Phelps County, MO

DUI Attorney Near Me Phelps County, MO

DUI attorney near me in Phelps County, MO. Being arrested for driving under the influence in Phelps County, MO is a serious matter. Regardless of the details of your situation, 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 knows their way around DUI cases in Phelps County and Missouri. Depending on your unique situation, a sharp DUI attorney near Phelps County, MO may be able to get the prosecutor to drop the charges, have the charges reduced to lesser offenses, fight the conviction in a trial or work with the prosecutor to negotiate a plea bargain. Their principle responsibility is to navigate the law and the entire legal process for your Phelps County, MO DUI case. For dedicated, aggressive defense against injustice after being accused of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, speak to Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP.

What is a DUI in Phelps County, 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 lay forth the definition of the crime of driving while intoxicated and lays forth the law for sentencing and punishments for DWI offenders for operating a vehicle with a BAC (blood alcohol content) over the legal limit or while otherwise intoxicated. If you have been arrested in Missouri for a DWI, focus on finding a DUI attorney near Phelps County, MO to fight for your freedom and help you navigate what can be an intimidating Missouri court process.

You could be arrested for a DWI in Missouri for a number of reasons. The law prohibits driving while intoxicated — not explicitly for driving under the influence of alcohol. While DWI arrests are often accusations of driving drunk, you can also be arrested for a DWI on suspicion of operating a vehicle while under the influence of some kind of psychoactive 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 you are liable 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 were arrested for a DWI in Missouri, reach out to a DUI attorney near you as soon as possible. Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is a skilled Phelps 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 Phelps County, MO

It is critical that you know your rights lest you are pulled over for driving intoxicated. Speak to an experienced Phelps County, MO DUI attorney near you with Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP to understand your rights and what steps to take if you are ever stopped when driving in Missouri. And if you have already gone through being pulled over and arrested for driving drunk or high, our incredible Phelps County, MO defense lawyers will fight for your freedom and justice.

Become familiar with the rules and procedure for Missouri traffic stops, sobriety tests and checkpoints.

DUI Traffic Stops in Phelps County, MO

In order to pull someone over, a Phelps County, MO or any Missouri police officer must have reasonable suspicion. In the case of a DWI, reasonable suspicion would be represented by behaviors like like splitting the lane, going on a road going in the wrong direction and other erratic behaviors such as inconsistencies in speed, swerving or braking.

A police officer is not permitted to conduct a traffic stop unless they can identify reasonable suspicion that you are breaking the law by driving while intoxicated meet the higher burden of probable cause in order to actually place you under arrest for a DWI.

If you suspect that you were unlawfully stopped for or accused of your Phelps County, MO DWI, contact 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 under the influence, a DUI attorney near Phelps County, MO 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 Phelps County, MO

If you are pulled over by an officer under suspicion of 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 Phelps 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 Phelps County, MO stops for DUIs, chemical tests are often used as evidence to collect evidence that the driver had ingested drugs or alcohol. Chemical tests include tests of the blood, breath, saliva or urine that are meant to identify the presence of and/or measure the concentration of substances like alcohol.

   Like most US states, Missouri has what is known as an implied consent law, pursuant to whichPhelps County, MO and other Missouri drivers automatically agree to participate in chemical sobriety tests just by operating a vehicle. A good DUI attorney near you will tell you that you can refuse to a breathalyzer, but you can face legal consequences for the act of refusing the test. You cannot be physically forced to produce a sample.

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

2. Field Sobriety Tests

   Field tests are subjective tests sometimes used during a DWI stop that attempt to gauge whether you are impaired through a series of demonstrative tasks. The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration has spelled out three standardized field tests police officers subject drivers to in Phelps 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 Phelps County, MO as soon as possible. If you have already agreed to and performed a field test and were then arrested for a DUI in Missouri, your Phelps County, MO DUI attorney will build an insurmountable 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 Phelps County, MO

A checkpoint is a roadblock temporarily set up on a roadway to systematically screen drivers for driving under the influence. Federal law allows the use of DUI checkpoints by police departments, but they must meet certain standards. Missouri lawmakers have discussed banning sobriety checkpoints, but curent Missouri law still allows police to use them.

Police departments in Phelps 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. 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 public 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 logical reason for carrying out the checkpoint related to public safety, such as an area where a higher-than-average rate of drunk driving-related accidents has occurred.

If you find yourself at a checkpoint in Phelps County, MO, call (314) 900-HELP to talk to a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you immediately. Our determined Phelps County, MO attorneys will fearlessly defend you and protect your rights in the court of law. Contact us online to discuss your situation with a compassionate and cunning DUI attorney near you today.

Through Combs Waterkotte, you have access to some of the best criminal defense services in the Phelps County, 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 of alcohol or drugs in Phelps County or anywhere in Missouri. Our team of Phelps County, MO attorneys have expertise in a variety of other kinds of cases, including:

• 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

Click below to learn more about the different DUI cases in Missouri and how Combs Waterkotte’s DUI attorneys in Phelps County, MO can defend you.

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• Other Criminal Defense Cases

Hire a DUI Attorney Near Me in Phelps County, MO | Combs Waterkotte

There is no time to waste. If you were stopped or arrested for driving under the influence near Phelps County, MO, you need to hire a DUI attorney near you whom you can trust. 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 Phelps County, MO will defend you. Contact our Phelps County, MO defense law firm right away to discuss your rights, your case and your future.