DUI attorney near me in Poplar Bluff, MO. Being arrested for driving under the influence in Poplar Bluff, MO is a serious matter. Regardless of the details of your 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 quality legal representation from an attorney who has successfully defended against DUI convictions in Poplar Bluff and Missouri. Depending on the details of your case, an astute DUI attorney near Poplar Bluff, MO will make the best of your situation. They may be able to get the prosecutor to drop the charges, have the charges reduced to lesser offenses, lead your case to trial to fight the conviction or work with the prosecutor to negotiate a plea bargain. Their principle responsibility is to navigate the law and all legal proceedings for your Poplar Bluff, MO DUI case. For dedicated, aggressive defense against injustice after being accused of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, call Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP.
Legal Videos
DWI Stop Advice – Always Have Your Paperwork Ready
DWI/DUI Stop Advice and Tips. Attorneys Christopher Combs and Steven Waterkotte provide a real-time walkthrough of the proper actions to take—and crucial mistakes to avoid—during a DWI/DUI …
(Making Of) DWI Behind the Scenes Video – Bonus Footage
Before we could shoot our behind-the-scenes video, there was… this. A quick glimpse at the setup, the laughs, and everything that didn’t quite make the final cut. While this is a fun video …
Behind the Scenes of a DWI/DUI Traffic Stop (Step-by-Step Walkthrough)
Missouri criminal defense and DWI attorneys Christopher Combs and Steven Waterkotte provide a real-time walkthrough of the proper actions to take—and crucial mistakes to avoid—during a DWI/DUI …
What Is the Process of Going to Court for a DWI?
What happens when you go to court for a DWI or DUI charge? Christopher Combs and Steven Waterkotte of Combs Waterkotte outline what to expect when going to court for a DWI or DUI.
Long Term Consequences of a DWI
What are the long-term consequences of a DWI? Christopher Combs and Steven Waterkotte of Combs Waterkotte discuss the potential long-term consequences of a DWI or DUI conviction on your …
What to Do If You Are Pulled Over for DWI in Missouri
What actions should you take if you are pulled over for suspicion of a DWI in Missouri? Christopher Combs and Steven Waterkotte of Combs Waterkotte discuss how to handle the difficult situation of …
DWI Stop Advice – Always Have Your Paperwork Ready
DWI/DUI Stop Advice and Tips. Attorneys Christopher Combs and Steven Waterkotte provide a real-time walkthrough of the proper actions to take—and crucial mistakes to avoid—during a DWI/DUI …
(Making Of) DWI Behind the Scenes Video – Bonus Footage
Before we could shoot our behind-the-scenes video, there was… this. A quick glimpse at the setup, the laughs, and everything that didn’t quite make the final cut. While this is a fun video …
Behind the Scenes of a DWI/DUI Traffic Stop (Step-by-Step Walkthrough)
Missouri criminal defense and DWI attorneys Christopher Combs and Steven Waterkotte provide a real-time walkthrough of the proper actions to take—and crucial mistakes to avoid—during a DWI/DUI …
What Is the Process of Going to Court for a DWI?
What happens when you go to court for a DWI or DUI charge? Christopher Combs and Steven Waterkotte of Combs Waterkotte outline what to expect when going to court for a DWI or DUI.
Long Term Consequences of a DWI
What are the long-term consequences of a DWI? Christopher Combs and Steven Waterkotte of Combs Waterkotte discuss the potential long-term consequences of a DWI or DUI conviction on your …
What to Do If You Are Pulled Over for DWI in Missouri
What actions should you take if you are pulled over for suspicion of a DWI in Missouri? Christopher Combs and Steven Waterkotte of Combs Waterkotte discuss how to handle the difficult situation of …
What is a DUI in Poplar Bluff, MO?
Though many people refer to it as a DUI (which stands for driving under the influence, the official nomenclature used in Missouri legislation is a DWI (driving while intoxicated). Missouri Revised Statute §577.010 and §577.012 lay forth what constitutes the crime of driving under the influence and lays forth the rules Missouri courts must follow to sentence and punish those convicted of a DWI, with the latter specific to driving with a BAC, or blood alcohol content, over the legal limit. If you have been arrested in Missouri for a DWI, you deserve a DUI attorney near Poplar Bluff, MO who will stand up on your behalf and help you navigate what can be an intimidating Missouri court process.
You could be arrested for a DWI in Missouri for a long list 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 accusations of driving drunk, you can also be arrested for a DWI on suspicion of operating a vehicle while impaired by some kind of mind-altering drug.
