Jackson, MO

DUI Attorney Near Me Jackson, MO

DUI attorney near me in Jackson, MO. Being arrested for driving under the influence in Jackson, MO is a serious matter. Whatever 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 quality legal representation from an attorney who knows their way around DUI cases in Jackson and Missouri. Depending on your unique situation, a savvy DUI attorney near Jackson, MO 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 Jackson, MO DUI case. For razor-sharp representation after you have been arrested of driving under the influence, speak to Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP.

What is a DUI in Jackson, MO?

Though many people 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 while intoxicated and specifies the rules for sentencing and punishments for DWI offenders, with the latter specific to driving with a BAC, or blood alcohol content, over the legal limit. After your Missouri DWI arrest, focus on finding a DUI attorney near Jackson, MO to fight for your freedom and protect you from unfair treatment by Missouri courts.

You could be arrested for a DWI in Missouri for a number of reasons. Under Missouri law, it is illegal to drive while intoxicated, and that covers more than just driving under the influence of alcohol. While DWI arrests are often drunk driving allegations, you can also be arrested for a DWI due to allegedly driving a vehicle while impaired by another psychoactive drug.

The DWI law in Missouri criminalizes not only drinking and driving, but also driving while impared by psychoactive 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 Jackson-based DUI attorney near you, Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is dedicated, diligent and skilled. When you need a DUI attorney near you whom you can trust, call (314) 900-HELP.

DUI Stops and Arrests in Jackson, MO

You owe it to yourself to know your rights lest you are stopped for driving intoxicated. Reach out to Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP immediately to speak to a leading Jackson, MO DUI attorney near you and understand your rights and what steps to take if an officer ever stops you while you are operating a vehicle in Missouri. And if you were already subjected to being pulled over and arrested for driving drunk or high, our outstanding Jackson, MO defense lawyers will shield you from injustice in court.

Become familiar with the rules and what to expect for Missouri traffic stops, sobriety tests and sobriety checkpoints.

DUI Traffic Stops in Jackson, 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, MO. For a DWI, reasonable suspicion could be represented by behaviors like like drifting out of lane, going the wrong way down a road and any other driving behaviors such as inconsistencies in speed, swerving or braking.

A police officer is not able to lawfully conduct a traffic stop unless they can identify 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 or arrested for your Jackson, MO DWI, reach out to a DUI attorney near you as soon as possible. If you were stopped by an officer without giving them reasonable suspicion, even if they have proof that you were driving intoxicated, turn to a DUI attorney near you in Jackson, MO who can help get the prosecutor to dismiss your case so you can put this behind you and be free.

Sobriety Tests for DUIs in Jackson, MO

If a law officer stops you due to suspected intoxicated driving, they will want to obtain proof to show that you are under the influence. When it comes to roadside tests used by Jackson, 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 Jackson MO for drunk driving or driving under the influence, they often turn to chemical tests to collect evidence 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.

   Like most US states, Missouri has in place an implied consent law, pursuant to which, as a Jackson, MO driver or driver anywhere in Missouri, you automatically agree to submit to chemical sobriety tests simply by getting behind the wheel. A smart DUI attorney near you will counsel you to know that you can refuse 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 produce a sample.

   If you do take a breathalyzer test, speak to an experienced Jackson, MO DUI attorney near you to discuss your defense and how they can help you. As your DUI attorney near Jackson, MO, Combs Waterkotte will investigate and scrutinize the details of your test to determine whether the breathalyzer or other test was performed lawfully 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 attempt to determine whether you are impaired by asking the driver to perform motor tasks. The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration has defined three standardized field tests police officers subject drivers to in Jackson, 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, call a DUI attorney near you in Jackson, MO as soon as you can. If you have already agreed to and participated in a field test and were then arrested for a DUI in Missouri, your Jackson, 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 Jackson, MO

A checkpoint is a roadblock temporarily set up on a roadway as a way 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. Lawmakers in Missouri have discussed banning sobriety checkpoints, but they are currently still allowed by Missouri law.

Police departments in Jackson and around Missouri do not use checkpoints as heavily as they used to, but it is still wise to educate yourself on your rights and the rules regulating checkpoints. 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 public 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 implementing 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 approach a checkpoint in Jackson, MO, speak to a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you at (314) 900-HELP. Our determined Jackson, MO attorneys will fearlessly defend you and protect your rights in the court of law. Contact us online to review your case with a kind and cunning DUI attorney near you today.

Get the best quality criminal defense available in Jackson, MO through Combs Waterkotte. A Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you will fight for your rights and provide you with an infallible defense when you have been arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs in Jackson or anywhere in Missouri. Our team of Jackson, MO attorneys have expertise in a wide range of other kinds of cases, including:

• Homicide Lawyer
• Assault Lawyer
• Rape Defense Lawyer
• Sex Offense Lawyers
• DWI Attorney
• Crime Defense Lawyers
• Domestic Violence Defense Attorneys
• Child Pornography Defense Lawyer
• Criminal Lawyer

Click below to learn more about the different DUI charges in Missouri and how Combs Waterkotte’s DUI attorneys in Jackson, MO can defend you.

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• 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, MO | Combs Waterkotte

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