Plattsburg, MO

DUI Attorney Near Me Plattsburg, MO

DUI attorney near me in Plattsburg, MO. No one enjoys being arrested, but it is important to understand that driving under the influence in Plattsburg is treated as a serious offense in Missouri court. Whatever the details of your situation, when you are facing a conviction 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 knows their way around DUI cases in Plattsburg and Missouri. Depending on the details of your case, an astute Plattsburg, MO DUI attorney near you may be able to get the charges dropped, reduce the charges to lesser offenses, fight the conviction in a trial or work with the prosecutor to negotiate a plea bargain. Most importantly, they will navigate the law and the entire legal process for your Plattsburg, MO DUI case. For dedicated, aggressive defense against injustice when you have been arrested of driving under the influence, speak to Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP.

What is a DUI in Plattsburg, MO?

Though many people refer to it as a DUI (which stands for driving under the influence, the offense is actually referred to a DWI (driving while intoxicated) in Missouri courts. Missouri Revised Statute §577.010 and §577.012 outline the definition of the crime of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and establishes the guidelines 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 Plattsburg, MO to fight for your freedom 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 prohibits driving while intoxicated — not explicitly for driving under the influence of alcohol. While DWI arrests are often drunk driving allegations, you can also be arrested for a DWI on suspicion of operating a vehicle while under the influence of some kind of psychoactive drug.

The same Missouri law prohibits driving while intoxicated by drugs or 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 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, speak to a DUI attorney near you as soon as possible. Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is a skilled Plattsburg-based DUI attorney near you, Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is responsive, diligent and sharp. When you need a DUI attorney near you whom you can trust, call (314) 900-HELP.

Getting Stopped or Arrested for a DUI in Plattsburg, MO

You owe it to yourself to know your rights lest you are pulled over for operating a vehicle while under the influence. Speak to an experienced Plattsburg, MO DUI attorney near you with Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP to understand your rights and what to do if you are ever stopped when driving in Missouri. And if you were already subjected to a traffic stop and were arrested for intoxicated driving, our incredible Plattsburg, MO defense law firm will protect your rights and freedoms.

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

DUI Traffic Stops in Plattsburg, MO

A Missouri officer of the law must have reasonable suspicion that you are driving drunk in order to pull an individual over in Plattsburg, MO. In the case of a DWI, reasonable suspicion could be things like splitting the lane, driving the wrong way down a road and any other driving behaviors such as alternating extremes in speed, swerving or alternating between braking and accelerating.

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

If you suspect that you were improperly stopped or arrested for your Plattsburg, MO DWI, reach out to a DUI attorney near you right away. If you were stopped by an officer without giving them reasonable suspicion, even if they have proof that you were driving drunk, a DUI attorney near Plattsburg, MO will fight to get the prosecutor to dismiss your case so you can put this behind you and be free.

Sobriety Tests for DUIs in Plattsburg, 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 Plattsburg, 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 Plattsburg MO for driving while intoxicated, chemical tests are often used as evidence to prove 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 what is known as an implied consent law, pursuant to whichPlattsburg, MO and other Missouri drivers automatically agree to participate in chemical sobriety tests simply by driving a vehicle. A good DUI attorney near you will tell you that you can refuse to a chemical test like a breathalyzer, but refusal can carry a criminal charge in itself. Still, the police cannot physically force you to take the test.

   If you do take a breathalyzer test, consult an exemplary Plattsburg, MO DUI attorney near you to discuss your defense and how they can help you. As your Plattsburg, MO DUI attorney near you, Combs Waterkotte will investigate and scrutinize the details of your test to conclude 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 intoxicated 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 Plattsburg, 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 Plattsburg, MO as soon as you can. If you already agreed to and performed a field test and have been arrested for a DUI in Missouri, your DUI attorney in Plattsburg, MO will build a 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 Plattsburg, 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 that regulate the carriage of DUI checkpoints, but each state has its own rules and some prohibit the use of checkpoints. Missouri lawmakers have entertained banning sobriety checkpoints, but curent Missouri law still allows their use.

Checkpoints in Plattsburg 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. 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 closely 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
• visibly associated with law enforcement

In addition, there must be a legitimate reason for implementing the checkpoint related to public safety, .

If you are going through a checkpoint in Plattsburg, MO, speak to a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you at (314) 900-HELP. Our experienced Plattsburg, MO attorneys will tenaciously defend you and protect your rights in the court of law. Reach out to us online to discuss your situation with a compassionate and cunning DUI attorney near you today.

Through Combs Waterkotte, you have access to some of the best criminal defense services in the Plattsburg, MO area. At Combs Waterkotte, a DUI attorney near you will protect you against the court and defend you when you have been charged with driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs in Plattsburg or anywhere in Missouri. In addition, our top Plattsburg, MO defense lawyers can help you with a variety 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 different kinds of DUI cases in Missouri and what the DUI attorneys near you with Combs Waterkotte near Plattsburg, MO can do to help 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 Plattsburg, MO | Combs Waterkotte

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