Criminal attorney in Lafayette County, MO. Regardless of how you got here, you have rights that are guaranteed by our constitution. The criminal attorney defense team at Combs Waterkotte is devoted to doing everything possible to secure the best possible results for all of our Lafayette County, MO clients. We work on criminal cases ranging from misdemeanor offenses to murder and homicide charges. Whether you’re innocent, you got caught up in something you had nothing to do with or you just made a mistake, we will fight persistently for you and aggressively defend your rights and freedom. Call a criminal attorney in Lafayette County, MO today at (314) 900-HELP or contact us online for a no-risk case evaluation.
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 is the world’s leader in incarceration rates. The best way to retain your freedom in Lafayette County, MO is with the dedicated representation of a knowledgeable and committed criminal attorney. We know that, regardless of the circumstances, facing criminal charges is a situation nobody wants to be in. We’ll work hard to get your charges reduced or thrown out and negotiate with a prosecutor and judge or defend you in trial to avoid incarceration. Call a criminal attorney in Lafayette County, MO today at (314) 900-HELP.
Lafayette County Resources
Below are quick links to important websites that may assist you with your legal matters in Lafayette County and Missouri.
How a Criminal Attorney in Lafayette County, MO Can Help
There are reasons everyone has a right to effective legal representation, and there are various ways a criminal attorney can help your case:
Delay or Stop Formal Charges
After you’ve been detained, a knowledgeable criminal attorney can often meet with a prosecutor or district attorney in Lafayette County, MO, show them evidence that demonstrates it is highly unlikely you committed the crime, and convince them to drop the charges or reduce the severity of the charges.
Protect Your Rights
When Lafayette County, MO law enforcement believes they’ve apprehended an offender, they have a lot at their disposal to obtain the evidence needed for a conviction. According to a Frazier v. Cupp, 394 U.S. 731 (1969)
, police are even allowed to lie during interrogations. A criminal attorney will be with you every step of the way and verify law enforcement respects:
- Your Fourth Amendment right against illegal search and seizure
- Your Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination
- Your Sixth Amendment right to a lawyer
Conduct an Investigation
A criminal attorney in Lafayette County, MO will conduct an exhaustive investigation, equal to or surpassing that of police, in an attempt to discover physical evidence and witnesses that will help get your charges reduced, dismissed, or help secure a not guilty verdict. We’ll also be critical of the state’s investigation, and see if there were any procedural errors or if the state’s evidence is unlikely to be enough for a conviction.
Develop a Defense Strategy
Depending on the quality and amount of evidence against you, different defense strategies might be applied. In some cases, we may advise to work with the court to obtain a reduction in charges. We may be able to ask the judge for leniency because of mitigating circumstances. Other times it might be possible to present evidence demonstrating your innocence or, if we proceed to trial, persuade a jury that the state has not fulfilled the burden of proof of beyond a reasonable doubt. Did you have a reliable alibi? 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 morally return a guilty verdict with what was presented in court.
Provide You With Dependable Legal Counsel
A Combs Waterkotte criminal attorney will be direct with you about the potential outcomes of your case and the best-case scenario given the evidence and charges against you. We understand you’d like to be acquitted. However, sometimes that may be the best decision to make. No matter what, we will recommend what we think is best for you and let you make the final decision.
Cases Our Criminal Attorney in Lafayette County, MO Takes
Your Lafayette County, MO criminal attorney has experience getting positive client outcomes in numerous cases, from Class D misdemeanors to Class A felonies like homicide. Some of the cases 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 Lafayette County, MO, Combs Waterkotte is not here to pass judgment or reprimand you for past mistakes. We understand that nobody’s perfect all the time, or that often people are just in the wrong place at the wrong time. For empathetic, dedicated and knowledgeable legal representation, reach out to a criminal attorney at Combs Waterkotte as soon as possible at (314) 900-HELP.
Public Defender or a Private Lafayette 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 Lafayette 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 Lafayette County, MO public defenders often do not even have half the amount of time necessary to come up with an adequate defense. While there are great public defenders, they are human and their high case loads may prevent them from devoting the best defense possible.
Another study found that the state is more likely to offer a favorable deal to a defendant with a private criminal attorney than one who has a public defender. It also stated that the average prison term is five years shorter with a private criminal attorney, despite private attorneys often taking on more serious cases.
Click on the links below to see what other services we offer in Lafayette County, MO:
Call a Criminal Attorney in Lafayette County, MO Today | Combs Waterkotte
When you call us, one of our criminal attorneys will give you a free case review that’s free of any disapproval, regardless of your level of innocence and the evidence against you. We sincerely care about all of our clients and about getting them the best result. 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 did something you regret, we’ll give you the committed, tenacious and passionate legal representation you are entitled to. Call criminal attorney in Lafayette County, MO today at (314) 900-HELP or contact us online so we can get to work on your case today.
