Affton, MO

DUI Attorney Near Me Affton, MO

DUI attorney near me in Affton, MO. No one enjoys being arrested, but it is important to understand that driving under the influence in Affton is treated as a serious offense in Missouri court. 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 quality legal representation from an attorney who knows their way around DUI cases in Affton and Missouri. Depending on your unique situation, an astute Affton, MO DUI attorney near you 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 negotiate a lesser punishment through a plea bargain. Most importantly, they will use the law to your benefit and guide you through all legal proceedings for your Affton, MO DUI case. For razor-sharp representation after being arrested of driving under the influence, call Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP.

What is a DUI in Affton, MO?

Though many people refer to it as a DUI (which stands for driving under the influence, the official nomenclature used in Missouri courts is a DWI (driving while intoxicated). Missouri Revised Statute §577.010 and §577.012 lay forth the definition of the crime of driving while intoxicated and lays forth the rules for sentencing and punishments for 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 Affton, 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 long list of reasons. The law outlaws driving while intoxicated — not explicitly for driving under the influence of alcohol. Though DWI arrests are often 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 intoxicated by psychoactive substances or substances that impair skills necessary to driving including motor skills, reaction time and decision making. That means that a police officer can arrest you if they suspect 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 while intoxicated in Missouri, contact a DUI attorney near you right away. Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is a reuptable and capable Affton-based DUI attorney near you, Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is responsive, diligent and skilled. For a trustworthy DUI attorney near you, call (314) 900-HELP.

Getting Stopped or Arrested for a DUI in Affton, MO

It is critical that you know your rights in the event that you are pulled over for operating a vehicle while intoxicated. Speak to an experienced Affton, MO DUI attorney near you with Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP to understand your rights and what to do if you are ever stopped when driving in Missouri. And if you were already subjected to a traffic stop and were arrested for driving drunk or high, our unstoppable Affton, MO defense attorneys will protect your rights and freedoms.

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

DUI Traffic Stops in Affton, MO

In order to pull someone over, a Affton, MO or any Missouri police officer must have reasonable suspicion. In the case of a DWI, reasonable suspicion could be things like splitting the lane, going on a road going in the wrong direction and any other behaviors such as inconsistencies 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 more stringent burden of probable cause in order to actually arrest you for a DWI.

If you believe that you were unlawfully stopped or arrested for your Affton, MO DWI, reach out to a DUI attorney near you right away. If you were stopped by an officer without giving them reasonable suspicion, even if they then obtained evidence that you were driving drunk, turn to a DUI attorney near you in Affton, MO who will fight to get the prosecutor to dismiss your case so you can move on with your life.

Sobriety Tests for DUIs in Affton, MO

If a law officer stops you under suspicion of drunk or drugged driving, they will likely try to get you to do a test to prove that you are under the influence. There are two types of tests Affton, 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)

   When police officers stop drivers in Affton MO for drunk driving or driving under the influence, chemical tests are often used as evidence to collect evidence 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 are meant to identify the presence of and/or measure the concentration of various substances including alcohol.

   Like most US states, Missouri has what is known as an implied consent law, pursuant to whichAffton, MO and other Missouri drivers automatically consent to participate in chemical sobriety tests just by operating a vehicle. A good DUI attorney near you will counsel you to know that you can refuse to submit to a breathalyzer or other chemical test, 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, speak to an exemplary Affton, MO DUI attorney near you to discuss your defense and how they can help you. As your Affton, MO DUI attorney near you, Combs Waterkotte will obtain discovery documents and comb through them to determine if the breathalyzer or other test was administered 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 impaired by asking the driver to perform motor tasks. The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration has defined three standardized field tests police officers subject drivers to in Affton, 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, contact a DUI attorney near you in Affton, MO as soon as you can. If you have already agreed to and participated in a field test and were then arrested for a DUI in Missouri, your Affton, MO DUI attorney will design an unwavering 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 Affton, 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. Missouri legislators have discussed banning sobriety checkpoints, but they are currently still allowed by Missouri law.

Police departments in Affton and around Missouri do not use checkpoints as heavily as they used to, but it is still wise 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 directly related to public 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
• visibly associated with law enforcement

In addition, there must be a logical reason for implementing the checkpoint related to public safety, .

If you find yourself at a checkpoint in Affton, MO, speak to a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you at (314) 900-HELP. Our experienced Affton, 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 Affton, MO through Combs Waterkotte. A Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you will protect you against the court and provide you with an infallible defense when you have been charged with driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs in Affton or anywhere in Missouri. In addition, our top Affton, MO defense lawyers can help you with a number of other kinds of cases, including:

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

• DWI/DUI Lawyer in St. Louis
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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 Affton, MO | Combs Waterkotte

Do not waste any time. If you were stopped or arrested for driving under the influence near Affton, MO, you need to hire 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 Affton, MO will defend you. Contact our Affton, MO defense law firm now to discuss your rights, your case and your future.