Sullivan, MO

DUI Attorney Near Me Sullivan, MO

DUI attorney near me in Sullivan, MO. Being arrested for driving under the influence in Sullivan, MO is a serious matter. Regardless of the details of your situation, when you are arrested for driving under the influence by drugs or alcohol, find an attorney you can trust to protect your rights and your future.

You deserve quality legal representation from an attorney who has successfully defended against DUI convictions in Sullivan and Missouri. Depending on the circumstances, a sharp Sullivan, MO DUI attorney near you will make the best of your situation. They may be able to get the charges dropped, reduce the charges to lesser offenses, fight the conviction in a trial or negotiate a lesser punishment through a plea bargain. Their principle responsibility is to use the law to your benefit and guide you through the entire legal process for your Sullivan, MO DUI case. For dedicated, aggressive defense against injustice after you have been accused of driving under the influence, call Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP.

What is a DUI in Sullivan, MO?

Commonly referred to as a DUI (which stands for driving under the influence, Missouri courts actually call the offense a DWI (driving while intoxicated). Missouri Revised Statute §577.010 and §577.012 lay forth what constitutes the crime of driving under the influence and defines the law for sentencing and punishments for 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, focus on finding a DUI attorney near Sullivan, 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 long list 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 due to allegedly operating a vehicle while impaired by another psychoactive drug.

The DWI law in Missouri criminalizes not only drinking and driving, but also driving while intoxicated by intoxicating substances 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 were arrested for a DWI in Missouri, contact a DUI attorney near you right away. Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is a reuptable and capable Sullivan-based DUI attorney near you, Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is dedicated, experienced and skilled. When you need a DUI attorney near you whom you can trust, call (314) 900-HELP.

Getting Stopped or Arrested for a DUI in Sullivan, MO

You owe it to yourself to know your rights lest you are stopped for operating a vehicle while intoxicated. Reach out to Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP immediately to speak to a leading Sullivan, MO DUI attorney near you and learn about 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 driving drunk or high, our outstanding Sullivan, MO defense lawyers will fight for your freedom and justice.

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

DUI Traffic Stops in Sullivan, MO

A Missouri officer of the law must have reasonable suspicion that you are driving drunk in order to pull an individual over in Sullivan, MO. For a DWI, reasonable suspicion would be represented by behaviors like like splitting the lane, driving the wrong way down a road and other erratic driving behaviors such as inconsistencies in speed, swerving or alternating between braking and accelerating.

A police officer must have reasonable suspicion that you were driving under the influence in order to stop you, and are required to meet the higher burden of probable cause before they can place you under arrest for a DWI.

If you feel that you were improperly stopped for or accused of your Sullivan, MO DWI, reach out to 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 under the influence, a DUI attorney near Sullivan, MO can fight to get your case dismissed and put to rest so you can move forward in your life.

Sobriety Tests for DUIs in Sullivan, MO

If you are pulled over by an officer due to suspected drunk or drugged driving, they will likely try to get you to do a test to prove that you are intoxicated. There are two types of tests Sullivan, 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 Sullivan, MO stops for DUIs, they often turn to chemical tests to collect evidence that the driver had ingested drugs or alcohol. There are a few different types of chemical tests using bodily samples from blood to breath to saliva to urine that check for the presence and 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, pursuant to whichSullivan, MO and other Missouri drivers automatically agree to submit to chemical sobriety tests simply by getting behind the wheel. 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. You cannot be physically forced to take the test.

   If you do take a breathalyzer test, speak to an exemplary Sullivan, MO DUI attorney near you to figure out your options and get the best quality defense in your case. As your DUI attorney near Sullivan, MO, Combs Waterkotte will obtain discovery documents and comb through them to examine whether the breathalyzer or other test was performed as according to law and whether it should or should not be 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 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 Sullivan, 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, contact a DUI attorney near you in Sullivan, MO as soon as you can. If you already agreed to and performed a field test and were then arrested for a DUI in Missouri, your Sullivan, MO DUI attorney will design an insurmountable 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 Sullivan, MO

A checkpoint is a temporary roadblock used to systematically screen drivers for 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 lawmakers have explored banning sobriety checkpoints, but they are currently still allowed by Missouri law.

Checkpoints in Sullivan 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, speak 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:

• 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 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 are going through a checkpoint in Sullivan, MO, speak to a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you at (314) 900-HELP. Our experienced Sullivan, MO attorneys will tenaciously defend you and protect your rights in the court of law. Contact us online to discuss 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 Sullivan, MO area. A Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you will fight for your rights and navigate the legal process when you have been arrested for driving under the influence in Sullivan or anywhere in Missouri. In addition, our top Sullivan, MO defense lawyers can help you with a wide range of other case types, including:

Learn more about different kinds of DUI cases in Missouri and what the DUI attorneys near you with Combs Waterkotte near Sullivan, 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

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

Do not waste any time. If you were stopped or arrested for driving under the influence near Sullivan, 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. When your freedom and future are at risk a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you in Sullivan, MO can defend you. Contact our Sullivan, MO defense law firm now to discuss your rights, your case and your future.