Adrian, MO, Criminal Defense Lawyers With Payment Plans. Arrests and criminal charges are bad enough on their own. They’re stressful, have potentially life-altering consequences, and can become your whole life while you fight them. But for many people, possibly you, the challenges start before you even make it into the courtroom: How am I going to pay for a defense attorney?
As scary of a question as it is, there is an answer: You can still hire a top-quality Adrian criminal defense lawyer to defend your case. At Combs Waterkotte, we offer affordable and flexible payment plans so that you can get a group of the finest Adrian, MO, lawyers without going bankrupt in the process. And we don’t compromise on your defense quality – when you hire us, you’re getting a results-driven, award-winning team of expert criminal defense attorneys.
On this page, we go over why a payment plan might work for you, but if you’re in an emergency and need to discuss options with an expert, call now at (314) 900-HELP or reach out online – we offer free consultations for anyone facing charges, and can decide on next steps after our call.
Here, we discuss the typical expenses of criminal defense attorneys in Adrian, the advantages of payment plans, how our payment plans work, and more. You can skip ahead to a specific topic here:
- How much does a criminal defense lawyer cost in Adrian, MO?
- What about public defenders?
- Factors that affect how much a case will cost
- Why you should consider payment plans when hiring an attorney
- How our criminal defense payment plans benefit our clients
- Case types you can use payment plans for
- Defensive strategies we could use for your case
- Hire a lawyer now with a payment plan that works for you
Now that we’ve outlined the basics, let’s look at why you should look to hire a Adrian, MO, defense attorney with a payment plan.
How Expensive Are Criminal Defense Attornies in Adrian?
Prices for criminal defense cases can vary a lot, even for the same lawyer. The different circumstances for each case can increase or decrease costs a lot. A case could cost anything from a couple of thousand dollars to as much as $25,000 for intricate felony cases. MO lawyers, in particular, tend to cost slightly above average for the United States.
What About Public Defenders? Or Self-Representation?
When you’re facing those kinds of fees, it may be tempting to opt for a public defender or choosing to represent yourself. But don’t move too fast – there are major drawbacks to both of those choices. To get a public defender in Adrian, you first need to determine if you are even eligible.
Even if you are allowed to hire one, picking a public defender instead of a private defense lawyer signficicantly decreases your chances of the goverment dropping the case. They’re also more likely to push you to accept plea deals, which can result in unfavorable results for you.
The quality of the public defender doesn’t matter – unfortunately, because of their lack of funding and colossal caseloads, they can’t give every case the time it deserves.
Representing yourself is often even worse, though: Even if you’re only facing a traffic ticket, you need a lawyer to warn you about hidden consequences. One of our clients paid a ticket without speakign to a traffic lawyer, and she lost $6,000 in increased insurance costs.
What Factors Affect Criminal Case Costs?
When considering the cost to defend a given case, there’s a lot to keep in mind: Many factors go into determining the price. Here are the main ones to be aware of:
- Location: Defending alleged crimes in city courts typically costs more than in rural jurisdictions, because of the additional competition and fees.
- Kind of Charge: Misdemeanors are usually cheaper than felonies. Some types of charges, like sex crimes, can also be more expensive due to the social stigma surrounding them.
- Experience: Normally, the more courtroom experience an attorney has, the more they will charge.
- Hourly vs Flat: Hourly rates may seem cheaper at first, but can creep up over time. Each case is unique, but flat fees are more predictable and won’t have hidden costs.
- Unique Case Factors: Expert analysts and witnesses are expensive – if your case involves, for example, computer programs and your lawyer needs to hire a software engineer for assistance, that can increase the case costs.
Can a Payment Plan Make a Difference?
Payment plans make a big difference in both your budget and your defense quality. Without a huge upfront cost, more people can hire a premium criminal defense lawyer without going into debt.
The best payment plans are flexible, so that you’re not stuck with rigid steps that don’t work for your situation.
Most people go through life without thinking about the need to hire a defense attorney, and we get that. They’re not building a fund to cover the costs of criminal defense. Payment plans make a path for you to hire Adrian, MO’s leading criminal defense firm without the stress of coming up with the funds.
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How Combs Waterkotte’s Payment Plans Protect Your Wallet
At Combs Waterkotte, we want to give you a suburb defense, no matter who you are and what situation you are in. In order to do so, we structure our fees in a way to make it attainable and affordable for everyday people, facing anything from DWIs to homicide charges.
Here’s how our payment plans can save you money:
- Low deposits – We can get started on either felony or misdemeanor cases without a massive retainer.
- Realistic bill structures – we’re reasonable and will work with your budget to build a plan that works for you.
- Multiple payment options – we accept credit, debit, checks, money orders, and more.
- Flat fees – know what you’re paying and what you’re getting for it up front.
Get a quality criminal defense without breaking the bank. We build staunch defenses, are in reach 24/7, and don’t give up until you get the justice you deserve.
Free book
How a Criminal Defense Attorney Can Protect Your Rights and Future
Combs Waterkotte has over 60 years of experience and over 10,000 cases handled. This ebook helps guide you through the criminal defense process and how an experienced, skilled defense attorney can keep your freedoms intact.
Criminal Defense Case Types We Offer Payment Plans For
At Combs Waterkotte, we build defenses for a diverse catalog of allegations and offer payment plans for each of them. Here are some of the charges we regularly defend clients from:
Is your charge not one of the ones listed above? Check out our complete list of Adrian, MO, criminal charges we offer payment plans for, or reach out now to talk about what we can do for your case.

Combs Waterkotte Adrian Criminal Defense Strategies
When you hire us, our mission is find the most positive outcome for your case, whatever it is. Whatever charge(s) you’re facing, we will construct a trial-ready, fearless defense that intimidates the state and impacts juries. We also leverage our connections with prosecutors and judges across MO to get charges dismissed and secure favorable plea deals.
Below are just a few of our many defense strategies we use to protect the rights of people in Adrian, MO:
- Alibi
- Self Defense/Defense of Others
- Lack of Intent
- Fourth Amendment Rights Violation
- Fifth Amendment Rights Violation
- Duress
- Necessity

Charged With a Crime in Adrian, MO? Low on Funds? Call Combs Waterkotte
We’re not here to empty your bank accounts or put you in debt – we’re here to defend your freedom and your future. Our team of expert Adrian, MO, criminal defense attorneys has over 60 years of combined courtroom experience and has worked with clients just like you to defend cases just like yours.
At Combs Waterkotte, we see you as a person, not a paycheck or case number. We want to give your case the attention it deserves, no matter what it is or what your finances look like. Let us defend your freedom and your bank account.
Set up an appointment online or call us at (314) 900-HELP now for a free evaluation fo your case, and to figure out payment plans that make it affordable for you.

