Jackson County, MO

DUI Attorney Near Me Jackson County, MO

DUI attorney near me in Jackson County, MO. Being arrested for driving under the influence in Jackson County, MO is a serious matter. Regardless of the details of your situation, when you are criminally charged for driving drunk or high, a you need the best legal representation available to fight on your behalf and protect your future.

You deserve a talented defense attorney who has successfully defended against DUI convictions in Jackson County and Missouri. Depending on the details of your case, a savvy DUI attorney near Jackson County, MO 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 negotiate a lesser punishment through a plea bargain. Most importantly, they will navigate the law and all legal proceedings for your Jackson County, MO DUI case. For razor-sharp representation after you have been accused of driving under the influence, call Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP.

What is a DUI in Jackson County, MO?

Though people often refer to it 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 define the definition of the crime of driving while intoxicated and lays forth the rules 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. After your Missouri DWI arrest, you may need a DUI attorney near Jackson County, MO to fight for your freedom and help you navigate what can be an intimidating Missouri court process.

You could be arrested for a DWI in Missouri for a number of reasons. Under Missouri law, it is illegal to drive while intoxicated, including but not limited to 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 due to allegedly driving a vehicle while under the influence of some kind of mind-altering drug.

The DWI law in Missouri criminalizes not only drinking and driving, but also driving while impared by intoxicating substances that impair skills necessary to driving including motor skills, reaction time and decision making. That means that you are liable 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 or a family member have been arrested for driving while intoxicated in Missouri, reach out to a DUI attorney near you right away. Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is a reuptable and capable Jackson County-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 Jackson County, MO

You owe it to yourself to know your rights lest you are pulled over for operating a vehicle while intoxicated. Call Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP immediately to speak to a leading Jackson County, MO DUI attorney near you and learn about your rights and what steps to take if an officer ever stops you while you are driving in Missouri. And if you have already gone through a traffic stop and were arrested for driving drunk or high, our unstoppable Jackson County, MO defense lawyers will fight for your freedom and justice.

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

DUI Traffic Stops in Jackson County, MO

A Missouri officer of the law must have reasonable suspicion that you are driving drunk in order to pull an individual over in Jackson County, MO. In the case of a DWI, reasonable suspicion could be things like splitting the 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 committing the crime of driving while intoxicated satisfy the higher burden of probable cause before they can place you under arrest for a DWI.

If you believe that you were wrongly stopped or arrested for your Jackson County, MO DWI, contact a DUI attorney near you right away. If an officer stopped you without any reasonable suspicion, even if they have proof that you were driving drunk, a DUI attorney near Jackson County, MO can fight to get the prosecutor to dismiss your case so you can put this behind you and be free.

Sobriety Tests for DUIs in Jackson County, MO

If you are pulled over by an officer due to suspected intoxicated driving, they will want to obtain proof to show that you are under the influence. There are two types of tests Jackson 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)

   When police officers stop drivers in Jackson County MO for drunk driving or driving under the influence, chemical tests are often used as evidence to collect evidence that the driver had ingested drugs or alcohol. Chemical tests include tests of the bodily samples from blood to breath to saliva to urine that are meant to identify the presence of and/or measure the concentration of substances like alcohol.

   Like most US states, Missouri has in place an implied consent law, via whichJackson County, MO and other Missouri drivers automatically agree to submit to chemical sobriety tests just by driving a vehicle. A good DUI attorney near you will tell you that you can refuse to submit to a breathalyzer or other chemical test, but you can face legal consequences for the act of refusing the test. Still, the police cannot physically force you to take the test.

   If you do take a breathalyzer test, consult an exemplary Jackson 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 Jackson County, MO, Combs Waterkotte will obtain discovery documents and comb through them to conclude if the breathalyzer or other test was administered legally 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 are designed to determine whether you are impaired by asking the driver to perform motor tasks. The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration has specified three standardized field tests that police officers can use to test drivers in Jackson 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 Jackson County, MO immediately. If you have already agreed to and performed a field test and were then arrested for a DUI in Missouri, your Jackson County, MO DUI attorney will design an impenetrable 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 Jackson County, MO

A checkpoint is a roadblock temporarily set up on a roadway as a way to systematically screen drivers for behaviors like driving under the influence. There are federal laws allowing but regulating 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 curent Missouri law still allows their use.

Checkpoints in Jackson County and throughout Missouri are not as prevalent as they once were, but it is still prudent to familiarize yourself with your rights and the rules checkpoints must follow. If you are not sure, call 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 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 legitimate 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 Jackson County, MO, speak to a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you at (314) 900-HELP. Our determined Jackson County, MO attorneys will tenaciously defend you and protect your rights in the court of law. Contact us online to review your situation with a kind and cunning DUI attorney near you today.

Get the best quality criminal defense available in Jackson 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 in Jackson County or anywhere in Missouri. In addition, our top Jackson 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 different kinds of DUI charges in Missouri and how Combs Waterkotte’s DUI attorneys in Jackson County, 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

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

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