The DWI law in Missouri criminalizes not only drinking and driving, but also driving while impared by drugs or substances that impair your consciousness or motor skills. That means that a police officer can arrest you if they suspect 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, contact a DUI attorney near you right away. Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is a skilled Poplar Bluff-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 Poplar Bluff, MO
You owe it to yourself to know your rights in the event that you are stopped for operating a vehicle while intoxicated. Speak to an experienced Poplar Bluff, 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 were already subjected to being pulled over and arrested for intoxicated driving, our incredible Poplar Bluff, MO defense attorneys will shield you from injustice in court.
Learn the rules and procedure for Missouri traffic stops, sobriety tests and checkpoints.
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DUI Traffic Stops in Poplar Bluff, MO
A Missouri officer of the law must have reasonable suspicion that you are driving drunk in order to pull an individual over in Poplar Bluff, MO. In the case of a DWI, reasonable suspicion could be represented by behaviors like like drifting out of lane, going 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 satisfy the more stringent burden of probable cause in order to actually place you under arrest for a DWI.
If you suspect that you were wrongly stopped for or accused of your Poplar Bluff, MO DWI, reach out to a DUI attorney near you at your earliest opportunity. If an officer stopped you without any reasonable suspicion, even if they have proof that you were driving intoxicated, turn to a DUI attorney near you in Poplar Bluff, MO who can help get your case dismissed and put to rest so you can move on with your life.
Sobriety Tests for DUIs in Poplar Bluff, MO
If a law officer stops you under suspicion of intoxicated driving, they will want to obtain proof to show that you are under the influence. When it comes to roadside tests used by Poplar Bluff, MO police officers to determine intoxication, there are two primary types they may utilize: field sobriety tests and chemical tests.
- Chemical Tests (ie. a breathalizer)
In Poplar Bluff, MO stops for driving while intoxicated, chemical tests are often used as evidence to prove that the driver was under the influence at the time of the stop. There are a few different types of chemical tests using blood, breath, saliva or urine that check for the presence and concentration of substances like alcohol.
Each state has its own laws and many, including Missouri have in place an implied consent law, via whichPoplar Bluff, MO and other Missouri drivers automatically agree to submit to chemical sobriety tests just by driving a vehicle. A good DUI attorney near you will tell you 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 experienced Poplar Bluff, MO DUI attorney near you to figure out your options and get the best quality defense in your case. As your Poplar Bluff, MO DUI attorney near you, Combs Waterkotte will obtain discovery documents and comb through them to examine if the breathalyzer or other test was performed legally and whether it should or should not be admissible in court.
- Field Sobriety Tests
Field tests during a DWI traffic stop are subjective tests 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 Poplar Bluff, MO and throughout the United States.
- Walk and turn – walk heel to toe in a straight line for nine steps, turn around and repeat in the opposite direction
- 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
- 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 Poplar Bluff, MO as soon as possible. If you already agreed to and participated in a field test and have been arrested for a DUI in Missouri, your Poplar Bluff, MO DUI attorney will build a 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.
Butler County Resources
Below are quick links to important websites that may assist you with your legal matters in Butler County and Missouri.
Traffic Checkpoints in Poplar Bluff, MO
A checkpoint is a temporary roadblock used as a way 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. Lawmakers in Missouri have discussed banning sobriety checkpoints, but curent Missouri law still allows their use.
Checkpoints in Poplar Bluff and throughout Missouri are not as prevalent as they once were, but it is still prudent to 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.
A lawful sobriety checkpoint is justified when the police can show it is closely related to public 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
- clearly associated with law enforcement
Perhaps most importantly, there must be a logical reason for implementing 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 approach a checkpoint in Poplar Bluff, MO, call (314) 900-HELP to talk to a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you immediately. Our skilled Poplar Bluff, MO attorneys will ferociously 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 Poplar Bluff, MO through Combs Waterkotte. At Combs Waterkotte, a DUI attorney near you will protect you against the court and provide you with an infallible defense when you have been arrested for driving under the influence in Poplar Bluff or anywhere in Missouri. Our team of Poplar Bluff, MO attorneys have expertise in a wide range of other case types, including:
Click below to learn more about different kinds of DUI cases in Missouri and how Combs Waterkotte’s DUI attorneys in Poplar Bluff, MO can defend you.
- DWI/DUI Lawyer in St. Louis
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- DWI Accident Lawyer in St. Louis
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- Marijuana DWI Lawyer in St. Louis
- Second Offense DWI Lawyer in St. Louis
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- Other Criminal Defense Cases
Work with a Top DUI Attorney Near Me in Poplar Bluff, MO | Combs Waterkotte
There is no time to waste. If you have been stopped or arrested for driving under the influence near Poplar Bluff, MO, find 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 Poplar Bluff, MO can protect you. Contact our Poplar Bluff, MO defense law firm now to consult a lawyer about your rights, your case and your future.
