DUI Attorney Near Me Putnam County, MO

DUI attorney near me in Putnam County, MO. No one enjoys being arrested, but it is important to understand that driving under the influence in Putnam County is treated as a serious offense in Missouri court. Whatever the situation, when you are arrested for driving under the influence by drugs or alcohol, 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 Putnam County and Missouri. Depending on the details of your case, a savvy DUI attorney near Putnam County, MO may be able to get the prosecutor to drop the charges, 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 navigate the law and all legal proceedings for your Putnam County, MO DUI case. For dedicated, aggressive defense against injustice after you have been arrested of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, call Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP.

What is a DUI in Putnam County, 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 what constitutes the crime of driving under the influence and lays forth 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. After your Missouri DWI arrest, focus on finding a DUI attorney near Putnam County, MO to fight for your freedom and protect you from unfair treatment by Missouri courts.

A person can be arrested for a DWI in Missouri for a variety of reasons. Under Missouri law, it is illegal to drive while intoxicated, including but not limited to driving under the influence of alcohol. Though DWI arrests are often accusations of driving drunk, you can also be arrested for a DWI on suspicion of operating a vehicle while impaired by some kind of intoxicating substance.

The DWI law in Missouri criminalizes not only drinking and driving, but also driving while intoxicated by intoxicating substances or 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 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 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 Putnam County-based DUI attorney near you, Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is dedicated, experienced and sharp. For a trustworthy DUI attorney near you, call (314) 900-HELP.

Getting Stopped or Arrested for a DUI in Putnam County, MO

It is critical that you 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 Putnam County, MO DUI attorney near you and learn about your rights and what you should do if an officer ever stops you while you are operating a vehicle in Missouri. And if you were already subjected to a traffic stop and were arrested for intoxicated driving, our incredible Putnam County, MO defense lawyers will shield you from injustice in court.

Find out about the rules and procedure for regular traffic stops, sobriety tests and sobriety checkpoints.

DUI Traffic Stops in Putnam 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 Putnam County, MO. For a DWI, reasonable suspicion would be represented by behaviors like like splitting the lane, traveling the wrong way down a road and any other behaviors such as alternating extremes in speed, swerving or braking.

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 satisfy the more stringent burden of probable cause before they can arrest you for a DWI.

If you suspect that you were unlawfully stopped or arrested for your Putnam County, MO DWI, reach out to a DUI attorney near you at your earliest opportunity. If an officer stopped you without any reasonable suspicion, even if they have proof that you were driving drunk, turn to a DUI attorney near you in Putnam County, MO who will help get your case dismissed and put to rest so you can put this behind you and be free.

Sobriety Tests for DUIs in Putnam County, MO

If a law officer stops you under suspicion of inhebriated driving, they will likely try to get you to do a test to prove that you are under the influence. There are two types of tests Putnam 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)

   In Putnam County, MO stops for driving while intoxicated, they often turn to chemical tests to prove that the driver had ingested drugs or alcohol. Chemical tests include tests of the blood, breath, saliva or urine that are meant to identify the presence of and/or measure the concentration of various substances including alcohol.

   Each state has its own laws and many, including Missouri have what is known as an implied consent law, via whichPutnam County, MO and other Missouri drivers automatically consent to submit to chemical sobriety tests simply by getting behind the wheel. A good DUI attorney near you will counsel you to know that you can refuse to submit 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, speak to an experienced Putnam 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 Putnam County, MO, Combs Waterkotte will investigate and scrutinize the details of your test to examine if the breathalyzer or other test was performed as according to law 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 meant to gauge 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 that police officers can use to test drivers in Putnam 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 a police officer stops you and asks you to perform field sobriety tests, call a DUI attorney near you in Putnam County, MO immediately. If you already agreed to and performed a field test and have been arrested for a DUI in Missouri, your Putnam County, MO DUI attorney will build an unwavering defense to your case or ensure that evidence that does not meet Missouri’s rules of evidence such as improperly obtained sobriety tests are not used against you in Missouri court.

Traffic Checkpoints in Putnam County, MO

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

Police departments in Putnam County and around Missouri do not use checkpoints as heavily as they used to, but it is still prudent to educate yourself on your rights and the rules checkpoints must follow. If you are not sure, 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
• 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
• clearly associated with law enforcement

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

If you are going through a checkpoint in Putnam County, MO, call (314) 900-HELP to talk to a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you immediately. Our skilled Putnam County, MO attorneys will fearlessly defend you and protect your rights in the court of law. Contact us online to review 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 Putnam County, MO area. At Combs Waterkotte, a DUI attorney near you will fight for your rights and defend you when you have been arrested for driving under the influence in Putnam County or anywhere in Missouri. Our team of Putnam County, MO attorneys have expertise in a number of other kinds of cases, including:

Learn more about different kinds of DUI charges in Missouri and how Combs Waterkotte’s DUI attorneys in Putnam 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

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

Do not waste any time. If you have been stopped or arrested for driving under the influence near Putnam 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 Putnam County, MO will defend you. Contact our Putnam County, MO defense law firm now to consult a lawyer about your rights, your case and your future.