Vernon County, MO

DUI Attorney Near Me Vernon County, MO

DUI attorney near me in Vernon County, MO. No one enjoys being arrested, but it is important to understand that driving under the influence in Vernon County is treated as a serious offense in Missouri court. Whatever the details of your situation, when you are facing a conviction for driving drunk or high, find an attorney you can trust to fight on your behalf and protect your future.

You deserve quality legal representation from an attorney who has a track record of winning in Vernon County and Missouri. Depending on the details of your case, an astute Vernon County, MO DUI attorney near you 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 negotiate a lesser punishment through a plea bargain. Their principle responsibility is to navigate the law and all legal proceedings for your Vernon County, MO DUI case. For razor-sharp representation when you have been accused of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, call Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP.

What is a DUI in Vernon 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 civil and criminal law. Missouri Revised Statute §577.010 and §577.012 lay forth the definition of the crime of driving under the influence and establishes the law 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 may need a DUI attorney near Vernon County, MO to fight for your freedom 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. The law outlaws driving while intoxicated — not explicitly for 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 due to allegedly operating a vehicle while under the influence of another psychoactive drug.

The same Missouri law prohibits driving while intoxicated by psychoactive 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 due to ingesting marijuana or even narcotics or pharmaceuticals like opiates.

If you or a family member have been arrested for driving under the influence in Missouri, reach out to a DUI attorney near you as soon as possible. Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is a skilled Vernon 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.

DUI Stops and Arrests in Vernon County, MO

You owe it to yourself to know your rights in the event that you are stopped for driving under the influence. Speak to an experienced Vernon 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 operating a vehicle in Missouri. And if you have already gone through being pulled over and arrested for driving drunk or high, our unstoppable Vernon County, MO defense attorneys will shield you from injustice in court.

Know the rules and procedure for regular traffic stops, sobriety tests and checkpoints.

DUI Traffic Stops in Vernon 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 Vernon County, MO. In the case of a DWI, reasonable suspicion would be things like drifting out of lane, traveling the wrong way down a road and any other behaviors such as alternating extremes in speed, swerving or stopping and going.

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 arrest you for a DWI.

If you suspect that you were unlawfully stopped for or accused of your Vernon 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 then obtained evidence that you were driving intoxicated, turn to a DUI attorney near you in Vernon County, MO who can help get the prosecutor to dismiss your case so you can move forward in your life.

Sobriety Tests for DUIs in Vernon County, MO

If you are pulled over by an officer under suspicion of drunk or drugged driving, they will likely try to get you to do a test to prove that you are intoxicated. When it comes to roadside tests used by Vernon 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 Vernon County, MO stops for drunk driving or driving under the influence, they often turn to chemical tests 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.

   Like most US states, Missouri has what is known as an implied consent law, pursuant to which, as a Vernon County, MO driver or driver anywhere in Missouri, you automatically agree to submit to chemical sobriety tests simply by getting behind the wheel. A good DUI attorney near you will counsel you to know that you can refuse to a breathalyzer, but refusal can carry a criminal charge in itself. You cannot be physically forced to produce a sample.

   If you do take a breathalyzer test, speak to an experienced Vernon County, MO DUI attorney near you to discuss your defense and how they can help you. As your Vernon 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 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 designed to determine whether you are impaired by asking the driver to perform motor tasks. The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration has specified three standardized field tests that police officers can use to test drivers in Vernon 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 a police officer stops you and asks you to perform field sobriety tests, call a DUI attorney near you in Vernon County, MO immediately. If you already performed a field test and were then arrested for a DUI in Missouri, your DUI attorney in Vernon County, MO will build an insurmountable 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 Vernon County, MO

A checkpoint is a temporary roadblock used as a way to systematically screen drivers for 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 entertained banning sobriety checkpoints, but curent Missouri law still allows police to use them.

Checkpoints in Vernon County and throughout Missouri are not as prevalent as they once were, but it is still prudent to educate yourself on your rights and the rules regulating checkpoints. If you are not sure, 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 roadway safety. DUI checkpoints should be:

• 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
• clearly associated with law enforcement

In addition, there must be a logical reason for carrying out the checkpoint related to public safety, usually because the area has an abnormally high rate of drunk driving accidents.

If you are going through a checkpoint in Vernon County, MO, speak to a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you at (314) 900-HELP. Our skilled Vernon County, MO attorneys will fearlessly defend you and protect your rights in the court of law. Contact us online to review your situation with a compassionate and cunning DUI attorney near you today.

Get the best quality criminal defense available in Vernon County, MO through Combs Waterkotte. At Combs Waterkotte, a 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 Vernon County or anywhere in Missouri. Our team of Vernon 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

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

• DWI/DUI Lawyer in St. Louis
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• Other Criminal Defense Cases

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

There is no time to waste. If you have been stopped or arrested for driving under the influence near Vernon County, MO, find a trustworthy DUI attorney near you. Being arrested and convicted of a DWI or similar charge in Missouri is a serious matter that can carry significant consequences. Your future and freedom are on the line, and a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you in Vernon County, MO can protect you. Contact our Vernon County, MO defense law firm now to discuss your rights, your case and your future.