Criminal Defense Lawyer Osage County, MO. Having a criminal charge filed against you, even a small one such as a traffic ticket or DWI, can alter someone’s life forever. Not only will your reputation among colleagues, friends, and family be permanently affected, if found guilty you will be looking at significant penalties varying from fines to hours spent performing community service to even time in jail. Also, if your charges are felonies, if you are convicted your rights as a citizen will be heavily restricted, including the inability to vote or own a firearm.
Having the right Osage County criminal defense lawyer representing you in the courtoroom can be what separates your charges being reduced, if not completely eliminated, and having to face these punishments. You need a lawyer who gives your case the utmost in personal attention and care, who will develop a smart, successful defense strategy tailor-made for your own situation, and do all that they can to minimize—or even eliminate—the effect that criminal charges can have on your life.
The veteran Osage County, MO criminal defense lawyers at Combs Waterkotte are here to assist Osage County-area citizens of all kinds who are looking at criminal charges limit the effect they have on their reputation, freedoms, and lives. Our standard of offering successful, client-focused legal representation is unequaled among criminal defense lawyers in Osage 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.
Osage County Resources
Below are quick links to important websites that may assist you with your legal matters in Osage County and Missouri.
A Full-Service Osage County, MO Criminal Defense Lawyer
The skilled Osage County, MO criminal defense lawyers at Combs Waterkotte handle a extensive variety of case types and criminal charges, such as:
- Motor Vehicle Theft
- Assault/Battery
- Domestic Violence
- Theft/Larceny
- Probation Violations
- Drug Charges
Choosing the right lawyer can be the difference between your case being decided in your favor and losing your rights and freedoms. Unlike other Osage County criminal defense lawyers, our firm places total client satisfaction at the center of our practice. When you choose Combs Waterkotte, you can rest easy knowing that you can contact your Osage County, MO criminal defense lawyer at any time of day to discuss the facts of your case, how you want to proceed, or any other topic. No matter where you are, what time it is, or your present circumstances, you will have a direct line to your attorney to be a friendly listener in your time of need.
When Should I Call A Criminal Defense Lawyer?
If you ever get in trouble with the police, you may believe that if you “lay low” or say the right thing, 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 call a trusted St. Louis criminal defense lawyer at any time.
It is entirely possible that you may not think you need to talk to a criminal defense lawyer, but calling one could greatly improve the outcome of your case. Here are a few scenarios where calling a Osage County defense lawyer is the right move to make:
- When investigators “just want to ask questions”. If you were near the scene of a crime and had nothing at all to do with it, 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 talking to you in the first place. An inexperienced or excited officer could see your statement the wrong way and consider you a person of interest. If police want your witness statement, ask them if you can make an appointment with a detective. 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 murky and could make you a suspect, it’s a good idea to hire a criminal defense lawyer to safeguard your rights.
- When police want you to sign a document. Police cannot force you to do anything unless they have a genuine hunch that you committed a crime. The Fourth Amendment to the Constitution gives you protection from unreasonable searches and seizures, and greatly sanctions their ability to get search warrants or force you to grant access to personal data. However, police will sometimes ask you to sign “releases”, which permit them to get blood tests or scans to see if you had drugs or alcohol in your bloodstream. If the police request that you sign one of these documents, 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 legal reason to request 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 undoubtable time you need a criminal defense lawyer in Osage County, MO. If you are ever arrested by the police, you should immediately invoke your right to remain silent, say that you do not want to answer any interrogation without a lawyer in the room, and call a Osage County criminal defense lawyer who can help you stand up against charges and accusations.
Fixing Traffic Tickets In Osage County, MO
If there’s one thing that Osage County drivers do not like to see behind them, it’s the unmistakable sight of police sirens pulling them over for something they did on the roads. Motorists all around Osage County, MO know that local municipal police departments use traffic tickets not to promote good driving habits, but sometimes as a secondary revenue stream (especially if the town you were pulled over in has a dwindling property tax base, or indeed does not have a property tax at all).
Getting a traffic ticket in Osage County, MO isn’t just a nuisance, it’s also a financial penalty. If you decide to pay your Osage County traffic ticket, you essentially plead guilty to the charges you were accused of and they go on your driving record. Depending on the degree of your offense, you could be facing a suspension or revocation of your driver’s license, and your car insurance premiums will drastically increase. Tickets usually cannot be expunged from your driving record for a minimum of three years, as well, which means that if you are pulled over again during this window you could be subject to harsher penalties.
An increasing number of Osage County drivers are choosing Combs Waterkotte as their Osage County traffic ticket lawyer, and for good reason. Combs Waterkotte brings unmatched legal knowledge to every one of its cases, even small moving violations. Our firm works non-stop to ensure 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 affect insurance premiums) or have your ticket dismissed due to an irregularity in your stop. Most importantly, our premier Osage County traffic ticket lawyer services come at an excellent value: just $49.99 for most cases, giving you access to quality legal services at a price you would not expect. If you have recently been given a traffic ticket in Osage 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 begin the process of getting your Osage County traffic ticket fixed.
Other cases we take on in Osage County, MO include:
Contact Trusted Osage County, MO Criminal Defense Lawyers | Combs Waterkotte
When you have been accused of a crime, from a simple traffic ticket for rolling a stop sign to substantial felonies, talk to a skilled Osage County, MO criminal defense lawyer at Combs Waterkotte first. Call us at (314) 900-HELP or contact us online to book a free review of your case. Our firm is ready to chat with you at a time that fits your schedule to help you defend yourself against criminal indictments and keep your hard-won reputation amongst your community.
