Union, MO

DUI Attorney Near Me Union, MO

DUI attorney near me in Union, MO. Being arrested for driving under the influence in Union, MO is a serious matter. Whatever the details of your situation, when you are facing a conviction for driving while intoxicated by drugs or alcohol, find an attorney you can trust to fight on your behalf and protect your future.

You deserve a talented defense attorney who has successfully defended against DUI convictions in Union and Missouri. Depending on the details of your case, an astute Union, MO DUI attorney near you 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. Their principle responsibility is to use the law to your benefit and guide you through the entire legal process for your Union, MO DUI case. For dedicated, aggressive defense against injustice after being arrested of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, speak to Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP.

What is a DUI in Union, MO?

Though people often refer to it as a DUI (which stands for driving under the influence, Missouri law actually calls the offense 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 defines the law 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. After your Missouri DWI arrest, you may need a DUI attorney near Union, 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. While many DWI arrests in Missouri are done based on drunk driving allegations, you can also be arrested for a DWI on suspicion of driving a vehicle while impaired by another psychoactive drug.

The same Missouri law prohibits driving while intoxicated by drugs 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 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 as soon as possible. Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is a reuptable and capable Union-based DUI attorney near you, Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is responsive, experienced and sharp. When you need a DUI attorney near you whom you can trust, call (314) 900-HELP.

Getting Stopped or Arrested for a DUI in Union, MO

It is critical that you know your rights in the event that you are pulled over for driving intoxicated. Reach out to Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP immediately to speak to a leading Union, MO DUI attorney near you and understand your rights and what you should do if you are ever stopped when operating a vehicle in Missouri. And if you have already gone through being pulled over and arrested for intoxicated driving, our outstanding Union, MO defense attorneys will protect your rights and freedoms.

Find out about the rules and what to expect for regular traffic stops, sobriety tests and checkpoints.

DUI Traffic Stops in Union, MO

A Missouri officer of the law must have reasonable suspicion that you are driving drunk in order to pull an individual over in Union, MO. For a DWI, reasonable suspicion would be represented by behaviors like like splitting the lane, traveling the wrong way down a road and other erratic driving behaviors such as driving extremely slow or fast, 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 place you under arrest for a DWI.

If you believe that you were wrongly stopped or arrested for your Union, MO DWI, contact a DUI attorney near you at your earliest opportunity. If you were stopped by an officer without giving them reasonable suspicion, even if they then obtained evidence that you were driving under the influence, a DUI attorney near Union, MO can help get your case dismissed and put to rest so you can move forward in your life.

Sobriety Tests for DUIs in Union, MO

If you are pulled over by an officer under suspicion of inhebriated 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 Union, 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 Union, MO stops for driving while intoxicated, they often turn to chemical tests to collect evidence that the driver had ingested drugs or alcohol. 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, via whichUnion, 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 a breathalyzer, but you can face legal consequences for the act of refusing the test. Still, the police cannot physically force you to take the test.

   If you already did a breathalyzer test, consult an exemplary Union, MO DUI attorney near you to figure out your options and get the best quality defense in your case. As your DUI attorney near Union, MO, Combs Waterkotte will obtain discovery documents and comb through them to examine if the breathalyzer or other test was performed as according to law 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 are meant to gauge whether you are impaired through a series of demonstrative tasks. The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration has spelled out three standardized field tests that police officers can use to test drivers in Union, MO and throughout 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 Union, MO immediately. If you already performed a field test and were then arrested for a DUI in Missouri, your DUI attorney in Union, MO will design an impenetrable defense to your case or ensure that evidence that does not meet Missouri’s rules of evidence such as improperly obtained sobriety tests are not used against you in Missouri court.

Traffic Checkpoints in Union, MO

A checkpoint is a temporary roadblock used to randomly check 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 they are currently still allowed by Missouri law.

Police departments in Union and around Missouri do not use checkpoints as heavily as they used to, but it is still prudent to 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 roadway 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
• clearly associated with law enforcement

Perhaps most importantly, there must be a logical reason for carrying out 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 find yourself at a checkpoint in Union, MO, speak to a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you at (314) 900-HELP. Our determined Union, MO attorneys will ferociously defend you and protect your rights in the court of law. Reach out to us online to discuss your situation with a compassionate and cunning DUI attorney near you today.

Get the best quality criminal defense available in Union, MO through Combs Waterkotte. At Combs Waterkotte, a DUI attorney near you will fight for your rights and provide you with an infallible defense when you have been charged with driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs in Union or anywhere in Missouri. Our team of Union, MO attorneys have expertise in a variety of other kinds of cases, including:

• Gun Crime Lawyer
• Child Abuse & Neglect Lawyer
• Homicide Lawyer
• Assault Lawyer
• Rape Defense Lawyer
• Sex Offense Lawyers
• DWI Attorney
• Crime Defense Lawyers
• Domestic Violence Defense Attorneys

Learn more about the different DUI cases in Missouri and how Combs Waterkotte’s DUI attorneys in Union, MO can defend you.

• DWI/DUI Lawyer in St. Louis
• CDL DWI Lawyer in St. Louis
• DWI Accident Lawyer in St. Louis
• First Offense DWI Lawyer in St. Louis
• Marijuana DWI Lawyer in St. Louis
• 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

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

There is no time to waste. If you have been stopped or arrested for driving under the influence near Union, 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. Your future and freedom are on the line, and a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you in Union, MO will defend you. Contact our Union, MO defense law firm right away to discuss your rights, your case and your future.