Criminal Defense Attorney in St. Francois County, MO

Criminal Defense Attorney in St. Francois County, MO. If you have been arrested for a criminal offense, you do not need to be told that the situation is to be taken seriously. Just a conviction for a small misdemeanor could force you to pay a sizable fine, spend time in county jail, or have to spend multiple years on probation. Facing a felony conviction only magnifies these consequences: not only are you at risk of a number of years in the Missouri state prison system. And even after your reentry into society you will no longer be entitled to additional privileges or rights that a large number of people take for granted. Convicted felons are barred from owning firearms, running in an election, or holding certain occupations. In addition, in many situations, you will be mandated to admit your status as a convicted felon on housing or employment applications, which often heavily limits where they can work or live.

The experienced St. Francois County, MO criminal defense attorneys at Combs Waterkotte have assisted many St. Francois County-area residents fight criminal charges. Our firm understands that people with good intetions can get caught up in bad situations, and our criminal defense lawyers work to minimize the damage criminal charges have on your life, freedom, and reputation. Our impressive history of success distinguishes us from other St. Francois County criminal defense law firms, and we place client satisfaction at the heart of everything we do — hear it firsthand from the satisfied St. Francois County clients who have contacted Combs Waterkotte. Call us today at (314) 900-HELP, or contact us online, for a free, no-strings-attached review of your St. Francois County, MO criminal case.

St. Francois County, MO Federal Criminal Defense Lawyer

Facing a criminal charge is intimidating in itself, but when the charges against you are federal charges, they demand an extra caliber of legal knowledge and dilligence. Prosecutors for the United States courts are poised to win by any means necessary: the U.S. Department of Justice regularly brags that it has a conviction rate of roughly 90 percent. The vast majority of those convictions result in plea bargains, where a defendant negotiates a lesser punishment or charge in exchange for an admission of guilt. Federal prosecutors will pull out every trick in the book to coax a guilty plea, ensure that you spend years in a federal prison, and resign you to live the rest of your life with a federal criminal conviction.

At Combs Waterkotte, our St. Francois County, MO criminal defense attorneys have ample and documented experience in taking on federal criminal defense cases and achieving favorable outcomes for our clients. Our team of federal criminal defense attorneys near St. Francois County, MO is not afraid to take on any opponent — be it local municipal prosecutors, the Missouri state prosecutor department or federal attorneys — and fight tirelessly on our clients’ behalf. We have fought for many who have been accused of federal criminal acts in the St. Francois County area and helped them put what is an undoubtably harrowing experience in their rear-view mirror. Read more about our expertise in federal criminal cases and what makes federal criminal cases different from state and municipal cases.

A Full-Service St. Francois County, MO Criminal Defense Attorney

The proficient St. Francois County, MO criminal defense attorneys at Combs Waterkotte defend all cases and criminal charges, like:

The criminal defense attorneys of Combs Waterkotte based in St. Francois County, Missouri possess years of experience protecting defendants’ rights and fighting against criminal allegations. When you hire a lawyer from our capable and cunning St. Louis criminal defense firm, you can be confident that you will always receive thoughful counsel and dedicated legal defense. Regardless of whether you are facing a misdemeanor or felony, your case and your future are important to us. You can reach and speak to your dedicated defense attorney and legal team at any time.

With your freedom and future hanging in the balance, it is imperative that you find a legal ally to advocate for you and defend your rights. Do not wait reaching out to a St. Francois County area criminal defense attorney to help you overcome your criminal charges at any level in the Missouri area. The quicker you get an attorney on your case, the sooner we can get to work building a defense strategy and lifting the weight of the unknown from your shoulders. Call (314) 900-HELP now or reach us online to speak to a St. Francois County, MO criminal defense attorney about your criminal case.

Missouri Criminal Cases and Consequences

A criminal conviction, even for a minor infraction or misdemeanor can leave you with a fine to pay, county jail time, and/or years of supervised probation. For felony charges, the outcome of a conviction can be much more dire. You may be sentenced to years encarcerated in state prisons, and as a convicted felon you will no longer have certain rights or privileges that many people take for granted. As a convicted felon in Missouri, you are prohibited from owning firearms, voting in elections, running for office, or holding certain jobs. Also, in many cases, as a felon you are required to disclose your status as a convicted felon on applications for jobs, housing and other opportunities and resources, which often severely limits where you can work or live.

If you are already a felon or suspect that the likelihood of a conviction is high, you are not without options. Missouri law does allow for the restoration of certain rights and in some cases you may be able to pursue a pardon, expungement, or the sealing of your record. Consult an experienced criminal defense attorney in St. Francois County, MO to learn about how to restore your rights after receiving a conviction. Contact us to learn how our St. Francois County, MO defense attorneys can help you reclaim your rights.

Felony Charges and Punishments in St. Francois County, Missouri

Under criminal law in Missouri, crimes that are considered felonies are categorized into five classes that reflect the severity. Depending on the class of your felony conviction, the punishment will vary.

