Centralia, MO

DUI Attorney Near Me Centralia, MO

DUI Attorney Near Me Centralia, MO. No one enjoys being arrested, but it is important to understand that driving under the influence in Centralia is treated as a serious offense in Missouri court. Whatever the situation, when you are facing a conviction 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 a track record of winning in Centralia and Missouri. Depending on the details of your case, a sharp Centralia, MO DUI attorney near you may be able to get the prosecutor to drop the charges, reduce the charges to lesser offenses, fight the conviction in a trial or work with the prosecutor to negotiate a plea bargain. Their principle responsibility is to navigate the law and all legal proceedings for your Centralia, MO DUI case. For razor-sharp representation when you have been arrested of driving under the influence, speak to Combs Law Group at (314) 900-HELP.


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What is a DUI in Centralia, 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 lay forth what constitutes the crime of driving while intoxicated and specifies the rules 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 Centralia, MO to fight for your freedom and help you navigate what can be an intimidating Missouri court process.

A police officer may arrest someone 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. While DWI arrests are often drunk driving allegations, you can also be arrested for a DWI due to allegedly driving a vehicle while impaired by another mind-altering drug.

The DWI law in Missouri criminalizes not only drinking and driving, but also driving while intoxicated by psychoactive 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 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 as soon as possible. Chris Combs of Combs Law Group is a reuptable and capable Centralia-based DUI attorney near you. When you need a DUI attorney near you whom you can trust, call (314) 900-HELP.

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DUI Stops and Arrests in Centralia, MO

You owe it to yourself to know your rights in the event that you are stopped for operating a vehicle while intoxicated. Speak to an experienced Centralia, MO DUI attorney near you with Combs Law Group at (314) 900-HELP to learn about your rights and what steps to take if you are ever stopped when operating a vehicle in Missouri. And if you were already subjected to being pulled over and arrested for driving drunk or high, our incredible Centralia, MO defense lawyers will shield you from injustice in court.

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

DUI Traffic Stops in Centralia, MO

In order to pull someone over, a Centralia, MO or any Missouri police officer must have reasonable suspicion. In the case of a DWI, reasonable suspicion would be things like splitting the lane, going the wrong way down a road and any other driving behaviors such as inconsistencies 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 suspect that you were improperly stopped or arrested for your Centralia, MO DWI, contact a DUI attorney near you as soon as possible. If an officer stopped you without any reasonable suspicion, even if they then obtained evidence that you were driving under the influence, turn to a DUI attorney near you in Centralia, MO who can help get the prosecutor to dismiss your case so you can put this behind you and be free.

Sobriety Tests for DUIs in Centralia, MO

If you are pulled over by an officer under suspicion of intoxicated driving, they will want to obtain proof to show that you are under the influence. When it comes to roadside tests used by Centralia, MO police officers to determine intoxication, there are two primary types they may utilize: field sobriety tests and chemical tests.

  1. Chemical Tests (ie. a breathalizer)

    In Centralia, MO stops 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 blood, breath, saliva or urine that check for the presence and concentration of substances like alcohol.

    Like most US states, Missouri has what is known as an implied consent law, pursuant to which, as a Centralia, MO driver or driver anywhere in Missouri, you automatically agree to participate in chemical sobriety tests just by operating a vehicle. A smart DUI attorney near you will counsel you to know that you can refuse to submit to a breathalyzer, but you can face legal consequences for the act of refusing the test. Still, the police cannot physically force you to produce a sample.

    If you already did a breathalyzer test, consult an exemplary Centralia, MO DUI attorney near you to discuss your defense and how they can help you. As your DUI attorney near Centralia, MO, Combs Law Group will investigate and scrutinize the details of your test to conclude whether the breathalyzer or other test was administered legally and whether it is or is not admissible in court.

  2. 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 specified three standardized field tests police officers subject drivers to in Centralia, 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 a police officer stops you and asks you to perform field sobriety tests, call a DUI attorney near you in Centralia, MO as soon as possible. If you have already agreed to and participated in a field test and were then arrested for a DUI in Missouri, your DUI attorney in Centralia, MO will build 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.

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Traffic Checkpoints in Centralia, MO

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

Checkpoints in Centralia 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. 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 directly related to roadway safety. DUI checkpoints should be:

  • announced 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, .

If you find yourself at a checkpoint in Centralia, MO, speak to a Combs Law Group DUI attorney near you at (314) 900-HELP. Our determined Centralia, MO attorneys will ferociously defend you and protect your rights in the court of law. Reach out to us online to discuss your case with a compassionate and cunning DUI attorney near you today.

Through Combs Law Group, you have access to some of the best criminal defense services in the Centralia, MO area. A Combs Law Group DUI attorney near you will protect you against the court and navigate the legal process when you have been accused of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs in Centralia or anywhere in Missouri. In addition, our top Centralia, 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 what the DUI attorneys near you with Combs Law Group near Centralia, MO can do to help you.

Hire a DUI Attorney Near Me in Centralia, MO | Combs Law Group

Do not waste any time. If you were stopped or arrested for driving under the influence near Centralia, MO, you need to hire 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 Law Group DUI attorney near you in Centralia, MO can protect you. Contact our Centralia, MO defense law firm right away to consult a lawyer about your rights, your case and your future.

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