DUI Attorney Near Me Concord, MO

DUI attorney near me in Concord, MO. Being arrested for driving under the influence in Concord, MO is a serious matter. Regardless of the details of your situation, when you are criminally charged for driving drunk or high, a you need the best legal representation available to protect your rights and your future.

You deserve a talented defense attorney who has a track record of winning in Concord and Missouri. Depending on the details of your case, an astute Concord, MO DUI attorney near you may be able to get the prosecutor to drop the charges, 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 Concord, MO DUI case. For razor-sharp representation after being accused of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, call Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP.

What is a DUI in Concord, MO?

Though many people 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 define the definition of the crime of driving while intoxicated and establishes the guidelines Missouri courts must follow to sentence and punish those convicted of a DWI for operating a vehicle with a BAC (blood alcohol content) over the legal limit or while otherwise intoxicated. After your Missouri DWI arrest, you deserve a DUI attorney near Concord, 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 variety of reasons. The law prohibits 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 some kind of psychoactive drug.

The same Missouri law prohibits driving while impared by psychoactive 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 were arrested for driving while intoxicated in Missouri, speak to a DUI attorney near you right away. Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is a skilled Concord-based DUI attorney near you, Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is dedicated, diligent and sharp. For a trustworthy DUI attorney near you, call (314) 900-HELP.

DUI Stops and Arrests in Concord, MO

It is critical that you know your rights lest you are pulled over for operating a vehicle while under the influence. Reach out to Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP immediately to speak to a leading Concord, MO DUI attorney near you and learn about your rights and what you should do if you are ever stopped when driving in Missouri. And if you were already subjected to being pulled over and arrested for driving drunk or high, our outstanding Concord, MO defense attorneys will fight for your freedom and justice.

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

DUI Traffic Stops in Concord, MO

A Missouri officer of the law must have reasonable suspicion that you are driving drunk in order to pull an individual over in Concord, MO. For a DWI, reasonable suspicion would be things like splitting the lane, traveling the wrong way down a road and any other behaviors such as driving extremely slow or fast, swerving or stopping and going.

A police officer is not allowed to stop you unless they can identify reasonable suspicion that you are committing the crime of driving while intoxicated satisfy the more stringent burden of probable cause before they can place you under arrest for a DWI.

If you feel that you were improperly stopped or arrested for your Concord, MO DWI, reach out to a DUI attorney near you right away. 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 Concord, MO who will help get your case dismissed and put to rest so you can put this behind you and be free.

Sobriety Tests for DUIs in Concord, MO

If you are pulled over by an officer due to suspected intoxicated driving, they will likely try to get you to do a test to prove that you are intoxicated. There are two types of tests Concord, MO police officers typically use in traffic stops for driving under the influence: field sobriety tests and chemical tests.

Chemical Tests (ie. a breathalizer)
In Concord, MO stops for driving while intoxicated, 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 various substances including alcohol.

Like most US states, Missouri has what is known as an implied consent law, via which, as a Concord, MO driver or driver anywhere in Missouri, you automatically consent to participate in chemical sobriety tests just by getting behind the wheel. 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 already did a breathalyzer test, consult an experienced Concord, MO DUI attorney near you to discuss your defense and how they can help you. As your Concord, MO DUI attorney near you, Combs Waterkotte will obtain discovery documents and comb through them to determine whether the breathalyzer or other test was administered as according to law and whether it is or is not admissible in court.
Field Sobriety Tests
Field tests are subjective tests sometimes used during a DWI stop that are meant to gauge whether you are intoxicated by asking the driver to perform motor tasks. The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration has defined three standardized field tests that police officers can use to test drivers in Concord, 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, contact a DUI attorney near you in Concord, MO as soon as possible. If you already performed a field test and have been arrested for a DUI in Missouri, your DUI attorney in Concord, MO will design an insurmountable 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 Concord, MO

A checkpoint is a temporary roadblock used 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 discussed banning sobriety checkpoints, but curent Missouri law still allows police to use them.

Checkpoints in Concord 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. If you are not sure, call 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 roadway safety. A lawful DUI checkpoint is:

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

Get the best quality criminal defense available in Concord, MO through Combs Waterkotte. At Combs Waterkotte, a DUI attorney near you will protect you against the court and defend you when you have been accused of driving under the influence in Concord or anywhere in Missouri. In addition, our top Concord, MO defense lawyers can help you with a variety of other kinds of cases, including:

Learn more about the different DUI cases in Missouri and what the DUI attorneys near you with Combs Waterkotte near Concord, MO can do to help you.

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

There is no time to waste. If you were stopped or arrested for driving under the influence near Concord, MO, you need to hire a DUI attorney near you whom you can trust. 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 Concord, MO can defend you. Contact our Concord, MO defense law firm right away to discuss your rights, your case and your future.

Concord, MO