Worth County, MO

DUI Attorney Near Me Worth County, MO

DUI attorney near me in Worth County, MO. Being arrested for driving under the influence in Worth County, MO is a serious matter. Regardless of the details of your situation, when you are facing a conviction for driving under the influence 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 a track record of winning in Worth County and Missouri. Depending on the details of your case, an astute DUI attorney near Worth County, 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. Most importantly, they will navigate the law and all legal proceedings for your Worth County, MO DUI case. For dedicated, aggressive defense against injustice after you have been arrested of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, call Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP.

What is a DUI in Worth County, MO?

Though many people refer to it as a DUI (which stands for driving under the influence, Missouri law actually calls the offense a DWI (driving while intoxicated). Missouri Revised Statute §577.010 and §577.012 outline what constitutes the crime of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and specifies the law for sentencing and punishments for DWI offenders, with the latter specific to driving with a BAC, or blood alcohol content, over the legal limit. After your Missouri DWI arrest, you may need a DUI attorney near Worth 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 number of reasons. The law prohibits driving while intoxicated — not explicitly for driving under the influence of alcohol. While DWI arrests are often drunk driving allegations, you can also be arrested for a DWI due to allegedly operating a vehicle while impaired by another mind-altering drug.

The same Missouri law prohibits driving while intoxicated by psychoactive substances that impair skills necessary to driving including motor skills, reaction time and decision making. That means that you can be subject 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 or a family member have been arrested for a DWI in Missouri, contact a DUI attorney near you right away. Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is a skilled Worth County-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 Worth County, MO

It is critical that you know your rights lest you are stopped for driving intoxicated. Reach out to Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP immediately to speak to a leading Worth County, MO DUI attorney near you and learn about your rights and what to do if an officer ever stops you while you are operating a vehicle in Missouri. And if you have already gone through a traffic stop and were arrested for driving drunk or high, our outstanding Worth County, MO defense law firm will shield you from injustice in court.

Become familiar with the rules and what to expect for Missouri traffic stops, sobriety tests and sobriety checkpoints.

DUI Traffic Stops in Worth 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 Worth County, MO. In the case of a DWI, reasonable suspicion could be things like drifting out of lane, driving on a road going in the wrong direction and other erratic behaviors such as inconsistencies in speed, swerving or braking.

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 before they can place you under arrest for a DWI.

If you feel that you were improperly stopped or arrested for your Worth 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 Worth County, MO who 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 Worth County, MO

If a law officer stops you under suspicion of inhebriated driving, they will want to obtain proof to show that you are under the influence. When it comes to roadside tests used by Worth 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 Worth County MO for driving while intoxicated, they often turn to chemical tests to prove that the driver was under the influence at the time of the stop. 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, via which, as a Worth County, MO driver or driver anywhere in Missouri, you automatically consent to participate in chemical sobriety tests simply by driving a vehicle. 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 take the test.

   If you already did a breathalyzer test, speak to an exemplary Worth County, MO DUI attorney near you to discuss your defense and how they can help you. As your Worth County, MO DUI attorney near you, Combs Waterkotte will investigate and scrutinize the details of your test to determine if 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 by asking the driver to perform motor tasks. The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration has defined three standardized field tests that police officers can use to test drivers in Worth 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

   As a Missouri driver, you have the right 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 Worth County, MO as soon as you can. If you already performed a field test and were then arrested for a DUI in Missouri, your DUI attorney in Worth County, MO will build a defense to your case or make sure any illegally obtained evidence is thrown out and not used against you in Missouri court.

Traffic Checkpoints in Worth County, MO

A checkpoint is a temporary roadblock used 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. Missouri legislators have discussed banning sobriety checkpoints, but curent Missouri law still allows police to use them.

Checkpoints in Worth County and throughout Missouri are not as prevalent as they once were, but you should still familiarize yourself with your rights and the rules checkpoints must follow. When it doubt, 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 directly related to public safety. DUI checkpoints should be:

• 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, usually because the area has an abnormally high rate of drunk driving accidents.

If you find yourself at a checkpoint in Worth County, MO, speak to a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you at (314) 900-HELP. Our determined Worth County, MO attorneys will ferociously defend you and protect your rights in the court of law. Contact us online to discuss your case with a kind and cunning DUI attorney near you today.

Get the best quality criminal defense available in Worth 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 charged with driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs in Worth County or anywhere in Missouri. In addition, our top Worth County, MO defense lawyers can help you with a wide range of other case types, 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 different kinds of DUI cases in Missouri and how Combs Waterkotte’s DUI attorneys in Worth 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

Work with a Top DUI Attorney Near Me in Worth County, MO | Combs Waterkotte

There is no time to waste. If you were stopped or arrested for driving under the influence near Worth County, MO, find a DUI attorney near you whom you can trust. A Missouri DWI and similar charges are serious accusations that can carry significant consequences. When your freedom and future are at risk a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you in Worth County, MO will protect you. Contact our Worth County, MO defense law firm right away to consult a lawyer about your rights, your case and your future.