St. Louis Sobriety Checkpoint / Roadblock Lawyer

While a majority of DWI / DUI investigations arise as a result of simple traffic offenses, a large number of charges are derived from an ever-increasing and lawful police tactic – the sobriety checkpoint or roadblock.

In a typical DWI / DUI encounter, in order to stop a vehicle, the police must have reasonable suspicion that the driver has committed some violation of the traffic laws. The traffic stop will only become an arrest for driving while intoxicated or driving under the influence when the officer can establish probable cause to believe that the driver was operating the vehicle in an intoxicated or impaired condition.

An experienced DWI / DUI criminal defense attorney should not only evaluate and defend against the charges by analyzing and attacking the prosecutor's evidence of intoxication, but should also be able to determine if the police officer's actions in making the traffic stop were proper. If the court finds that the stop was improper, the DWI / DUI charges may be dismissed entirely.

However, during a sobriety checkpoint operation, the police are not stopping a single vehicle based on any particularized suspicion of wrongdoing. Rather, the officers are usually stopping all vehicles and assessing each driver to determine if they are operating the vehicle in an intoxicated or impaired condition.

As a result, normal defense strategies may not be sufficient to ensure the rights of the driver are fully protected. Kevin Whiteley and the Whiteley Law Firm are fully aware of the different rules that apply to sobriety checkpoint and roadblock operations, and have implemented defense strategies that challenge the lawfulness of such operations.

If you were stopped at a sobriety checkpoint or roadblock, and have been charged with driving while intoxicated or driving under the influence, you should contact an experienced St. Louis sobriety checkpoint lawyer today to ensure that you receive the best possible defense and ensure that your rights are fully protected against these intrusive police tactics.