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Atchison County, MO

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Last Updated: September 27, 2024

DUI Attorney Near Me Atchison County, MO

DUI attorney near me in Atchison County, MO. Being arrested for driving under the influence in Atchison County, MO is a serious matter. Whatever the circumstances, 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 knows their way around DUI cases in Atchison County and Missouri. Depending on your unique situation, a sharp DUI attorney near Atchison County, MO will make the best of your situation. They 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 work with the prosecutor to negotiate a plea bargain. Most importantly, they will navigate the law and all legal proceedings for your Atchison County, MO DUI case. For dedicated, aggressive defense against injustice after being accused of driving under the influence, speak to Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP.

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What is a DUI in Atchison County, MO?

Commonly referred to 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 courts. Missouri Revised Statute §577.010 and §577.012 define what constitutes the crime of driving while intoxicated and defines the rules 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. After your Missouri DWI arrest, focus on finding a DUI attorney near Atchison County, MO to fight for your freedom and protect you from unfair treatment by Missouri courts.

A police officer may arrest someone for a DWI in Missouri for a variety 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 drunk driving allegations, you can also be arrested for a DWI on suspicion of operating a vehicle while under the influence of another psychoactive drug.

The same Missouri law prohibits driving while impared by drugs that impair your consciousness or motor skills. That means that you can be subject to arrest if a police officer believes 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 driving while intoxicated in Missouri, speak to a DUI attorney near you right away. Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is a reuptable and capable Atchison County-based DUI attorney near you. When you need a DUI attorney near you whom you can trust, call (314) 900-HELP.

Getting Stopped or Arrested for a DUI in Atchison County, MO

You owe it to yourself to know your rights lest you are pulled over for operating a vehicle while intoxicated. Reach out to Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP immediately to speak to a leading Atchison County, MO DUI attorney near you and learn about your rights and what steps to take if you are ever stopped when driving in Missouri. And if you have already gone through being pulled over and arrested for intoxicated driving, our incredible Atchison County, MO defense law firm will protect your rights and freedoms.

Become familiar with the rules and procedure for Missouri traffic stops, sobriety tests and checkpoints.

DUI Traffic Stops in Atchison County, MO

In order to pull someone over, a Atchison County, MO or any Missouri police officer must have reasonable suspicion. In the case of a DWI, reasonable suspicion would be represented by behaviors like like drifting out of lane, traveling on a road going in the wrong direction and other erratic behaviors such as driving extremely slow or fast, swerving or braking.

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

If you believe that you were unlawfully stopped for or accused of your Atchison County, MO DWI, contact a DUI attorney near you at your earliest opportunity. If an officer stopped you without any reasonable suspicion, even if they have proof that you were driving intoxicated, a DUI attorney near Atchison County, MO will help get the prosecutor to dismiss your case so you can move forward in your life.

Sobriety Tests for DUIs in Atchison County, MO

If a law officer stops you under suspicion of inhebriated driving, they will want to obtain proof to show that you are intoxicated. There are two types of tests Atchison County, 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)

    In Atchison County, MO stops for driving while intoxicated, they often turn to chemical tests to collect evidence that the driver was under the influence at the time of the stop. Chemical tests include tests of the bodily samples from blood to breath to saliva to urine that check for the presence and concentration of substances like alcohol.

    Like most US states, Missouri has in place an implied consent law, via whichAtchison County, MO and other Missouri drivers automatically agree to submit to chemical sobriety tests simply by getting behind the wheel. A smart DUI attorney near you will tell you that you can refuse to submit 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 Atchison County, MO DUI attorney near you to figure out your options and get the best quality defense in your case. As your DUI attorney near Atchison County, 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 attempt to gauge 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 Atchison County, 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

    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 Atchison County, MO as soon as possible. If you already agreed to and performed a field test and have been arrested for a DUI in Missouri, your Atchison County, MO DUI attorney 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 Atchison County, MO

A checkpoint is a temporary roadblock used as a way to randomly check drivers for 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 entertained banning sobriety checkpoints, but they are currently still allowed by Missouri law.

Checkpoints in Atchison 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, turn 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 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
  • visibly associated with law enforcement

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

If you find yourself at a checkpoint in Atchison County, MO, call (314) 900-HELP to talk to a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you immediately. Our skilled Atchison County, MO attorneys will tenaciously defend you and protect your rights in the court of law. Reach out to us online to review your situation with a kind and cunning DUI attorney near you today.

Get the best quality criminal defense available in Atchison 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 Atchison County or anywhere in Missouri. Our team of Atchison County, MO attorneys have expertise in a variety of other kinds of cases, including:

Click below to learn more about different kinds of DUI charges in Missouri and what the DUI attorneys near you with Combs Waterkotte near Atchison County, MO can do to help you.

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

There is no time to waste. If you were stopped or arrested for driving under the influence near Atchison County, MO, you need to hire 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 Atchison County, MO will protect you. Contact our Atchison County, MO defense law firm right away to discuss your rights, your case and your future.

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