DUI Attorney Near Me Daviess County, MO
DUI attorney near me in Daviess County, MO. Being arrested for driving under the influence in Daviess County, MO is a serious matter. Whatever the details of your situation, when you are criminally charged 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 has a track record of winning in Daviess County and Missouri. Depending on the circumstances, a savvy Daviess County, MO DUI attorney near you will make the best of your situation. They may be able to get the charges dropped, 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 the entire legal process for your Daviess County, MO DUI case. For razor-sharp representation when you have been arrested of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, call Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP.
What is a DUI in Daviess County, 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 under the influence of alcohol or drugs and specifies the law for sentencing and punishments for those convicted of a DWI, with the latter specific to driving with a BAC, or blood alcohol content, over the legal limit. If you have been arrested in Missouri for a DWI, focus on finding a DUI attorney near Daviess County, MO to fight for your freedom and help you navigate what can be an intimidating Missouri court process.
A police officer may arrest someone for a DWI in Missouri for a long list of reasons. The law outlaws driving while intoxicated — not explicitly for driving under the influence of alcohol. Though DWI arrests are often drunk driving allegations, you can also be arrested for a DWI due to allegedly driving a vehicle while under the influence of another mind-altering drug.
The DWI law in Missouri criminalizes not only drinking and driving, but also driving while intoxicated by psychoactive substances or substances 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 a DWI in Missouri, contact a DUI attorney near you right away. Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is a skilled Daviess 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 Daviess County, MO
You owe it to yourself to know your rights lest you are stopped for driving under the influence. Reach out to Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP immediately to speak to a leading Daviess County, MO DUI attorney near you and understand 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 outstanding Daviess County, MO defense lawyers will protect your rights and freedoms.
Find out about the rules and what to expect for Missouri traffic stops, sobriety tests and checkpoints.
Daviess County Resources
Below are quick links to important websites that may assist you with your legal matters in Daviess County and Missouri.
DUI Traffic Stops in Daviess County, MO
In order to pull someone over, a Daviess County, MO or any Missouri police officer must have reasonable suspicion. In the case of a DWI, reasonable suspicion would be things like splitting the lane, going 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 there is reasonable suspicion that you are committing the crime of driving while intoxicated meet the more stringent burden of probable cause before they can place you under arrest for a DWI.
If you believe that you were improperly stopped for or accused of your Daviess County, MO DWI, contact 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 Daviess County, MO can help get your case dismissed and put to rest so you can put this behind you and be free.
Sobriety Tests for DUIs in Daviess County, MO
If a law officer stops you due to suspected inhebriated driving, they will likely try to get you to do a test to prove that you are under the influence. There are two types of tests Daviess County, MO police officers typically use in traffic stops for driving under the influence: field sobriety tests and chemical tests.
- Chemical Tests (ie. a breathalizer)
When police officers stop drivers in Daviess County MO for DUIs, they often turn to chemical tests to prove 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.
Each state has its own laws and many, including Missouri have in place an implied consent law, via whichDaviess County, MO and other Missouri drivers automatically agree to participate in chemical sobriety tests simply by operating a vehicle. A smart DUI attorney near you will tell you 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 take the test.
If you do take a breathalyzer test, speak to an experienced Daviess County, MO DUI attorney near you to figure out your options and get the best quality defense in your case. As your Daviess County, MO DUI attorney near you, Combs Waterkotte will investigate and scrutinize the details of your test to determine whether the breathalyzer or other test was performed 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 determine whether you are intoxicated by asking the driver to perform motor tasks. The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration has spelled out three standardized field tests that police officers can use to test drivers in Daviess County, MO and all over the United States.
- Walk and turn – walk heel to toe in a straight line for nine steps, turn around and repeat in the opposite direction
- 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
- 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 Daviess County, MO as soon as possible. If you have already completed a field test and were then arrested for a DUI in Missouri, your Daviess County, MO DUI attorney will design an insurmountable defense to your case or make sure any illegally obtained evidence is thrown out and not used against you in Missouri court.
Traffic Checkpoints in Daviess County, 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. Missouri lawmakers have debated banning sobriety checkpoints, but curent Missouri law still allows police to use them.
Police departments in Daviess County and around Missouri do not use checkpoints as heavily as they did in the past, but you should still familiarize yourself with your rights and the rules regulating checkpoints. If you are not sure, turn to 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 public 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 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 are going through a checkpoint in Daviess County, MO, speak to a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you at (314) 900-HELP. Our determined Daviess County, MO attorneys will ferociously defend you and protect your rights in the court of law. Contact us online to discuss your situation with a kind and cunning DUI attorney near you today.
Get the best quality criminal defense available in Daviess County, MO through Combs Waterkotte. A Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you will fight for your rights and defend you when you have been charged with driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs in Daviess County or anywhere in Missouri. In addition, our top Daviess County, 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 the different DUI cases in Missouri and how Combs Waterkotte’s DUI attorneys in Daviess County, MO can defend you.
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Hire a DUI Attorney Near Me in Daviess County, MO | Combs Waterkotte
Do not waste any time. If you were stopped or arrested for driving under the influence near Daviess County, MO, find 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 Daviess County, MO can protect you. Contact our Daviess County, MO defense law firm right away to discuss your rights, your case and your future.