Columbia, MO

DUI Attorney Near Me Columbia, MO

DUI Attorney Near Me Columbia, MO. No one enjoys being arrested, but it is important to understand that driving under the influence in Columbia is treated as a serious offense in Missouri court. Regardless of the circumstances, when you are arrested for driving under the influence by drugs or alcohol, a you need the best legal representation available to protect your rights and your future.

You deserve quality legal representation from an attorney who has successfully defended against DUI convictions in Columbia and Missouri. Depending on the details of your case, a savvy DUI attorney near Columbia, MO will make the best of your situation. They may be able to get the charges dropped, reduce the charges to lesser offenses, lead your case to trial to fight the conviction or negotiate a lesser punishment through a plea bargain. Most importantly, they will navigate the law and all legal proceedings for your Columbia, MO DUI case. For dedicated, aggressive defense against injustice after being arrested of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, call Combs Law Group at (314) 900-HELP.


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What is a DUI in Columbia, MO?

Though people often refer to it 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 define the definition of the crime of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and lays forth 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. After your Missouri DWI arrest, you may need a DUI attorney near Columbia, MO to fight for your freedom and help you navigate what can be an intimidating Missouri court process.

A person can be arrested for a DWI in Missouri for a number of reasons. The law outlaws driving while intoxicated — not explicitly for driving under the influence of alcohol. While many DWI arrests in Missouri are done based on accusations of driving drunk, you can also be arrested for a DWI on suspicion of operating 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 impared by psychoactive 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 or a family member have been arrested for driving under the influence in Missouri, reach out to a DUI attorney near you right away. Chris Combs of Combs Law Group is a reuptable and capable Columbia-based DUI attorney near you, Chris Combs of Combs Law Group is responsive, experienced and skilled. 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 Columbia, MO

It is critical that you know your rights in the event that you are stopped for operating a vehicle while under the influence. Call Combs Law Group at (314) 900-HELP immediately to speak to a leading Columbia, MO DUI attorney near you and learn about your rights and what to do 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 intoxicated driving, our unstoppable Columbia, MO defense attorneys will shield you from injustice in court.

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

DUI Traffic Stops in Columbia, MO

In order to pull someone over, a Columbia, MO or any Missouri police officer must have reasonable suspicion. In the case of a DWI, reasonable suspicion would be represented by behaviors like like drifting out of lane, traveling the wrong way down a road and other erratic behaviors such as inconsistencies in speed, swerving or stopping and going.

A police officer is not allowed to conduct a traffic stop unless they can identify reasonable suspicion that you are committing the crime of driving while intoxicated meet the more stringent burden of probable cause in order to actually arrest you for a DWI.

If you feel that you were improperly stopped or arrested for your Columbia, MO DWI, reach out to a DUI attorney near you as soon as possible. If you were stopped by an officer without giving them reasonable suspicion, even if they then obtained evidence that you were driving drunk, a DUI attorney near Columbia, MO can help get the prosecutor to dismiss your case so you can put this behind you and be free.

Sobriety Tests for DUIs in Columbia, 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 intoxicated. There are two types of tests Columbia, 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 Columbia, 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 bodily samples from blood to breath to saliva to urine that check for the presence and concentration of various substances including alcohol.

    Like most US states, Missouri has in place an implied consent law, via whichColumbia, MO and other Missouri drivers automatically agree to submit to chemical sobriety tests just by operating a vehicle. A good DUI attorney near you will tell you that you can refuse to a breathalyzer, but refusal can carry a criminal charge in itself. You cannot be physically forced to take the test.

    If you do take a breathalyzer test, consult an exemplary Columbia, MO DUI attorney near you to discuss your defense and how they can help you. As your DUI attorney near Columbia, MO, Combs Law Group will investigate and scrutinize the details of your test to determine if the breathalyzer or other test was performed legally and whether it should or should not be admissible in court.

  2. Field Sobriety Tests

    Field tests are subjective tests sometimes used during a DWI stop that are designed 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 Columbia, 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 a police officer stops you and asks you to perform field sobriety tests, contact a DUI attorney near you in Columbia, MO as soon as possible. If you have already agreed to and performed a field test and have been arrested for a DUI in Missouri, your Columbia, MO DUI attorney will design an insurmountable defense to your case or make sure any illegally obtained evidence is thrown out and not used against you in Missouri court.

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Traffic Checkpoints in Columbia, MO

A checkpoint is a temporary roadblock used as a way to randomly check drivers for driving under the influence. Federal law allows the use of DUI checkpoints by police departments, but they must meet certain standards. Missouri legislators have entertained banning sobriety checkpoints, but curent Missouri law still allows their use.

Checkpoints in Columbia and throughout Missouri are not as prevalent as they once were, but it is still wise to educate yourself on your rights and the rules regulating checkpoints. When it doubt, call 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
  • visibly associated with law enforcement

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

If you approach a checkpoint in Columbia, MO, speak to a Combs Law Group DUI attorney near you at (314) 900-HELP. Our skilled Columbia, 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.

Through Combs Law Group, you have access to some of the best criminal defense services in the Columbia, MO area. A Combs Law Group DUI attorney near you will fight for your rights and navigate the legal process when you have been charged with driving under the influence in Columbia or anywhere in Missouri. In addition, our top Columbia, MO defense lawyers can help you with a number of other kinds of cases, including:

Learn more about different kinds of DUI charges in Missouri and how Combs Law Group’s DUI attorneys in Columbia, MO can defend you.

Work with a Top DUI Attorney Near Me in Columbia, MO | Combs Law Group

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

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