Cottleville, MO

DUI Attorney Near Me Cottleville, MO

DUI attorney near me in Cottleville, MO. No one enjoys being arrested, but it is important to understand that driving under the influence in Cottleville is treated as a serious offense in Missouri court. Whatever the situation, when you are criminally charged 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 a talented defense attorney who has successfully defended against DUI convictions in Cottleville and Missouri. Depending on the circumstances, a savvy Cottleville, MO DUI attorney near you will make the best of your situation. They 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 work with the prosecutor to negotiate a plea bargain. Most importantly, they will navigate the law and all legal proceedings for your Cottleville, MO DUI case. For dedicated, aggressive defense against injustice when you have been accused of driving under the influence, speak to Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP.

What is a DUI in Cottleville, MO?

Though many people refer to it as a DUI (which stands for driving under the influence, Missouri courts actually call the offense a DWI (driving while intoxicated). Missouri Revised Statute §577.010 and §577.012 outline what constitutes the crime of driving under the influence and specifies 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, you may need a DUI attorney near Cottleville, MO to fight for your freedom and protect you from unfair treatment by Missouri courts.

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 driving a vehicle while impaired by some kind of mind-altering drug.

The same Missouri law prohibits driving while intoxicated by psychoactive substances 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 or a family member have been arrested for driving while intoxicated in Missouri, speak to a DUI attorney near you right away. Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is a skilled Cottleville-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 Cottleville, MO

It is critical that you know your rights lest you are stopped for driving intoxicated. Speak to an experienced Cottleville, MO DUI attorney near you with Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP to learn about your rights and what to do if an officer ever stops you while you are operating a vehicle in Missouri. And if you were already subjected to a traffic stop and were arrested for intoxicated driving, our unstoppable Cottleville, MO defense lawyers will shield you from injustice in court.

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

DUI Traffic Stops in Cottleville, MO

In order to pull someone over, a Cottleville, MO or any Missouri police officer must have reasonable suspicion. For a DWI, reasonable suspicion could be things like splitting the lane, traveling the wrong way down a road and other erratic driving behaviors such as inconsistencies in speed, swerving or alternating between braking and accelerating.

A police officer is not able to lawfully conduct a traffic stop unless there is reasonable suspicion that you are breaking the law by driving while intoxicated meet the higher burden of probable cause before they can arrest you for a DWI.

If you feel that you were unlawfully stopped or arrested for your Cottleville, MO DWI, contact a DUI attorney near you at your earliest opportunity. If an officer stopped you without any reasonable suspicion, even if they then obtained evidence that you were driving drunk, a DUI attorney near Cottleville, MO will 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 Cottleville, MO

If a law officer stops you due to suspected intoxicated driving, they will want to obtain proof to show that you are under the influence. When it comes to roadside tests used by Cottleville, 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)

   When police officers stop drivers in Cottleville MO for DUIs, they often turn to chemical tests 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 are meant to identify the presence of and/or measure the concentration of substances like alcohol.

   Like most US states, Missouri has what is known as an implied consent law, pursuant to which, as a Cottleville, MO driver or driver anywhere in Missouri, you automatically consent to submit to chemical sobriety tests simply 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. You cannot be physically forced to take the test.

   If you do take a breathalyzer test, speak to an exemplary Cottleville, MO DUI attorney near you to figure out your options and get the best quality defense in your case. As your DUI attorney near Cottleville, MO, Combs Waterkotte will obtain discovery documents and comb through them to determine whether the breathalyzer or other test was performed lawfully and whether it is or is not admissible in court.

2. Field Sobriety Tests

   Field tests during a DWI traffic stop are subjective tests that attempt 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 police officers subject drivers to in Cottleville, 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 a police officer stops you and asks you to perform field sobriety tests, call a DUI attorney near you in Cottleville, MO immediately. If you have already performed a field test and were then arrested for a DUI in Missouri, your DUI attorney in Cottleville, MO will design an unwavering 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 Cottleville, MO

A checkpoint is a temporary roadblock used as a way to systematically screen drivers for driving under the influence. Federal law allows the use of DUI checkpoints by police departments, but they must meet certain standards. Missouri legislators have explored banning sobriety checkpoints, but curent Missouri law still allows their use.

Checkpoints in Cottleville and throughout Missouri are not as prevalent as they once were, but you should still educate yourself on your rights and the rules regulating checkpoints. 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
• 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

Perhaps most importantly, there must be a logical reason for carrying out the checkpoint related to public safety, .

If you approach a checkpoint in Cottleville, MO, call (314) 900-HELP to talk to a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you immediately. Our determined Cottleville, MO attorneys will tenaciously defend you and protect your rights in the court of law. Contact us online to discuss your situation with a kind and cunning DUI attorney near you today.

Through Combs Waterkotte, you have access to some of the best criminal defense services in the Cottleville, MO area. A Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you will protect you against the court and navigate the legal process when you have been charged with driving under the influence in Cottleville or anywhere in Missouri. In addition, our top Cottleville, MO defense lawyers can help you with a number of other kinds of cases, 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 Cottleville, MO can defend you.

• DWI/DUI Lawyer in St. Louis
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• 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

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

Do yourself a favor and act now. If you were stopped or arrested for driving under the influence near Cottleville, 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. When your freedom and future are at risk a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you in Cottleville, MO can protect you. Contact our Cottleville, MO defense law firm now to consult a lawyer about your rights, your case and your future.