Belton, MO

DUI Attorney Near Me Belton, MO

DUI attorney near me in Belton, MO. No one enjoys being arrested, but it is important to understand that driving under the influence in Belton is treated as a serious offense in Missouri court. Whatever the circumstances, when you are facing a conviction for driving drunk or high, a you need the best legal representation available to fight on your behalf and protect your future.

You deserve quality legal representation from an attorney who has a track record of winning in Belton and Missouri. Depending on the circumstances, a sharp DUI attorney near Belton, MO will make the best of your situation. They may be able to get the prosecutor to drop the charges, reduce the charges to lesser offenses, fight the conviction in a trial or negotiate a lesser punishment through a plea bargain. Most importantly, they will navigate the law and all legal proceedings for your Belton, MO DUI case. For razor-sharp representation when you have been accused of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, speak to Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP.

What is a DUI in Belton, MO?

Commonly referred to as a DUI (which stands for driving under the influence, the official nomenclature used in Missouri legislation is a DWI (driving while intoxicated). Missouri Revised Statute §577.010 and §577.012 lay forth what constitutes the crime of driving under the influence and defines the guidelines for sentencing and punishments for those convicted of a DWI 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 deserve a DUI attorney near Belton, 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 long list of reasons. The law prohibits driving while intoxicated — not explicitly for driving under the influence of alcohol. Though many DWI arrests in Missouri are done based on 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 DWI law in Missouri criminalizes not only drinking and driving, but also driving while intoxicated by drugs that impair skills necessary to driving including motor skills, reaction time and decision making. 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 a DWI in Missouri, speak to a DUI attorney near you right away. Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is a reuptable and capable Belton-based DUI attorney near you, Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is responsive, experienced and skilled. For a trustworthy DUI attorney near you, call (314) 900-HELP.

Getting Stopped or Arrested for a DUI in Belton, MO

You owe it to yourself to know your rights in the event that you are pulled over for driving under the influence. Call Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP immediately to speak to a leading Belton, 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 driving drunk or high, our unstoppable Belton, MO defense law firm will protect your rights and freedoms.

Find out about the rules and procedure for Missouri traffic stops, sobriety tests and sobriety checkpoints.

DUI Traffic Stops in Belton, MO

A Missouri officer of the law must have reasonable suspicion that you are driving drunk in order to pull an individual over in Belton, MO. 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 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 in order to actually place you under arrest for a DWI.

If you believe that you were improperly stopped or arrested for your Belton, 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 drunk, a DUI attorney near Belton, MO can help get the prosecutor to dismiss your case so you can move forward in your life.

Sobriety Tests for DUIs in Belton, MO

If you are pulled over by an officer under suspicion of inhebriated driving, they will want to obtain proof to show that you are under the influence. There are two types of tests Belton, 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 Belton, MO stops for drunk driving or driving under the influence, they often turn to chemical tests to prove that the driver was intoxicated at the time of the stop. Chemical tests include tests of the blood, breath, saliva or urine that check for the presence and concentration of substances like alcohol.

   Each state has its own laws and many, including Missouri have in place an implied consent law, via which, as a Belton, MO driver or driver anywhere in Missouri, you automatically consent to submit to 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 a chemical test like a breathalyzer, but you can face legal consequences for the act of refusing the test. You cannot be physically forced to produce a sample.

   If you already did a breathalyzer test, consult an exemplary Belton, MO DUI attorney near you to figure out your options and get the best quality defense in your case. As your DUI attorney near Belton, MO, Combs Waterkotte will investigate and scrutinize the details of your test to examine if the breathalyzer or other test was performed lawfully and whether it should or should not be admissible in court.

2. Field Sobriety Tests

   Field tests during a DWI traffic stop are subjective tests that are meant to determine 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 Belton, 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 a police officer stops you and asks you to perform field sobriety tests, contact a DUI attorney near you in Belton, MO immediately. If you have already agreed to and performed a field test and have been arrested for a DUI in Missouri, your Belton, 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 Belton, 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 lawmakers have entertained banning sobriety checkpoints, but they are currently still allowed by Missouri law.

Checkpoints in Belton and throughout Missouri are not as prevalent as they once were, but you should still educate yourself on your rights and the rules checkpoints must follow. When it doubt, call 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. 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
• clearly associated with law enforcement

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

If you are going through a checkpoint in Belton, MO, speak to a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you at (314) 900-HELP. Our determined Belton, 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 kind and cunning DUI attorney near you today.

Through Combs Waterkotte, you have access to some of the best criminal defense services in the Belton, MO area. A Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you will fight for your rights and navigate the legal process when you have been charged with driving under the influence in Belton or anywhere in Missouri. Our team of Belton, MO attorneys have expertise in 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

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

Do not waste any time. If you have been stopped or arrested for driving under the influence near Belton, MO, you need to hire a trustworthy DUI attorney near you. 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 Belton, MO will defend you. Contact our Belton, MO defense law firm right away to consult a lawyer about your rights, your case and your future.