Sedalia, MO

DUI Attorney Near Me Sedalia, MO

DUI attorney near me in Sedalia, MO. Being arrested for driving under the influence in Sedalia, MO is a serious matter. Whatever the circumstances, when you are arrested for driving drunk or high, a you need the best legal representation available to fight on your behalf and protect your future.

You deserve quality legal representation from an attorney who has successfully defended against DUI convictions in Sedalia and Missouri. Depending on your unique situation, a sharp Sedalia, MO DUI attorney near you 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. Their principle responsibility is to navigate the law and all legal proceedings for your Sedalia, MO DUI case. For dedicated, aggressive defense against injustice after being arrested of driving under the influence, call Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP.

What is a DUI in Sedalia, 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 civil and criminal law. Missouri Revised Statute §577.010 and §577.012 define the definition of the crime of driving while intoxicated and defines the guidelines 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 Sedalia, MO who will stand up on your behalf and help you navigate what can be an intimidating Missouri court process.

A person can 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. Though many DWI arrests in Missouri are done based on accusations of driving drunk, you can also be arrested for a DWI due to allegedly operating a vehicle while under the influence of another mind-altering drug.

The DWI law in Missouri criminalizes not only drinking and driving, but also driving while impared by intoxicating substances or substances that impair your consciousness or motor skills. 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, speak to a DUI attorney near you right away. Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is a reuptable and capable Sedalia-based DUI attorney near you. When you need a DUI attorney near you whom you can trust, call (314) 900-HELP.

DUI Stops and Arrests in Sedalia, MO

You owe it to yourself to know your rights lest you are pulled over for driving intoxicated. Speak to an experienced Sedalia, MO DUI attorney near you with Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP to understand your rights and what steps to take if an officer ever stops you while you are operating a vehicle in Missouri. And if you have already gone through being pulled over and arrested for intoxicated driving, our unstoppable Sedalia, MO defense law firm will fight for your freedom and justice.

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

DUI Traffic Stops in Sedalia, MO

A Missouri officer of the law must have reasonable suspicion that you are driving drunk in order to pull an individual over in Sedalia, MO. For a DWI, reasonable suspicion would be things like drifting out of lane, driving on a road going in the wrong direction and other erratic behaviors such as alternating extremes in speed, swerving or stopping and going.

A police officer is not permitted to conduct a traffic stop unless there is reasonable suspicion that you are committing the crime of driving while intoxicated satisfy the higher burden of probable cause before they can place you under arrest for a DWI.

If you believe that you were wrongly stopped or arrested for your Sedalia, MO DWI, contact 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 intoxicated, turn to a DUI attorney near you in Sedalia, 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 Sedalia, MO

If a law officer stops you due to suspected inhebriated driving, they will want to obtain proof to show that you are under the influence. There are two types of tests Sedalia, 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 Sedalia, MO stops for driving while intoxicated, chemical tests are often used as evidence to collect evidence that the driver had ingested drugs or alcohol. There are a few different types of chemical tests using bodily samples from blood to breath to saliva to urine that are meant to identify the presence of and/or measure the concentration of various substances including alcohol.

   Each state has its own laws and many, including Missouri have in place an implied consent law, pursuant to whichSedalia, MO and other Missouri drivers automatically agree to submit to chemical sobriety tests just by operating a vehicle. A good DUI attorney near you will counsel you to know that you can refuse 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 do take a breathalyzer test, speak to an experienced Sedalia, MO DUI attorney near you to discuss your defense and how they can help you. As your Sedalia, MO DUI attorney near you, Combs Waterkotte will obtain discovery documents and comb through them to determine if the breathalyzer or other test was performed lawfully and whether it should or should not be admissible in court.

2. Field Sobriety Tests

   Field tests during a DWI traffic stop are subjective tests that are meant to gauge whether you are intoxicated 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 Sedalia, 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, call a DUI attorney near you in Sedalia, MO as soon as possible. If you have already completed a field test and have been arrested for a DUI in Missouri, your DUI attorney in Sedalia, MO will design 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.

Traffic Checkpoints in Sedalia, MO

A checkpoint is a roadblock temporarily set up on a roadway as a way to systematically screen drivers for behaviors like driving under the influence. There are federal laws allowing but regulating 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 they are currently still allowed by Missouri law.

Police departments in Sedalia 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. When it doubt, 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. 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
• visibly associated with law enforcement

In addition, 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 approach a checkpoint in Sedalia, MO, call (314) 900-HELP to talk to a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you immediately. Our experienced Sedalia, MO attorneys will tenaciously defend you and protect your rights in the court of law. Contact us online to review your case 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 Sedalia, MO area. A Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you will fight for your rights and navigate the legal process when you have been charged with driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs in Sedalia or anywhere in Missouri. Our team of Sedalia, MO attorneys have expertise in a number of other case types, including:

• 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
• Criminal Lawyer

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

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• DWI Accident Lawyer in St. Louis
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• 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 Sedalia, MO | Combs Waterkotte

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