Criminal attorney in Jefferson County, MO. Regardless of the nature of the charges brought against you, you have privileges that are guaranteed by our constitution. The criminal attorney defense team at Combs Waterkotte is dedicated to aggressively and relentlessly working with the judicial system to secure the best possible results for all of our Jefferson County, MO clients. We handle criminal cases ranging from petty offenses to serious felony. Whether you’re innocent, a situation was outside of your control or you simply made a poor decision, we will fight tenaciously for you and passionately defend your rights and freedom. Call a criminal attorney in Jefferson County, MO today at (314) 900-HELP or contact us online for a free case review.
If you’ve been charged with a a felony or misdemeanor, your greatest fear is losing your freedom and having to spend time in jail or prison. The United States has more inmates per capita than any other country. The best way to stay out of jail or prison in Jefferson County, MO is with the aid of an accomplished and aggressive criminal attorney. We understand that, however you got here, facing criminal charges is a situation nobody wants to be in. Let us fight for you and get your charges lowered or thrown out and do everything possible to avoid incarceration. Get in touch with a criminal attorney in Jefferson County, MO today at (314) 900-HELP.
Jefferson County Resources
Below are quick links to important websites that may assist you with your legal matters in Jefferson County and Missouri.
What a Criminal Attorney in Jefferson County, MO Can Do For Your Case
Criminal attorneys know the legal system, the laws that guide them, how to talk to a prosecutor and how to defend you in front of a jury. Some of what we can help with are:
Delay or Stop Charges From Being Filed
After you’ve been detained, a knowledgeable criminal attorney can often meet with a prosecutor or district attorney in Jefferson County, MO, explain how their evidence is lacking, and convince them to drop the charges or only bring lesser charges.
Enforce Your Rights
When Jefferson County, MO law enforcement believes they’ve apprehended an offender, there are many things they can do to acquire the evidence needed to prosecute. According to a Frazier v. Cupp, 394 U.S. 731 (1969)
, police are even allowed to lie during interrogations. A criminal attorney will stand by your side and make sure that law enforcement abides by:
- Your Fourth Amendment right against searches with probable cause
- Your Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination
- Your Sixth Amendment right to a lawyer
Perform an Investigation
A criminal attorney in Jefferson County, MO will perform an exhaustive investigation, equal to or surpassing that of police, so that we can discover physical evidence and witnesses that will help get your charges reduced, dismissed, or help secure a not guilty verdict. We’ll also examine how the evidence brought against you was obtained, and if any of your rights were violated or if there are holes in the state’s case.
Develop a Defense Strategy
Depending on the quality and amount of evidence against you, different defense strategies might be applied. In some cases, it may be best to negotiate with the prosecution to reduce the charges. We may recommend writing a petition to the judge for a more lenient sentence because of mitigating circumstances. In other cases it might be possible to clear your name or, if we proceed to trial, convince a jury that the standard beyond a reasonable doubt was not fulfilled by the prosecution. Are witnesses unreliable? Is the evidence contaminated? Is there somebody else that may have committed the crime? We’ll explore every option to persuade a jury they cannot ethically return a guilty verdict with what was presented in court.
Provide You With Trustworthy Legal Counsel
A Combs Waterkotte criminal attorney will be frank with you about the odds of success for different defense strategies. We know everyone wants to be found “not guilty,” or have their charges dismissed. However, sometimes that may be the best decision to make. No matter what, the choice of how to approach your defense is in your hands.
Cases Our Criminal Attorney in Jefferson County, MO Takes
Your Jefferson County, MO criminal attorney has experience reducing, dismissing, and winning acquittals in a variety of cases, from minor infractions to the most serious charges like homicide. Some of the charges we see most often are:
- Violent Crimes
- Theft/Larceny
- DWI/DUI
- Drug Charges
- Probation Violation
- Child Abuse, Neglect or Abandonment
- Gun Charges
- Sex Crimes
- Juvenile Crimes
- Traffic Tickets
Whatever alleged crime occurred in Jefferson County, MO, Combs Waterkotte is not here to pass judgment or rebuke you for past mistakes. We understand that nobody’s perfect all the time, or we can become involved in situations outside of our control. For sympathetic, dedicated and aggressive legal representation, reach out to a criminal attorney at Combs Waterkotte today at (314) 900-HELP.
Public Defender or a Private Jefferson County, MO, MO Criminal Attorney?
It can be tempting to use a public defender at no cost, but the truth is you’ll have a better chance of success by hiring a private Jefferson County, MO criminal attorney like those at Combs Waterkotte. For starters, public defenders our overworked. A 2014 Study of the Missouri Public Defender System reported that Jefferson County, MO public defenders largely do not have enough time to come up with a quality defense. While there are great public defenders, they are human and their high case loads may keep them from devoting the best defense possible.
Another study found that prosecutors are more likely to offer a favorable deal to a defendant with a private criminal attorney than one who has a public defender. It also reported that private criminal attorneys on average secure prison sentences five years shorter than public defenders, despite private attorneys generally taking on more serious cases.
Click on the links below to see what other services we offer in Jefferson County, MO:
Call a Criminal Attorney in Jefferson County, MO Today | Combs Waterkotte
When you call us, one of our criminal attorneys will give you a no-risk case review with no criticism, no matter what the nature of your charges. Our clients and their rights matter to us. You’ll always have access to communication directly with the attorney assigned to your case. Whether you didn’t do what you were accused of or the evidence is stacked against you, we’ll give you the committed, tenacious and passionate legal representation you are entitled to. Call criminal attorney in Jefferson County, MO today at (314) 900-HELP or contact us online so we can get to work on your case today.
