Criminal Defense Lawyer Butler County, MO. Being arrested and accused of a crime, even a small one such as a moving violation or DWI, can alter someone’s life forever. Not only will your standing among friends, family, and colleagues be permanently changed, if found guilty you will be looking at significant penalties ranging from fines to time spent performing community service to even time behind bars. Also, if your charges are felonies, a conviction means your rights as a citizen will be heavily restricted, including the inability to vote or own a firearm.
Having the correct Butler County criminal defense lawyer representing you in front of a judge can your charges being lowered, if not completely dropped, and having to suffer these punishments. You need a lawyer who gives your case the ultimate in personal attention and care, who will develop a smart, winning defense strategy custom-made for your own situation, and do all that they can to reduce—or even eliminate—the effect that criminal charges can have on your life.
The experienced Butler County, MO criminal defense lawyers at Combs Waterkotte are here to assist Butler County-area citizens of all kinds who are looking at criminal charges limit the effect they have on their freedom, lives, and reputations. Our standard of offering successful, client-focused legal representation is unequaled among criminal defense lawyers in Butler County. We are ready to talk to you about your case today and offer free, no-obligation 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 talk to us online today.
Legal Videos

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Are Private Attorneys Better Than Public Defenders? Missouri criminal defense attorney Chris Combs talks about the differences in a defendant's experience when working with a public defender vs. a …

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What Is the Process For Getting Bail in Missouri? If you've been arrested, the first thing you want to do is get out of jail and get back home. Missouri criminal defense attorney Chris Combs …

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Everything You Need to Know About Juvenile Criminal Defense Cases in Missouri. Attorneys Christopher Combs and Matthew Brown from Combs Waterkotte answer the most commonly asked questions about …

How Does Plea Bargaining Work?
Missouri criminal defense attorney Chris Combs discusses how he negotiates the most favorable plea bargaining deals for his clients. You can read a transcript of the interview below.

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Can your criminal case get dismissed? How can your defense attorney get your case dismissed? Missouri criminal defense attorney Chris Combs discusses what needs to happen to have your charges …

Public Defender Caseloads Are High. Can I Trust One With My Case?
St. Louis defense attorney Chris Combs explains how a private defense lawyer can offer the resources and attention to detail that many public defenders don't have time for. You can read a …
A Complete Butler County, MO Criminal Defense Lawyer
The experienced Butler County, MO criminal defense lawyers at Combs Waterkotte handle a diverse array of case types and criminal charges, including:
- Motor Vehicle Theft
- Assault/Battery
- Domestic Violence
- Theft/Larceny
- Probation Violations
- Drug Charges
Finding the right lawyer can make the difference between your case going in your way and losing your rights and freedoms. In contrast with other Butler 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 talk to your Butler County, MO criminal defense lawyer at any time, day or night, to talk about the facts of your case, legal strategy, or anything else. Regardless of where you are, what time it is, or your present circumstances, you will have a direct line to your attorney to listen and understand you 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 fine and they will not hassle you further. However, this situation happens rarely, if ever, and you should take any criminal investigation seriously and be ready to talk to an experienced St. Louis criminal defense lawyer at any time.
It is entirely possible that you may not think you need to chat with a criminal defense lawyer, but calling one could vastly improve the outcome of your case. Here are a few scenarios where calling a Butler County defense lawyer is the right decision:
- When officers “just want to ask questions”. If you were at the scene of a crime and were just passing through, it’s fine to talk to the police. However, you still need to watch your mouth, as the police did not directly see what happened: after all, this is why they are looking for witnesses to begin with. An inexperienced or excited officer could take your account the wrong way and consider you a person of interest. If police want your eyewitness account, ask them if you can make an appointment with the officer. This way, you can call an attorney, discuss what you saw and how you were involved, and make sure what you tell the police clearly establishes that you were just a bystander. If the facts of your case are not clear and could possibly place you under suspicion, it’s a good idea to hire a criminal defense lawyer to safeguard your rights.
- When police want you to sign paperwork. Police cannot compel you to do anything unless they have a reasonable suspicion that you committed a crime. The Fourth Amendment to the Constitution gives you protection from unreasonable searches and seizures, and greatly sanctions their power to obtain search warrants or make you grant access to personal information. However, police will from time to time 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 want you to sign one of these forms, politely refuse and ask to speak with a lawyer. Voluntarily permitting the police to obtain access to these records, even if they did not have a legitimate reason to ask for them, automatically renders them admissible in court as evidence, so it is critical 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 Butler County, MO. If you are ever arrested by the police, you should immediately invoke your right to remain silent, tell them that you do not want to answer any questions without a lawyer in the room, and call a Butler County criminal defense lawyer who can help you defend yourself against charges and accusations.
Butler County Resources
Below are quick links to important websites that may assist you with your legal matters in Butler County and Missouri.
Fixing Traffic Tickets In Butler County, MO
If there’s one thing that Butler County drivers do not want to see in their rear-view mirror, it’s the unmistakable sight of police sirens pulling them over for a moving violation. Motorists all over Butler County, MO know that local municipal police departments use traffic enforcement not to promote good driving habits, but sometimes as a secondary revenue stream (especially if the municipality you were pulled over in has a dwindling property tax base, or indeed does not levy property tax on homeowners).
Getting a traffic ticket in Butler County, MO isn’t just a pain, it’s also a drain on your finances. If you decide to pay your Butler County traffic ticket, you indirectly plead guilty to the charges you were pulled over for and they go on your driving record. Depending on the type of your offense, you could be looking at a suspension or revocation of your driver’s license, and your car insurance premiums will drastically increase. Tickets usually cannot be struck from your driving record for a minimum of three years, as well, which means that if you are pulled over another time during this window you could be subject to stiffer penalties.
Many Butler County drivers are choosing Combs Waterkotte as their Butler County traffic ticket lawyer, and with good reason. Combs Waterkotte brings unparalleled legal acumen to every single one of its cases, even minor 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, do not stay on your record or affect insurance rates) or have your ticket dismissed due to police not following proper procedure. Best of all, our exceptional Butler County traffic ticket lawyer services come at an exceptional value, providing you access to quality legal services at a price you can afford If you have recently been written a traffic ticket in Butler County, MO and do not want it to hamper your driving record, call us now at (314) 900-HELP to speak with our firm and begin the process of getting your Butler County traffic ticket fixed.
Other cases we take on in Butler County, MO include:
- Weapon Crime Defense Lawyer
- DWI Lawyer With Payment Plans
- Criminal Defense Lawyer with Payment Plans
Contact Trusted Butler County, MO Criminal Defense Lawyers | Combs Waterkotte
When you have been charged with a crime, from a small traffic ticket for rolling a stop sign to substantial felonies, talk to a skilled Butler County, MO criminal defense lawyer at Combs Waterkotte first. Call us at (314) 900-HELP or contact us online to schedule a free review of your case. Our firm is here to chat with you at any time to help you defend yourself against criminal charges and keep your hard-earned reputation amongst friends and in the community.

