DUI Attorney Near Me Moberly, MO
DUI attorney near me in Moberly, MO. Being arrested for driving under the influence in Moberly, MO is a serious matter. Whatever the circumstances, when you are criminally charged for driving under the influence by drugs or alcohol, a you need the best legal representation available to protect your rights and your future.
You deserve quality legal representation from an attorney who has a track record of winning in Moberly and Missouri. Depending on the details of your case, a savvy DUI attorney near Moberly, MO 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 Moberly, MO DUI case. For dedicated, aggressive defense against injustice after being arrested of driving under the influence, speak to Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP.
What is a DUI in Moberly, 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 of alcohol or drugs and specifies the guidelines 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 Moberly, 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 variety 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 accusations of driving drunk, you can also be arrested for a DWI due to allegedly driving a vehicle while under the influence of some kind of psychoactive drug.
The same Missouri law prohibits driving while intoxicated by psychoactive substances that impair your consciousness or motor skills. That means that you are liable to arrest if a police officer believes 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 as soon as possible. Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is a reuptable and capable Moberly-based DUI attorney near you, Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is dedicated, diligent and skilled. For a trustworthy DUI attorney near you, call (314) 900-HELP.
Getting Stopped or Arrested for a DUI in Moberly, MO
You owe it to yourself to know your rights lest you are pulled over for driving intoxicated. Reach out to Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP immediately to speak to a leading Moberly, MO DUI attorney near you and understand your rights and what steps to take if you are ever stopped when operating a vehicle in Missouri. And if you have already gone through a traffic stop and were arrested for intoxicated driving, our incredible Moberly, MO defense attorneys will fight for your freedom and justice.
Learn the rules and procedure for Missouri traffic stops, sobriety tests and sobriety checkpoints.
Randolph County Resources
Below are quick links to important websites that may assist you with your legal matters in Randolph County and Missouri.
DUI Traffic Stops in Moberly, MO
In order to pull someone over, a Moberly, 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 on a road going in the wrong direction and other erratic driving behaviors such as inconsistencies in speed, swerving or stopping and going.
A police officer must have reasonable suspicion that you were driving under the influence in order to stop you, and are required to satisfy the higher burden of probable cause before they can place you under arrest for a DWI.
If you believe that you were unlawfully stopped or arrested for your Moberly, MO DWI, contact a DUI attorney near you at your earliest opportunity. If you were stopped by an officer without giving them reasonable suspicion, even if they have proof that you were driving intoxicated, a DUI attorney near Moberly, MO will fight to get the prosecutor to dismiss your case so you can move forward in your life.
Sobriety Tests for DUIs in Moberly, MO
If a law officer stops you under suspicion of 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 Moberly, MO police officers to determine intoxication, there are two primary types they may utilize: field sobriety tests and chemical tests.
- Chemical Tests (ie. a breathalizer)
When police officers stop drivers in Moberly MO for driving while intoxicated, they often turn to chemical tests to prove that the driver was under the influence 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 various substances including alcohol.
Each state has its own laws and many, including Missouri have in place an implied consent law, via which, as a Moberly, MO driver or driver anywhere in Missouri, you automatically agree to submit to chemical sobriety tests simply by driving a vehicle. A smart DUI attorney near you will tell you that you can refuse to submit to a chemical test like a breathalyzer, 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 Moberly, MO DUI attorney near you to discuss your defense and how they can help you. As your DUI attorney near Moberly, MO, Combs Waterkotte will obtain discovery documents and comb through them to examine if the breathalyzer or other test was performed legally and whether it should or should not be admissible in court.
- Field Sobriety Tests
Field tests during a DWI traffic stop are subjective tests that attempt to gauge 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 police officers subject drivers to in Moberly, MO and throughout 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
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 Moberly, MO immediately. If you already agreed to and participated in a field test and have been arrested for a DUI in Missouri, your DUI attorney in Moberly, MO will design an impenetrable 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 Moberly, 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. Missouri legislators have entertained banning sobriety checkpoints, but curent Missouri law still allows their use.
Checkpoints in Moberly and throughout Missouri are not as prevalent as they once were, but you should still educate yourself on your rights and the rules regulating checkpoints. When it doubt, speak 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 roadway safety. DUI checkpoints should be:
- announced 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
- visibly associated with law enforcement
In addition, there must be a logical reason for implementing the checkpoint related to public safety, .
If you are going through a checkpoint in Moberly, MO, speak to a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you at (314) 900-HELP. Our skilled Moberly, MO attorneys will tenaciously defend you and protect your rights in the court of law. Reach out to us online to review your situation with a kind and cunning DUI attorney near you today.
Through Combs Waterkotte, you have access to some of the best criminal defense services in the Moberly, MO area. At Combs Waterkotte, a DUI attorney near you will fight for your rights and defend you when you have been accused of driving under the influence in Moberly or anywhere in Missouri. In addition, our top Moberly, MO defense lawyers can help you with a variety 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 Moberly, 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 Moberly, MO | Combs Waterkotte
Do not waste any time. If you have been stopped or arrested for driving under the influence near Moberly, 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 Moberly, MO will defend you. Contact our Moberly, MO defense law firm now to discuss your rights, your case and your future.