Class A Felony – minimum of 10 years and no more than 30 years in prison, or life in prison
Class B Felony – at least five but no more than 15 years in prison
Class C Felony – between three and 10 years in prison
Class D Felony – no more than seven years in prison
Class E Felony – no more than four years in prison

In the end, the conviction and sentence in your felony criminal case depends on a number of variables. If you are convicted of a felony, the exact punishment you are sentenced to is decided by the judge. They will take into account factors such as the specific circumstances of the crime, your personal history and other details.

However, there are exceptions to the guidelines above. The classification of some crimes may be enhanced, meaning a crime usually classified as a Class D felony in Missouri can be raised to a Class C, etc. This can happen for some defendants with prior convictions or in certain crimes that are considered dangerous or crimes based on a victim’s race, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, sex or disability. On the other hand, with a competent and dedicated criminal defense attorney in St. Francois County representing you, what was originally a Class B charge could be reduced to a lesser class felony, a felony could be minimized to a misdemeanor or your criminal defense attorney may be able to obtain a less serious.

In some cases with the right circumstances and the skill of an experienced defense attorney, you can have the charges dropped entirely. If you have a strong case demonstrating your innocence but the prosecutor is not willing to drop the charges, your Combs Waterkotte criminal defense lawyer will present your case meticulously to your peers in a jury trial, leaving the jury members to then determine whether or not to find you guilty. Contact Combs Waterkotte to discuss your case and potential options with our St. Francois County, MO criminal defense attorneys.

Misdemeanor Charges in Missouri

As with felonies, misdemeanors in Missouri are classified based on severity. Rather than time in state prison and possible parole supervision, the maximum punishment allowed for a misdemeanor is a year in jail, and in many cases no jail time is required, but rather the payment of a fine.

Class A Misdemeanor – up to one year in jail; a fine of up to $2,000
Class B Misdemeanor – up to six months in jail; a fine of up to $1,000
Class C Misdemeanor – up to 15 days in jail; a fine of up to $700
Class D Misdemeanor – a fine of up to $500

Similar to felonies, sentencing for a misdemeanor can be enhanced in certain cases. However, in misdemeanor cases your defense attorney can often help you avoid serving jail time in favor of a period of supervision known as probation. As conditions of your probation sentence, you may be required to fulfill additional requirements such as community service or competition of a substance abuse rehabilitation program.

Misdemeanors are not to be taken lightly, but are not as serious as felony convictions and a good criminal defense attorney can help you get an outcome that is minimally disruptive to your life and allows you to move forward in a positive light. Call Combs Waterkotte today at (314) 900-HELP to discuss your case and your options with a defense attorney near St. Francois County, MO now.

Fixing Traffic Tickets In St. Francois County, MO

Did you know Combs Waterkotte also handles traffic tickets and other aspects of traffic law? Even if you have never been arrested for a crime, our St. Francois County-based defense attorneys can help you through our excellent traffic ticket legal services. Affordable and effective as attorneys against traffic tickets, do not let our record of success in difficult criminal cases intimidate you or dissuade you from hiring us for top traffic ticket legal representation.

Being written a traffic ticket in St. Francois County, MO isn’t just a nuisance, it’s also a financial penalty. If you choose to pay your St. Francois County traffic ticket, you essentially plead guilty to the charges against you 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 dramatically increase. Tickets usually cannot be removed from your driving record for a minimum of three years, as well, which means that if you are pulled over once again during this period you could be subject to increased penalties.

An increasing number of St. Francois County drivers are choosing Combs Waterkotte as their St. Francois County traffic ticket lawyer, and with good cause. Combs Waterkotte brings unmatched legal intelligence to all its cases, even small moving violations. Our firm works without rest 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 rates) or have your ticket dismissed due to police not following proper procedure. Most importantly, our exceptional St. Francois County traffic ticket lawyer services come at an exceptional value: just $49.99 for most cases, allowing you access to first-rate legal services at a price you would not expect. If you have recently been written a traffic ticket in St. Francois 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 St. Francois County traffic ticket.

In addition to criminal defense law for Missouri state felonies and misdemeanors, federal crimes and traffic tickets, the leading St. Francois County, MO area attorneys of Combs Waterkotte have the skill and expertise you need from your lawyer in any criminal or personal injury case. Learn more about the types of cases we win below.

Hire Your St. Francois County, MO Criminal Defense Attorney Now | Combs Waterkotte

Finding the right St. Francois County, MO lawyer can make the difference between your case being ended favorably and you spending time incarcerated. Unlike other St. Francois County defense attorneys, our firm places complete satisfaction at the heart of everything we do. When you choose Combs Waterkotte, you can rest assured that you will get 24/7 access to the St. Francois County criminal defense lawyer working on your case. No matter the circumstances, the place, or the hour, you can talk to us about your case, the legal process, or anything else.

When you are looking at criminal charges in St. Francois County, from a simple traffic ticket for failing to properly signal to severe felonies, call Combs Waterkotte first. Talk to us at (314) 900-HELP or contact us online to set up a free consultation, but before you call we invite you to take a look at what some of our previous clients have said about their time working with the driven St. Francois County, MO criminal defense attorneys at Combs Waterkotte.