Ferguson, MO

DUI Attorney Near Me Ferguson, MO

DUI attorney near me in Ferguson, MO. Being arrested for driving under the influence in Ferguson, MO is a serious matter. Whatever the details of your situation, when you are facing a conviction for driving drunk or high, find an attorney you can trust to protect your rights and your future.

You deserve a talented defense attorney who knows their way around DUI cases in Ferguson and Missouri. Depending on your unique situation, a sharp Ferguson, MO DUI attorney near you 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, lead your case to trial to fight the conviction or work with the prosecutor to negotiate a plea bargain. Their principle responsibility is to navigate the law and all legal proceedings for your Ferguson, 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 Ferguson, 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 what constitutes the crime of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and establishes the law 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. If you have been arrested in Missouri for a DWI, you deserve a DUI attorney near Ferguson, MO who will stand up on your behalf and protect you from unfair treatment by Missouri courts.

A police officer may arrest someone for a DWI in Missouri for a number 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 accusations of driving drunk, you can also be arrested for a DWI due to allegedly driving a vehicle while impaired by some kind of psychoactive drug.

The same Missouri law prohibits driving while intoxicated by psychoactive substances 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 or a family member have been arrested for a DWI in Missouri, contact a DUI attorney near you right away. Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is a skilled Ferguson-based DUI attorney near you, Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is accessible, experienced and skilled. When you need a DUI attorney near you whom you can trust, call (314) 900-HELP.

Getting Stopped or Arrested for a DUI in Ferguson, 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 Ferguson, MO DUI attorney near you and understand your rights and what to do if you are ever stopped when driving in Missouri. And if you were already subjected to being pulled over and arrested for intoxicated driving, our outstanding Ferguson, MO defense attorneys will protect your rights and freedoms.

Know the rules and procedure for Missouri traffic stops, sobriety tests and checkpoints.

DUI Traffic Stops in Ferguson, MO

In order to pull someone over, a Ferguson, MO or any Missouri police officer must have reasonable suspicion. In the case of a DWI, reasonable suspicion could be represented by behaviors like like splitting the lane, driving the wrong way down a road and any other driving behaviors such as alternating extremes in speed, swerving or braking.

A police officer must have reasonable suspicion that you were driving under the influence in order to stop you, and are required to meet the higher 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 Ferguson, MO DWI, reach out to a DUI attorney near you at your earliest opportunity. If an officer stopped you without any reasonable suspicion, even if they then obtained evidence that you were driving under the influence, a DUI attorney near Ferguson, MO can help get your case dismissed and put to rest so you can move on with your life.

Sobriety Tests for DUIs in Ferguson, MO

If you are pulled over by an officer under suspicion of intoxicated driving, they will want to obtain proof to show that you are under the influence. When it comes to roadside tests used by Ferguson, 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)

   When police officers stop drivers in Ferguson MO for driving while intoxicated, chemical tests are often used as evidence 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 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 whichFerguson, MO and other Missouri drivers automatically agree to participate in chemical sobriety tests just by getting behind the wheel. A smart DUI attorney near you will counsel you to know 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, speak to an exemplary Ferguson, MO DUI attorney near you to discuss your defense and how they can help you. As your Ferguson, MO DUI attorney near you, Combs Waterkotte will investigate and scrutinize the details of your test to examine if the breathalyzer or other test was administered legally and whether it should or should not be admissible in court.

2. Field Sobriety Tests

   Field tests are subjective tests sometimes used during a DWI stop that are designed to gauge whether you are intoxicated through a series of demonstrative tasks. The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration has spelled out three standardized field tests that police officers can use to test drivers in Ferguson, 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 Ferguson, MO as soon as possible. If you already completed a field test and were then arrested for a DUI in Missouri, your DUI attorney in Ferguson, MO will design an unwavering 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 Ferguson, MO

A checkpoint is a roadblock temporarily set up on a roadway to randomly check drivers for behaviors like 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. Lawmakers in Missouri have explored banning sobriety checkpoints, but they are currently still allowed by Missouri law.

Checkpoints in Ferguson and throughout Missouri are not as prevalent as they once were, but it is still wise to educate yourself on your rights and the rules regulating checkpoints. If you are not sure, speak 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. A lawful DUI checkpoint is:

• advertised to the public in advance
• sanctioned or planned 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

Perhaps most importantly, there must be a logical 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 find yourself at a checkpoint in Ferguson, MO, call (314) 900-HELP to talk to a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you immediately. Our determined Ferguson, MO attorneys will fearlessly 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.

Get the best quality criminal defense available in Ferguson, 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 arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs in Ferguson or anywhere in Missouri. Our team of Ferguson, MO attorneys have expertise in a variety of other case types, 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 charges in Missouri and what the DUI attorneys near you with Combs Waterkotte near Ferguson, MO can do to help you.

• DWI/DUI Lawyer in St. Louis
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• DWI Accident Lawyer in St. Louis
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• 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 Ferguson, MO | Combs Waterkotte

Do yourself a favor and act now. If you have been stopped or arrested for driving under the influence near Ferguson, MO, find 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 Ferguson, MO will defend you. Contact our Ferguson, MO defense law firm right away to discuss your rights, your case and your future.