DUI Attorney Near Me Barry County, MO

DUI attorney near me in Barry County, MO. Being arrested for driving under the influence in Barry County, MO is a serious matter. Regardless of the circumstances, when you are facing a conviction for driving while intoxicated by drugs or alcohol, 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 Barry County and Missouri. Depending on the details of your case, a savvy DUI attorney near Barry County, MO will make the best of your situation. They may be able to get the charges dropped, 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 use the law to your benefit and guide you through all legal proceedings for your Barry County, MO DUI case. For dedicated, aggressive defense against injustice after being arrested of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, call Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP.

What is a DUI in Barry County, MO?

Though many people refer to it 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 outline the definition of the crime of driving under the influence and establishes the law for sentencing and punishments for those convicted of a DWI 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 Barry 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. Under Missouri law, it is illegal to drive while intoxicated, and that covers more than just 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 some kind of intoxicating substance.

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 driving while intoxicated in Missouri, contact a DUI attorney near you as soon as possible. Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is a reuptable and capable Barry 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 Barry County, MO

You owe it to yourself to know your rights in the event that you are stopped for driving under the influence. Call Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP immediately to speak to a leading Barry County, 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 Barry County, MO defense lawyers will fight for your freedom and justice.

Find out about the rules and procedure for regular traffic stops, sobriety tests and sobriety checkpoints.

DUI Traffic Stops in Barry 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 Barry County, MO. For a DWI, reasonable suspicion would be things like splitting the lane, driving the wrong way down a road and other erratic behaviors such as driving extremely slow or fast, 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 meet the more stringent burden of probable cause before they can place you under arrest for a DWI.

If you suspect that you were wrongly stopped or arrested for your Barry County, MO DWI, reach out to a DUI attorney near you as soon as possible. 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, turn to a DUI attorney near you in Barry County, MO who can fight to get the prosecutor to dismiss your case so you can move on with your life.

Sobriety Tests for DUIs in Barry County, MO

If a law officer stops you under suspicion of intoxicated driving, they will likely try to get you to do a test to prove that you are intoxicated. There are two types of tests Barry County, MO police officers typically use in traffic stops for driving under the influence: field sobriety tests and chemical tests.

1. Chemical Tests (ie. a breathalizer)

   In Barry 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. Chemical tests include tests of the blood, breath, saliva or urine that check for the presence and concentration of various substances including alcohol.

   Each state has its own laws and many, including Missouri have what is known as an implied consent law, pursuant to whichBarry County, MO and other Missouri drivers automatically agree to submit to chemical sobriety tests just by getting behind the wheel. A smart 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. Still, the police cannot physically force you to produce a sample.

   If you do take a breathalyzer test, consult an experienced Barry County, MO DUI attorney near you to discuss your defense and how they can help you. As your DUI attorney near Barry County, MO, Combs Waterkotte will investigate and scrutinize the details of your test to determine whether the breathalyzer or other test was performed legally and whether it should or should not be admissible in court.

2. Field Sobriety Tests

   Field tests are subjective tests sometimes used during a DWI stop that are meant to determine whether you are intoxicated 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 Barry 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, call a DUI attorney near you in Barry County, MO as soon as possible. If you have already performed a field test and have been arrested for a DUI in Missouri, your DUI attorney in Barry County, 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.

Traffic Checkpoints in Barry County, MO

A checkpoint is a temporary roadblock used as a way to systematically screen 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 debated banning sobriety checkpoints, but curent Missouri law still allows their use.

Checkpoints in Barry 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, speak to 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 public safety. DUI checkpoints should be:

• announced 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 legitimate 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 Barry County, MO, speak to a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you at (314) 900-HELP. Our skilled Barry County, MO attorneys will ferociously defend you and protect your rights in the court of law. Reach out to us online to review your case with a kind and cunning DUI attorney near you today.

Get the best quality criminal defense available in Barry County, MO through Combs Waterkotte. A Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you will protect you against the court and navigate the legal process when you have been arrested for driving under the influence in Barry County or anywhere in Missouri. In addition, our top Barry County, MO defense lawyers can help you with a wide range of other case types, including:

• Drivers License Reinstatement Attorney
• Careless Imprudent Driving Attorneys
• Weapons Crime Attorney

Learn more about the different DUI charges in Missouri and how Combs Waterkotte’s DUI attorneys in Barry 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 Barry County, MO | Combs Waterkotte

Do yourself a favor and act now. If you have been stopped or arrested for driving under the influence near Barry 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 Barry County, MO can defend you. Contact our Barry County, MO defense law firm right away to consult a lawyer about your rights, your case and your future.