DUI Attorney Near Me Ashland, MO

DUI Attorney Near Me Ashland, MO. Being arrested for driving under the influence in Ashland, MO is a serious matter. Regardless of the situation, when you are arrested for driving while intoxicated by drugs or alcohol, 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 successfully defended against DUI convictions in Ashland and Missouri. Depending on your unique situation, a savvy Ashland, MO DUI attorney near you may be able to get the prosecutor to drop the charges, reduce the charges 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 use the law to your benefit and guide you through all legal proceedings for your Ashland, MO DUI case. For razor-sharp representation after you have been accused of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, call Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP.

What is a DUI in Ashland, MO?

Commonly referred to as a DUI (which stands for driving under the influence, the official nomenclature used in Missouri legislation is a DWI (driving while intoxicated). Missouri Revised Statute §577.010 and §577.012 outline what constitutes the crime of driving under the influence and defines the law for sentencing and punishments for DWI offenders 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 Ashland, MO to fight for your freedom and protect you from unfair treatment by Missouri courts.

You could be arrested 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. 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 intoxicating substances or substances that impair your consciousness or motor skills. That means that a police officer can arrest you if they suspect 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 were arrested for a DWI in Missouri, reach out to a DUI attorney near you right away. Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is a reuptable and capable Ashland-based DUI attorney near you. For a trustworthy DUI attorney near you, call (314) 900-HELP.

Getting Stopped or Arrested for a DUI in Ashland, MO

It is critical that you know your rights lest you are stopped for driving intoxicated. Speak to an experienced Ashland, MO DUI attorney near you with Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP to 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 being pulled over and arrested for intoxicated driving, our outstanding Ashland, MO defense law firm will protect your rights and freedoms.

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

DUI Traffic Stops in Ashland, MO

In order to pull someone over, a Ashland, MO or any Missouri police officer must have reasonable suspicion. For a DWI, reasonable suspicion could be things like splitting the lane, driving on a road going in the wrong direction and other erratic driving behaviors such as inconsistencies in speed, swerving or braking.

A police officer is not able to lawfully stop you unless there is reasonable suspicion that you are breaking the law by driving while intoxicated satisfy the higher burden of probable cause in order to actually place you under arrest for a DWI.

If you feel that you were wrongly stopped or arrested for your Ashland, MO DWI, reach out to a DUI attorney near you right away. If an officer stopped you without any reasonable suspicion, even if they then obtained evidence that you were driving drunk, turn to a DUI attorney near you in Ashland, MO who 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 Ashland, MO

If a law officer stops you under suspicion of drunk or drugged driving, they will want to obtain proof to show that you are under the influence. When it comes to roadside tests used by Ashland, 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 Ashland, MO stops for drunk driving or driving under the influence, they often turn to chemical tests to prove that the driver had ingested drugs or alcohol. There are a few different types of chemical tests using blood, breath, saliva or urine that check for the presence and concentration of substances like alcohol.

Like most US states, Missouri has in place an implied consent law, pursuant to whichAshland, 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 or other chemical test, but you can face legal consequences for the act of refusing the test. Still, you cannot be physically forced to take the test.

If you do take a breathalyzer test, speak to an exemplary Ashland, MO DUI attorney near you to discuss your defense and how they can help you. As your Ashland, MO DUI attorney near you, Combs Waterkotte will investigate and scrutinize the details of your test to conclude if the breathalyzer or other test was administered lawfully and whether it should or should not be admissible in court.
Field Sobriety Tests
Field tests during a DWI traffic stop are subjective tests that are designed to determine whether you are intoxicated by asking the driver to perform motor tasks. The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration has specified three standardized field tests police officers subject drivers to in Ashland, 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 you are stopped and asked to perform field sobriety tests, contact a DUI attorney near you in Ashland, MO as soon as you can. If you have already agreed to and participated in a field test and were then arrested for a DUI in Missouri, your Ashland, MO DUI attorney will build an impenetrable 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 Ashland, 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 legislators have explored banning sobriety checkpoints, but they are currently still allowed by Missouri law.

Police departments in Ashland and around Missouri do not use checkpoints as heavily as they used to, but it is still wise to familiarize yourself with your rights and the rules checkpoints must follow. 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. 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 carrying out the checkpoint related to public safety, usually because the area has an abnormally high rate of drunk driving accidents.

If you approach a checkpoint in Ashland, MO, call (314) 900-HELP to talk to a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you immediately. Our skilled Ashland, MO attorneys will ferociously 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.

Get the best quality criminal defense available in Ashland, MO through Combs Waterkotte. At Combs Waterkotte, a DUI attorney near you will fight for your rights and defend you when you have been accused of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs in Ashland or anywhere in Missouri. In addition, our top Ashland, 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 how Combs Waterkotte’s DUI attorneys in Ashland, MO can defend you.

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

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

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