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Troy, MO

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DUI Attorney Near Me Troy, MO

DUI Attorney Near Me Troy, MO. No one enjoys being arrested, but it is important to understand that driving under the influence in Troy is treated as a serious offense in Missouri court. Regardless of the circumstances, when you are facing a conviction for driving under the influence 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 knows their way around DUI cases in Troy and Missouri. Depending on the details of your case, a savvy Troy, MO DUI attorney near you may be able to get the charges dropped, 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 use the law to your benefit and guide you through all legal proceedings for your Troy, MO DUI case. For dedicated, aggressive defense against injustice after being arrested of driving under the influence, call Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP.

What is a DUI in Troy, MO?

Though people often refer to it as a DUI (which stands for driving under the influence, the offense is actually referred to a DWI (driving while intoxicated) in Missouri civil and criminal courts. Missouri Revised Statute §577.010 and §577.012 outline the definition of the crime of driving under the influence and specifies the guidelines Missouri courts must follow to sentence and punish those convicted of a DWI, with the latter specific to driving with a BAC, or blood alcohol content, over the legal limit. If you have been arrested in Missouri for a DWI, focus on finding a DUI attorney near Troy, MO who will stand up on your behalf and protect you from unfair treatment by Missouri courts.

A police officer may arrest someone for a DWI in Missouri for a variety of reasons. Under Missouri law, it is illegal to drive while intoxicated, including but not limited to driving under the influence of alcohol. Though DWI arrests are often accusations of driving drunk, you can also be arrested for a DWI on suspicion of driving a vehicle while under the influence of another intoxicating substance.

The same Missouri law prohibits driving while impared by intoxicating 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 due to ingesting marijuana or even narcotics or pharmaceuticals like opiates.

If you were arrested for driving under the influence in Missouri, contact a DUI attorney near you right away. Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte is a reuptable and capable Troy-based DUI attorney near you. For a trustworthy DUI attorney near you, call (314) 900-HELP.

DUI Stops and Arrests in Troy, MO

You owe it to yourself to know your rights in the event that you are stopped for driving intoxicated. Speak to an experienced Troy, MO DUI attorney near you with Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP to learn about your rights and what you should do if you are ever stopped when driving in Missouri. And if you have already gone through a traffic stop and were arrested for intoxicated driving, our unstoppable Troy, MO defense law firm will protect your rights and freedoms.

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

DUI Traffic Stops in Troy, MO

A Missouri officer of the law must have reasonable suspicion that you are driving drunk in order to pull an individual over in Troy, MO. For a DWI, reasonable suspicion could be things like drifting out of 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 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 wrongly stopped or arrested for your Troy, MO DWI, contact 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 under the influence, a DUI attorney near Troy, MO will help get your case dismissed and put to rest so you can put this behind you and be free.

Sobriety Tests for DUIs in Troy, MO

If a law officer stops you due to suspected 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 Troy, 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 Troy, MO stops for DUIs, they often turn to chemical tests to collect evidence 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 substances like alcohol.

    Each state has its own laws and many, including Missouri have what is known as an implied consent law, pursuant to which, as a Troy, MO driver or driver anywhere in Missouri, you automatically consent 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 submit to a chemical test like 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 Troy, MO DUI attorney near you to discuss your defense and how they can help you. As your Troy, MO DUI attorney near you, Combs Waterkotte will investigate and scrutinize the details of your test to determine whether the breathalyzer or other test was administered lawfully 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 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 Troy, 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 Troy, MO as soon as you can. If you already agreed to and performed a field test and have been arrested for a DUI in Missouri, your Troy, MO DUI attorney will design 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 Troy, 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. Lawmakers in Missouri have entertained banning sobriety checkpoints, but curent Missouri law still allows their use.

Police departments in Troy and around Missouri do not use checkpoints as heavily as they did in the past, but you should still educate yourself on your rights and the rules checkpoints must follow. If you are not sure, 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 public safety. DUI checkpoints should be:

  • announced 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
  • clearly associated with law enforcement

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

If you are going through a checkpoint in Troy, MO, call (314) 900-HELP to talk to a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you immediately. Our experienced Troy, MO attorneys will tenaciously defend you and protect your rights in the court of law. Reach out to us online to discuss your situation with a kind and cunning DUI attorney near you today.

Through Combs Waterkotte, you have access to some of the best criminal defense services in the Troy, MO area. A Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you will protect you against the court and navigate the legal process when you have been charged with driving under the influence in Troy or anywhere in Missouri. Our team of Troy, MO attorneys have expertise in a wide range of other kinds of cases, including:

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

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

There is no time to waste. If you were stopped or arrested for driving under the influence near Troy, 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. Your future and freedom are on the line, and a Combs Waterkotte DUI attorney near you in Troy, MO will defend you. Contact our Troy, MO defense law firm right away to consult a lawyer about your rights, your case and your future.

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