Chesterfield, MO

DUI Attorney Near Me Chesterfield, MO

DUI attorney near me in Chesterfield, MO. Being arrested for driving under the influence in Chesterfield, MO is a serious matter. Regardless of the details of your situation, 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 a talented defense attorney who knows their way around DUI cases in Chesterfield and Missouri. Depending on the circumstances, a sharp Chesterfield, 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. Most importantly, they will use the law to your benefit and guide you through all legal proceedings for your Chesterfield, MO DUI case. For dedicated, aggressive defense against injustice after you have been arrested of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, speak to Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP.

What is a DUI in Chesterfield, 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 law. Missouri Revised Statute §577.010 and §577.012 lay forth the definition of the crime of driving under the influence and specifies the guidelines Missouri courts must follow to sentence and punish 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, focus on finding a DUI attorney near Chesterfield, 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 long list of reasons. Under Missouri law, it is illegal to drive while intoxicated, and that covers more than just driving under the influence of alcohol. Though DWI arrests are often accusations of driving drunk, you can also be arrested for a DWI on suspicion of driving a vehicle while under the influence of some kind of intoxicating substance.

The same Missouri law prohibits driving while impared by drugs 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 due to ingesting marijuana or even narcotics or pharmaceuticals like opiates.

If you were arrested for driving under the influence in Missouri, reach out to a DUI attorney near you as soon as possible. Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is a skilled Chesterfield-based DUI attorney near you. When you need a DUI attorney near you whom you can trust, call (314) 900-HELP.

DUI Stops and Arrests in Chesterfield, MO

You owe it to yourself to know your rights lest you are pulled over for operating a vehicle while intoxicated. Speak to an experienced Chesterfield, MO DUI attorney near you with Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP to learn about your rights and what steps to take 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 Chesterfield, MO defense lawyers will shield you from injustice in court.

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

DUI Traffic Stops in Chesterfield, MO

A Missouri officer of the law must have reasonable suspicion that you are driving drunk in order to pull an individual over in Chesterfield, MO. In the case of a DWI, reasonable suspicion could be represented by behaviors like like splitting the lane, traveling on a road going in the wrong direction and other erratic driving behaviors such as alternating extremes in speed, swerving or alternating between braking and accelerating.

A police officer is not permitted to conduct a traffic stop unless there is reasonable suspicion that you are committing the crime of 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 Chesterfield, MO DWI, reach out to a DUI attorney near you as soon as possible. If an officer stopped you without any reasonable suspicion, even if they have proof that you were driving intoxicated, a DUI attorney near Chesterfield, MO will fight to get the prosecutor to dismiss your case so you can move on with your life.

Sobriety Tests for DUIs in Chesterfield, MO

If a law officer stops you due to suspected intoxicated 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 Chesterfield, 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 Chesterfield, 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 check for the presence and concentration of substances like alcohol.

   Like most US states, Missouri has what is known as an implied consent law, via whichChesterfield, MO and other Missouri drivers automatically consent to submit to chemical sobriety tests just by getting behind the wheel. A good DUI attorney near you will tell you that you can refuse to a breathalyzer, but refusal can carry a criminal charge in itself. Still, the police cannot physically force you to produce a sample.

   If you already did a breathalyzer test, consult an experienced Chesterfield, MO DUI attorney near you to figure out your options and get the best quality defense in your case. As your Chesterfield, MO DUI attorney near you, Combs Waterkotte will obtain discovery documents and comb through them to conclude whether the breathalyzer or other test was administered lawfully and whether it is or is not admissible in court.

2. Field Sobriety Tests

   Field tests are subjective tests sometimes used during a DWI stop that are meant to determine whether you are impaired through a series of demonstrative tasks. The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration has specified three standardized field tests that police officers can use to test drivers in Chesterfield, 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

   It is your right in Missouri 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 Chesterfield, MO as soon as you can. If you already agreed to and participated in a field test and were then arrested for a DUI in Missouri, your Chesterfield, MO DUI attorney will build a 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 Chesterfield, MO

A checkpoint is a roadblock temporarily set up on a roadway to systematically screen drivers for driving under the influence. There are federal laws that regulate the carriage of DUI checkpoints, but each state has its own rules and some prohibit the use of checkpoints. Missouri lawmakers have entertained banning sobriety checkpoints, but they are currently still allowed by Missouri law.

Checkpoints in Chesterfield 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, 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:

• advertised 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

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 Chesterfield, MO, speak to a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you at (314) 900-HELP. Our determined Chesterfield, MO attorneys will fearlessly defend you and protect your rights in the court of law. Reach out to us online to review your situation with a compassionate and cunning DUI attorney near you today.

Through Combs Waterkotte, you have access to some of the best criminal defense services in the Chesterfield, MO area. 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 of alcohol or drugs in Chesterfield or anywhere in Missouri. In addition, our top Chesterfield, MO defense lawyers can help you with a wide range 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
• Child Pornography Defense Lawyer

Click below to learn more about different kinds of DUI cases in Missouri and how Combs Waterkotte’s DUI attorneys in Chesterfield, 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

Work with a Top DUI Attorney Near Me in Chesterfield, MO | Combs Waterkotte

There is no time to waste. If you have been stopped or arrested for driving under the influence near Chesterfield, 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 Chesterfield, MO will defend you. Contact our Chesterfield, MO defense law firm now to consult a lawyer about your rights, your case and your future.