Criminal Defense Lawyer St. Louis County, MO. Having a criminal charge filed against you, even a seemingly insignificant one such as a traffic ticket or driving while intoxicated, can alter someone’s life forever. Not only will your reputation among friends, family, and colleagues be permanently affected, if found guilty you will be facing substantial penalties ranging from fines to hours spent performing community service to even jail time. Furthermore, if your charges are felonies, a conviction means your rights as a citizen will be heavily restricted, including a prohibition on voting or owning a firearm.
Having the ideal St. Louis County criminal defense lawyer representing you in front of a judge can make the difference between your charges being reduced, if not completely eliminated, and having to face these penalties. You need a lawyer who gives your case the utmost in personal care and attention, who will develop a proven, winning defense strategy made especially for your unique circumstances, and do all that they can to minimize—or even eliminate—the effect that criminal charges can have on your life.
The experienced St. Louis County, MO criminal defense lawyers at Combs Waterkotte are here to help St. Louis County-area citizens of all kinds who are facing criminal charges minimize the effect they have on their freedom, lives, and reputations. Our standard of offering successful, client-focused legal representation is unmatched among criminal defense lawyers in St. Louis County. We are eager to talk to you about your case today and offer free, no-strings-attached initial consultations. If you are facing criminal charges and want to put the attorneys at Combs Waterkotte on your side, call us at (314) 900-HELP or talk to us online today.
St. Louis County Resources
Below are quick links to important websites that may assist you with your legal matters in St. Louis County and Missouri.
A Full-Service St. Louis County, MO Criminal Defense Lawyer
The skilled St. Louis County, MO criminal defense lawyers at Combs Waterkotte handle a diverse variety of case types and criminal charges, including:
- Motor Vehicle Theft
- Assault/Battery
- Domestic Violence
- Theft/Larceny
- Probation Violations
- Drug Charges
Choosing the right lawyer can be the difference between your case going in your way and being deprived of your rights and freedoms. In contrast with other St. Louis County criminal defense lawyers, our firm places total client satisfaction at the center of our practice. When you choose Combs Waterkotte, you can rest easy knowing that you can call your St. Louis County, MO criminal defense lawyer at any time, day or night, to talk about the facts of your case, how you want to proceed, or any other topic. No matter where you are, what time it is, or your current situation, you will have a dedicated line to your attorney to be a friendly listener in your time of need.
When Should I Call A Criminal Defense Lawyer?
If you are ever questioned by the police, you may believe that if you “lay low” or say the right thing, you will be fine and they will not give you any more trouble. However, this situation happens rarely, if ever, and you should take any criminal investigation seriously and be ready to call a veteran St. Louis criminal defense lawyer at any time.
It is 100% possible that you may not think you need to talk to a criminal defense lawyer, but calling one could greatly improve the result of your case. Here are a few scenarios where calling a St. Louis County defense lawyer is the right decision:
- When investigators “just want to ask questions”. If you were at the scene of a crime and had nothing at all to do with it, it’s fine to talk to the police. However, you still need to watch what you say, as the police did not directly see what happened: after all, this is why they are talking to you in the first place. A rookie or excited officer could see your statement the wrong way and think that you are a person of interest. If police want your witness statement, ask them if you can make an appointment with a detective. This way, you can talk to an attorney, go over what you saw and how you were involved, and make sure what you say to the police emphasizes that you were an innocent bystander. If the facts of your case are less obvious and could lead to you being a person of interest, it’s a good idea to hire a criminal defense lawyer to protect your rights.
- When police want you to sign something. Police cannot force you to do anything unless they have a genuine suspicion that you committed a crime. The Fourth Amendment to the Constitution provides you protection from unreasonable searches and seizures, and greatly curtails their ability to obtain search warrants or require you to grant access to personal data. But, police will occasionally ask you to sign “releases”, which allow them to get blood work or scans to see if you had drugs or alcohol in your system. If the police ask you to sign one of these documents, politely refuse and ask to speak with a lawyer. Voluntarily permitting the police to get access to these records, even if they did not have a good reason to request them, automatically makes them admissible in court as evidence, so it is key to know your rights at all times.
- When you have been arrested for a crime. This is the most logical time you need a criminal defense lawyer in St. Louis County, MO. If you are ever taken into custody by the police, you should immediately invoke your right to remain silent, say that you do not want to answer any interrogation without a lawyer by your side, and call a St. Louis County criminal defense lawyer who can help you defend yourself against charges and accusations.
Fixing Traffic Tickets In St. Louis County, MO
If there’s one thing that St. Louis County drivers do not like to see behind them, it’s the unmistakable sight of police sirens pulling them over for a moving violation. Motorists all over St. Louis County, MO know that local municipal police departments use traffic tickets not to promote good driving habits, but sometimes as a way to fill city coffers (especially if the municipality you are driving through has a declining property tax base, or indeed does not have a property tax at all).
Getting a traffic ticket in St. Louis County, MO isn’t just a nuisance, it’s also a drain on your finances. If you elect to pay your St. Louis County traffic ticket, you effectively plead guilty to the charges you were pulled over for and they go on your driving record. Depending on the degree of your offense, you could be staring down a suspension or revocation of your driver’s license, and your car insurance premiums will drastically increase. Tickets usually cannot be removed from your driving record for a minimum of three years, as well, meaning that if you are pulled over again during this period you could be looking at harsher penalties.
More and more St. Louis County drivers are choosing Combs Waterkotte as their St. Louis County traffic ticket lawyer, and with good reason. Combs Waterkotte brings unparalleled legal acumen to all its cases, even small moving violations. Our firm works non-stop to make sure that the charges on your traffic ticket are reduced to non-moving violations (which, after you’ve paid them, are removed from your record or influence insurance premiums) or have your ticket dismissed due to an irregularity in your stop. Most importantly, our premier St. Louis County traffic ticket lawyer services come at an excellent value: just $49.99 for most cases, giving you access to premier legal services at a price you would not expect. If you have recently been written a traffic ticket in St. Louis County, MO and do not want it to affect your driving record, call us now at (314) 900-HELP to speak with our firm and start the process of getting your St. Louis County traffic ticket fixed.
Other cases we take on in St. Louis County, MO include:
Contact Seasoned St. Louis County, MO Criminal Defense Lawyers | Combs Waterkotte
When you have been charged with a crime, from a small traffic ticket for not properly changing lanes to substantial felonies, talk to a seasoned St. Louis County, MO criminal defense lawyer at Combs Waterkotte first. Call us at (314) 900-HELP or contact us online to book a free consultation. Our firm is ready to chat with you at any time to help you defend yourself against criminal accusations and keep your precious reputation amongst your community.
