Image

New Madrid County, MO

Verified Content

Last Updated: September 27, 2024

DUI Attorney Near Me New Madrid County, MO

DUI attorney near me in New Madrid County, MO. No one enjoys being arrested, but it is important to understand that driving under the influence in New Madrid County is treated as a serious offense in Missouri court. Whatever the situation, when you are facing a conviction for driving while intoxicated 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 New Madrid County and Missouri. Depending on the details of your case, a savvy DUI attorney near New Madrid County, MO may be able to get the charges dropped, have the charges reduced to lesser offenses, fight the conviction in a trial or work with the prosecutor to negotiate a plea bargain. Most importantly, they will use the law to your benefit and guide you through all legal proceedings for your New Madrid 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.

  • Protect Your License

    Image

    Protect Your License

    You have only 15 days to request an administrative hearing. Act quickly to protect your driver’s licenses.

    Reach Out Now

  • Know Your Next Steps

    Image

    Know Your Next Steps

    Wondering what happens after your DWI/DUI arrest? The experienced Combs Waterkotte attorneys have the answers.

    Stay Informed

  • Get Started Now

    Image

    Ready to Talk to an Expert?

    Contact the skilled Combs Waterkotte DWI/DUI lawyers now at (314) 900-HELP to get started on your defense.

    Get Started

What is a DUI in New Madrid County, 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 while intoxicated and establishes the rules Missouri courts must follow to sentence and punish DWI offenders, 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, you may need a DUI attorney near New Madrid 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 variety of reasons. The law outlaws driving while intoxicated — not explicitly for driving under the influence of alcohol. While DWI arrests are often accusations of driving drunk, you can also be arrested for a DWI on suspicion of driving a vehicle while impaired by some kind of mind-altering drug.

The same Missouri law prohibits driving while impared by drugs that impair skills necessary to driving including motor skills, reaction time and decision making. That means that you can be subject 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 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 reuptable and capable New Madrid County-based DUI attorney near you. For a trustworthy DUI attorney near you, call (314) 900-HELP.

Getting Stopped or Arrested for a DUI in New Madrid County, MO

It is critical that you know your rights in the event that you are pulled over for driving intoxicated. Call Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP immediately to speak to a leading New Madrid County, MO DUI attorney near you and learn about your rights and what steps to take if you are ever stopped when driving in Missouri. And if you were already subjected to a traffic stop and were arrested for driving drunk or high, our outstanding New Madrid County, MO defense lawyers will shield you from injustice in court.

Become familiar with the rules and procedure for Missouri traffic stops, sobriety tests and sobriety checkpoints.

DUI Traffic Stops in New Madrid County, MO

In order to pull someone over, a New Madrid County, MO or any Missouri police officer must have reasonable suspicion. For a DWI, reasonable suspicion would be represented by behaviors like like drifting out of lane, driving on a road going in the wrong direction and any other driving behaviors such as inconsistencies in speed, swerving or braking.

A police officer is not permitted to stop you unless they can identify reasonable suspicion that you are committing the crime of driving while intoxicated meet the higher burden of probable cause before they can arrest you for a DWI.

If you feel that you were wrongly stopped or arrested for your New Madrid County, MO DWI, contact 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 intoxicated, turn to a DUI attorney near you in New Madrid County, MO who can fight to get your case dismissed and put to rest so you can move on with your life.

Sobriety Tests for DUIs in New Madrid County, MO

If a law officer stops you due to suspected inhebriated driving, they will want to obtain proof to show that you are under the influence. There are two types of tests New Madrid 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 New Madrid County MO for DUIs, chemical tests are often used as evidence to prove that the driver was under the influence at the time of the stop. There are a few different types of chemical tests using 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 whichNew Madrid County, MO and other Missouri drivers automatically agree to participate in chemical sobriety tests just by operating a vehicle. A smart DUI attorney near you will tell you that you can refuse to a breathalyzer, but you can face legal consequences for the act of refusing the test. Still, you cannot be physically forced to produce a sample.

    If you already did a breathalyzer test, speak to an exemplary New Madrid County, MO DUI attorney near you to discuss your defense and how they can help you. As your DUI attorney near New Madrid County, MO, Combs Waterkotte will investigate and scrutinize the details of your test to conclude whether the breathalyzer or other test was administered as according to law and whether it is or is not admissible in court.

  2. Field Sobriety Tests

    Field tests are subjective tests sometimes used during a DWI stop that are designed to determine whether you are impaired through a series of demonstrative tasks. The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration has specified three standardized field tests police officers subject drivers to in New Madrid County, 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

    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 New Madrid County, MO as soon as you can. If you already performed a field test and were then arrested for a DUI in Missouri, your New Madrid County, MO DUI attorney will build an unwavering 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 New Madrid County, MO

A checkpoint is a roadblock temporarily set up on a roadway as a way to systematically screen drivers for 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 curent Missouri law still allows police to use them.

Checkpoints in New Madrid County and throughout Missouri are not as prevalent as they once were, but it is still prudent to educate yourself on your rights and the rules regulating checkpoints. If you are not sure, call 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 closely related to roadway safety. DUI checkpoints should be:

  • 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 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 find yourself at a checkpoint in New Madrid County, MO, speak to a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you at (314) 900-HELP. Our experienced New Madrid County, MO attorneys will tenaciously defend you and protect your rights in the court of law. Reach out to us online to review your case 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 New Madrid County, MO area. A Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you will protect you against the court and defend you when you have been arrested for driving under the influence in New Madrid County or anywhere in Missouri. In addition, our top New Madrid County, MO defense lawyers can help you with a variety of other kinds of cases, including:

Learn more about different kinds of DUI cases in Missouri and what the DUI attorneys near you with Combs Waterkotte near New Madrid County, MO can do to help you.

Work with a Top DUI Attorney Near Me in New Madrid County, MO | Combs Waterkotte

Do not waste any time. If you were stopped or arrested for driving under the influence near New Madrid County, MO, you need to hire 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 New Madrid County, MO can protect you. Contact our New Madrid County, MO defense law firm right away to discuss your rights, your case and your future.

View Service Areas
Open Video
Image

Featured Results:

Client Review, DUI Case

Play video
Image

Get In Touch:

St. Louis

Main Office

(314) 900-HELP

Get Directions

Clayton

By Appointment Only

(314) 900-HELP

Get Directions