DUI Attorney Near Me Sullivan, MO

DUI Attorney Near Me 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 criminally charged for driving under the influence by drugs or alcohol, find an attorney you can trust to fight on your behalf and protect your future.

You deserve a talented defense attorney who has a track record of winning in Sullivan and Missouri. Depending on the details of your case, a savvy Sullivan, MO DUI attorney near you will make the best of your situation. They may be able to get the prosecutor to drop the charges, have the charges reduced to lesser offenses, fight the conviction in a trial or work with the prosecutor to negotiate a plea bargain. Most importantly, they will navigate the law and the entire legal process for your Sullivan, MO DUI case. For razor-sharp representation after you have been arrested of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, 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, the official nomenclature used in Missouri legislation is a DWI (driving while intoxicated). Missouri Revised Statute §577.010 and §577.012 define what constitutes the crime of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and lays forth 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 Sullivan, 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 long list of reasons. The law outlaws driving while intoxicated — not explicitly for driving under the influence of alcohol. Though many DWI arrests in Missouri are done based on drunk driving allegations, you can also be arrested for a DWI on suspicion of 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 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 or a family member have been arrested for driving while intoxicated in Missouri, reach out to a DUI attorney near you as soon as possible. Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is a reuptable and capable Sullivan-based DUI attorney near you. 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 in the event that you are pulled over for driving intoxicated. Call 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 driving in Missouri. And if you were already subjected to a traffic stop and were arrested for driving drunk or high, our outstanding Sullivan, MO defense law firm will shield you from injustice in court.

Find out about the rules and procedure for regular 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 any other behaviors such as inconsistencies in speed, swerving or braking.

A police officer is not able to lawfully conduct a traffic stop unless there is reasonable suspicion that you are breaking the law by driving while intoxicated satisfy the more stringent burden of probable cause before they can arrest you for a DWI.

If you suspect that you were improperly stopped or arrested for your Sullivan, 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 intoxicated, a DUI attorney near Sullivan, MO will 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 inhebriated 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.

Chemical Tests (ie. a breathalizer)
When police officers stop drivers in Sullivan MO for DUIs, chemical tests are often used as evidence 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 are meant to identify the presence of and/or measure the concentration of substances like alcohol.

Each state has its own laws and many, including Missouri have what is known as an implied consent law, via which, as a Sullivan, MO driver or driver anywhere in Missouri, you automatically agree to participate in 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 Sullivan, MO DUI attorney near you to figure out your options and get the best quality defense in your case. As your Sullivan, MO DUI attorney near you, Combs Waterkotte 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.
Field Sobriety Tests
Field tests are subjective tests sometimes used during a DWI stop that are meant to determine whether you are intoxicated through a series of demonstrative tasks. The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration has spelled out 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
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 Sullivan, MO as soon as you can. If you already performed a field test and were then arrested for a DUI in Missouri, your Sullivan, MO DUI attorney will build an unwavering 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 roadblock temporarily set up on a roadway to systematically screen drivers for driving under the influence. There are federal laws that regulate the carriage of DUI checkpoints, but each state has its own rules and some prohibit the use of checkpoints. Lawmakers in Missouri have discussed banning sobriety checkpoints, but they are currently still allowed by Missouri law.

Police departments in Sullivan and around Missouri do not use checkpoints as heavily as they used to, but you should still educate yourself on your rights and the rules checkpoints must follow. When it doubt, 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
visibly associated with law enforcement

Perhaps most importantly, 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 approach a checkpoint in Sullivan, MO, speak to a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you at (314) 900-HELP. Our skilled Sullivan, MO attorneys will tenaciously defend you and protect your rights in the court of law. Contact us online to review your situation with a compassionate 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 protect you against the court and provide you with an infallible defense when you have been accused of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs in Sullivan or anywhere in Missouri. In addition, our top Sullivan, MO defense lawyers can help you with a variety of other case types, including:

Learn more about different kinds of DUI charges in Missouri and what the DUI attorneys near you with Combs Waterkotte near Sullivan, MO can do to help you.

Hire a DUI Attorney Near Me in Sullivan, MO | Combs Waterkotte

There is no time to waste. If you were stopped or arrested for driving under the influence near Sullivan, MO, you need to hire 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 Sullivan, MO will protect you. Contact our Sullivan, MO defense law firm right away to discuss your rights, your case and your future.

Sullivan, MO