MO

DUI attorney near me in Greene County, MO. Being arrested for driving under the influence in Greene County, MO is a serious matter. Regardless of the circumstances, 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 a talented defense attorney who has a track record of winning in Greene County and Missouri. Depending on your unique situation, a sharp Greene County, MO DUI attorney near you 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 navigate the law and all legal proceedings for your Greene County, MO DUI case. For dedicated, aggressive defense against injustice when you have been accused of driving under the influence, speak to Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP.

What is a DUI in Greene 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 lay forth what constitutes the crime of driving under the influence and lays forth the guidelines Missouri courts must follow to sentence and punish those convicted of a DWI for operating a vehicle with a BAC (blood alcohol content) over the legal limit or while otherwise intoxicated. After your Missouri DWI arrest, you deserve a DUI attorney near Greene County, 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 on suspicion of operating a vehicle while under the influence of another mind-altering drug.

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

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

It is critical that you know your rights in the event that you are stopped for driving under the influence. Reach out to Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP immediately to speak to a leading Greene County, MO DUI attorney near you and learn about your rights and what you should do if you are ever stopped when driving in Missouri. And if you have already gone through a traffic stop and were arrested for driving drunk or high, our unstoppable Greene County, MO defense attorneys will fight for your freedom and justice.

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

DUI Traffic Stops in Greene 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 Greene County, MO. For a DWI, reasonable suspicion could be represented by behaviors like like drifting out of lane, driving the wrong way down a road and any other behaviors such as driving extremely slow or fast, 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 satisfy the higher burden of probable cause in order to actually arrest you for a DWI.

If you feel that you were wrongly stopped for or accused of your Greene 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 then obtained evidence that you were driving under the influence, a DUI attorney near Greene County, MO will help get the prosecutor to dismiss your case so you can move on with your life.

Sobriety Tests for DUIs in Greene County, MO

If a law officer stops you due to suspected drunk or drugged driving, they will want to obtain proof to show that you are under the influence. When it comes to roadside tests used by Greene 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)

   When police officers stop drivers in Greene County MO for driving while intoxicated, they often turn to chemical tests to collect evidence that the driver had ingested drugs or alcohol. There are a few different types of chemical tests using blood, breath, saliva or urine that check for the presence and concentration of various substances including alcohol.

   Like most US states, Missouri has what is known as an implied consent law, pursuant to which, as a Greene County, MO driver or driver anywhere in Missouri, you automatically agree to submit to chemical sobriety tests just by getting behind the wheel. A smart DUI attorney near you will counsel you to know that you can refuse to submit to a breathalyzer, but you can face legal consequences for the act of refusing the test. You cannot be physically forced to take the test.

   If you already did a breathalyzer test, consult an exemplary Greene County, MO DUI attorney near you to discuss your defense and how they can help you. As your Greene County, MO DUI attorney near you, Combs Waterkotte will obtain discovery documents and comb through them to conclude if the breathalyzer or other test was performed legally 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 designed to gauge whether you are impaired 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 Greene 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 Greene County, MO as soon as possible. If you already agreed to and performed a field test and were then arrested for a DUI in Missouri, your DUI attorney in Greene County, MO will build 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.

Traffic Checkpoints in Greene County, MO

A checkpoint is a temporary roadblock used as a way to randomly check drivers for behaviors like 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 entertained banning sobriety checkpoints, but curent Missouri law still allows police to use them.

Checkpoints in Greene County and throughout Missouri are not as prevalent as they once were, but it is still prudent to educate yourself on your rights and the rules checkpoints must follow. If you are not sure, call 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 roadway 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
• visibly associated with law enforcement

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

If you approach a checkpoint in Greene County, MO, call (314) 900-HELP to talk to a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you immediately. Our skilled Greene County, MO attorneys will fearlessly defend you and protect your rights in the court of law. Reach out to us online to review your situation with a compassionate and cunning DUI attorney near you today.

Get the best quality criminal defense available in Greene County, MO through Combs Waterkotte. 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 Greene County or anywhere in Missouri. Our team of Greene County, MO attorneys have expertise in a wide range of other kinds of cases, including:

• Gun Crime Lawyer
• 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

Learn more about the different DUI cases in Missouri and how Combs Waterkotte’s DUI attorneys in Greene County, MO can defend 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 Greene County, MO | Combs Waterkotte

Do yourself a favor and act now. If you were stopped or arrested for driving under the influence near Greene County, 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 Greene County, MO will protect you. Contact our Greene County, MO defense law firm right away to discuss your rights, your case and your future.