Criminal Defense Lawyer in Laclede County, MO

Criminal Defense Lawyer Laclede County, MO. Getting charged with a crime, even a small one such as a traffic ticket or driving while intoxicated, can alter someone’s life for good. Not only will your standing among friends, family, and colleagues be permanently affected, if found guilty you will be looking at major penalties ranging from fines to time spent performing community service to even jail time. In addition, 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 right Laclede County criminal defense lawyer representing you in a court of law can be what separates your charges being lowered, if not entirely eliminated, and having to face these penalties. You need a lawyer who gives your case the utmost in personal attention and care, who will map out an intelligent, winning defense strategy tailor-made for your own situation, and do all that they can to minimize—or even do away with—the effect that criminal charges can have on your life.

The veteran Laclede County, MO criminal defense lawyers at Combs Waterkotte are here to assist Laclede County-area citizens from all walks of life who are facing criminal charges minimize the effect they have on their reputation, freedoms, and lives. Our standard of offering successful, client-focused legal representation is unmatched among criminal defense lawyers in Laclede 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 to work for you, give us a call at (314) 900-HELP or get in touch with us online today.

A Full-Service Laclede County, MO Criminal Defense Lawyer

The skilled Laclede County, MO criminal defense lawyers at Combs Waterkotte take a diverse variety of case types and criminal charges, such as:

• Motor Vehicle Theft
• Assault/Battery
• Domestic Violence
• Theft/Larceny
• Probation Violations
• Drug Charges

Working with the right lawyer can make the difference between your case being decided in your way and being deprived of your rights and freedoms. Unlike other Laclede County criminal defense lawyers, our firm places total client satisfaction at the center of our practice. When you choose Combs Waterkotte, you can be assured that you can contact your Laclede County, MO criminal defense lawyer at any time of day to discuss the facts of your case, legal strategy, or anything else. Regardless of where you are, what time it is, or your current situation, you will have a dedicated line to your attorney to lend an ear in your time of need.

When Should I Call A Criminal Defense Lawyer?

If you ever get in trouble with the police, you may think that if you “lay low” or say what they want to hear, you will be all right and they will not give you any more trouble. However, this is a rare occurrence, and you should take any criminal investigation seriously and be ready to speak with an experienced St. Louis criminal defense lawyer at any time.

It is entirely possible that you may not believe you should 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 Laclede County defense lawyer is the right thing to do:

• When investigators “just want to ask questions”. If you were near a crime scene and had nothing at all to do with it, it’s fine to talk to the police. However, you still need to mind your words, 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 overzealous officer could take your statement the wrong way and think that you are a prime suspect. If police want your eyewitness account, request if you can make an appointment with the officer. This way, you can talk to an attorney, discuss what you saw and how you were involved, and make sure what you tell the police clearly establishes that you were an innocent bystander. If the facts of your case are less obvious and could possibly place you under suspicion, you may want to hire a criminal defense lawyer to protect your rights.
• When police want you to sign a document. Police cannot order you to do anything unless they have a genuine suspicion that you committed a crime. The Fourth Amendment to the Constitution grants you protection from unreasonable searches and seizures, and heavily curtails their power to obtain search warrants or require you to grant access to personal data. However, police will from time to time ask you to sign “releases”, which allow them to get blood tests or scans to see if you had drugs or alcohol in your system. If the police want you to sign one of these papers, politely decline and request to speak with a lawyer. Voluntarily permitting the police to get access to these records, even if they did not have a legitimate reason to ask for 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 obvious time you need a criminal defense lawyer in Laclede County, MO. If you are ever taken into custody by the police, you should immediately invoke your right to remain silent, explain that you do not want to answer any questions without a lawyer in the room, and call a Laclede County criminal defense lawyer who can help you stand up against charges and accusations.

Fixing Traffic Tickets In Laclede County, MO

If there’s one thing that Laclede 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 around Laclede County, MO know that local municipal law enforcement uses traffic enforcement 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 dwindling property tax base, or indeed does not levy property tax on homeowners).

Being written a traffic ticket in Laclede County, MO isn’t just a nuisance, it’s also a financial penalty. If you elect to pay your Laclede County traffic ticket, you essentially plead guilty to the charges you were accused of and they go on your driving record. Depending on the type of your offense, you could be staring down a suspension or revocation of your driver’s license, and your car insurance premiums will dramatically increase. Tickets generally cannot be removed from your driving record for at least three years, as well, meaning that if you are pulled over again during this period you could be looking at harsher penalties.

An increasing number of Laclede County drivers are choosing Combs Waterkotte as their Laclede County traffic ticket lawyer, and with good cause. Combs Waterkotte brings unparalleled legal knowledge to all its cases, even small moving violations. Our firm works tirelessly to ensure that the charges on your traffic ticket are reduced to non-moving violations (which, once paid, do not stay on your record or influence insurance premiums) or have your ticket dismissed due to an irregularity in your stop. Best of all, our top-notch Laclede County traffic ticket lawyer services come at an excellent value: just $49.99 for most cases, providing you access to first-rate legal services at a price you would not expect. If you have recently been issued a traffic ticket in Laclede 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 fixing your Laclede County traffic ticket.

Contact Seasoned Laclede County, MO Criminal Defense Lawyers | Combs Waterkotte

When you have been charged with a crime, ranging from a simple traffic ticket for not properly changing lanes to serious felonies, talk to a seasoned Laclede County, MO criminal defense lawyer at Combs Waterkotte first. Call us at (314) 900-HELP or contact us online to schedule a free consultation. Our firm is eager to talk with you at any time to help you defend yourself against criminal indictments and keep your hard-won reputation amongst friends and in the community.