DUI Attorney Near Me Winchester, MO

DUI attorney near me in Winchester, MO. No one enjoys being arrested, but it is important to understand that driving under the influence in Winchester is treated as a serious offense in Missouri court. Whatever the situation, when you are criminally charged for driving drunk or high, a you need the best legal representation available to fight on your behalf and protect your future.

You deserve quality legal representation from an attorney who has a track record of winning in Winchester and Missouri. Depending on your unique situation, a sharp Winchester, MO DUI attorney near you may be able to get the prosecutor to drop the charges, have the charges reduced to lesser offenses, lead your case to trial to fight the conviction or negotiate a lesser punishment through a plea bargain. Their principle responsibility is to navigate the law and all legal proceedings for your Winchester, MO DUI case. For razor-sharp representation when you have been arrested of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, speak to Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP.

What is a DUI in Winchester, 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 courts. Missouri Revised Statute §577.010 and §577.012 outline the definition of the crime of driving while intoxicated 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. If you have been arrested in Missouri for a DWI, you deserve a DUI attorney near Winchester, MO who will stand up on your behalf and protect you from unfair treatment by Missouri courts.

You could be arrested for a DWI in Missouri for a number of reasons. Under Missouri law, it is illegal to drive while intoxicated, including but not limited to driving under the influence of alcohol. Though many DWI arrests in Missouri are done based on 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 DWI law in Missouri criminalizes not only drinking and driving, but also driving while intoxicated by drugs or substances that impair your consciousness or motor skills. That means that you can be subject 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, speak to a DUI attorney near you as soon as possible. Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is a skilled Winchester-based DUI attorney near you, Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is dedicated, experienced and skilled. For a trustworthy DUI attorney near you, call (314) 900-HELP.

Getting Stopped or Arrested for a DUI in Winchester, MO

It is critical that you know your rights lest you are stopped for operating a vehicle while under the influence. Speak to an experienced Winchester, MO DUI attorney near you with Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP to understand your rights and what steps to take if an officer ever stops you while you are driving in Missouri. And if you were already subjected to being pulled over and arrested for driving drunk or high, our unstoppable Winchester, MO defense lawyers will protect your rights and freedoms.

Learn the rules and what to expect for regular traffic stops, sobriety tests and checkpoints.

DUI Traffic Stops in Winchester, MO

In order to pull someone over, a Winchester, MO or any Missouri police officer must have reasonable suspicion. 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 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 in order to actually arrest you for a DWI.

If you feel that you were unlawfully stopped or arrested for your Winchester, 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 under the influence, a DUI attorney near Winchester, MO will fight to get your case dismissed and put to rest so you can put this behind you and be free.

Sobriety Tests for DUIs in Winchester, MO

If you are pulled over by an officer under suspicion of inhebriated 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 Winchester, 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)
In Winchester, MO stops for DUIs, they often turn to chemical tests to collect evidence that the driver was intoxicated at the time of the stop. 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 various substances including alcohol.

Like most US states, Missouri has in place an implied consent law, via which, as a Winchester, MO driver or driver anywhere in Missouri, you automatically consent to submit to chemical sobriety tests simply by operating a vehicle. A good DUI attorney near you will tell you that you can refuse 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, speak to an experienced Winchester, MO DUI attorney near you to discuss your defense and how they can help you. As your Winchester, MO DUI attorney near you, Combs Waterkotte will obtain discovery documents and comb through them to determine if the breathalyzer or other test was performed legally and whether it is or is not admissible in court.
Field Sobriety Tests
Field tests are subjective tests sometimes used during a DWI stop that attempt to determine 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 police officers subject drivers to in Winchester, 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
As a Missouri driver, you have the right 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 Winchester, MO immediately. If you already agreed to and performed a field test and have been arrested for a DUI in Missouri, your DUI attorney in Winchester, MO will design a 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 Winchester, MO

A checkpoint is a temporary roadblock used as a way to randomly check 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 lawmakers have entertained banning sobriety checkpoints, but they are currently still allowed by Missouri law.

Police departments in Winchester and around Missouri do not use checkpoints as heavily as they used to, but it is still wise to educate yourself on your rights and the rules checkpoints must follow. 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 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

Perhaps most importantly, there must be a logical 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 Winchester, MO, speak to a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you at (314) 900-HELP. Our determined Winchester, MO attorneys will fearlessly defend you and protect your rights in the court of law. Reach out to us online to review your case with a compassionate and cunning DUI attorney near you today.

Get the best quality criminal defense available in Winchester, MO through Combs Waterkotte. At Combs Waterkotte, a DUI attorney near you will fight for your rights and defend you when you have been charged with driving under the influence in Winchester or anywhere in Missouri. In addition, our top Winchester, MO defense lawyers can help you with a number of other kinds of cases, including:

Learn more about the different DUI cases in Missouri and how Combs Waterkotte’s DUI attorneys in Winchester, MO can defend you.

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

Do yourself a favor and act now. If you were stopped or arrested for driving under the influence near Winchester, MO, find a trustworthy DUI attorney near you. 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 Winchester, MO will protect you. Contact our Winchester, MO defense law firm right away to consult a lawyer about your rights, your case and your future.

Winchester, MO