Criminal Defense Lawyer St. Charles County, MO. Getting charged with a crime, even a seemingly insignificant one such as a traffic ticket or driving while intoxicated, can change someone’s life permanently. Not only will your standing among colleagues, friends, and family be permanently soiled, if found guilty you will be looking at significant penalties varying from fines to hours spent performing community service to even jail time. In addition, if your charges are felonies, a conviction means your rights as a citizen will be heavily restricted, including being unable to vote or own a firearm.
Having the ideal St. Charles County criminal defense lawyer representing you in the courtoroom can your charges being reduced, if not entirely eliminated, and having to face these penalties. You need a lawyer who gives your case the best in personal care and attention, who will develop an intelligent, winning defense strategy made especially for your unique situation, and do all that they can to minimize—or even eliminate—the effect that criminal charges can have on your life.
The experienced St. Charles County, MO criminal defense lawyers at Combs Waterkotte are here to assist St. Charles County-area citizens of all kinds who are facing criminal charges limit the effect they have on their freedom, lives, and reputations. Our standard of offering successful, client-focused legal representation is unrivalled among criminal defense lawyers in St. Charles County. We are waiting 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 on your side, give us a call at (314) 900-HELP or talk to us online today.
St. Charles County Resources
Below are quick links to important websites that may assist you with your legal matters in St. Charles County and Missouri.
A Full-Service St. Charles County, MO Criminal Defense Lawyer
The skilled St. Charles County, MO criminal defense lawyers at Combs Waterkotte take a diverse array of case types and criminal charges, including:
- Motor Vehicle Theft
- Assault/Battery
- Domestic Violence
- Theft/Larceny
- Probation Violations
- Drug Charges
Working with the right lawyer can be the difference between your case going in your way and losing your rights and freedoms. Unlike other St. Charles County criminal defense lawyers, our firm centers our entire experience around complete, total client satisfaction. When you choose Combs Waterkotte, you can rest easy knowing that you can contact your St. Charles County, MO criminal defense lawyer 24/7 to chat about the facts of your case, how you want to proceed, or anything else. Regardless of where you are, the time of day, or your present circumstances, you will have a dedicated line to your attorney to lend an ear 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 is not always the case, and you should take any criminal investigation seriously and be ready to speak with a veteran St. Louis criminal defense lawyer at any time.
It is 100% possible that you may not believe you should talk to a criminal defense lawyer, but calling one could vastly improve the result of your case. Here are a few scenarios where calling a St. Charles County defense lawyer is the right decision:
- When police “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 to begin with. A younger or excited officer could take your account the wrong way and consider you a prime suspect. If police want your eyewitness account, 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 emphasizes that you were just a bystander. If the facts of your case are less obvious and could lead to you being a person of interest, you may want to hire a criminal defense lawyer to safeguard your rights.
- When police want you to sign a document. Police cannot compel you to do anything unless they have a genuine hunch that you committed a crime. The Fourth Amendment to the Constitution grants you protection from unreasonable searches and seizures, and greatly sanctions their power to get search warrants or force you to grant access to personal data. However, police will occasionally ask you to sign “releases”, which permit 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 papers, politely decline and ask to talk with a lawyer. Voluntarily allowing the police to get access to these records, even if they did not have a legitimate reason to request them, automatically renders 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 obvious time you need a criminal defense lawyer in St. Charles County, MO. If you are ever taken into custody by the police, you should immediately invoke your right to remain silent, tell them that you do not want to answer any inquiries without a lawyer by your side, and call a St. Charles County criminal defense lawyer who can help you defend yourself against charges and accusations.
Fixing Traffic Tickets In St. Charles County, MO
If there’s one thing that St. Charles County drivers do not like to see in their rear-view mirror, it’s the unmistakable sight of police sirens pulling them over for something they did on the roads. Motorists all around St. Charles County, MO know that local municipal law enforcement uses traffic enforcement not to keep roads safe, but sometimes as a way to fill city coffers (especially if the municipality you are driving through has a declining property tax base, or indeed does not have a property tax at all).
Being written a traffic ticket in St. Charles County, MO isn’t just a pain, it’s also a financial penalty. If you decide to pay your St. Charles 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 expunged from your driving record for a minimum of three years, as well, which means that if you are pulled over once again during this window you could be facing increased penalties.
Many St. Charles County drivers are choosing Combs Waterkotte as their St. Charles County traffic ticket lawyer, and with good reason. Combs Waterkotte brings unequaled legal knowledge to all its cases, even minor moving violations. Our firm works tirelessly to make sure that the charges on your traffic ticket are brought down to non-moving violations (which, once paid, are removed from your record or influence insurance premiums) or have your ticket dismissed due to an irregularity in your stop. Most importantly, our premier St. Charles County traffic ticket lawyer services come at an excellent value: just $49.99 for most cases, giving you access to premier legal services at a price you would not expect. If you have recently been given a traffic ticket in St. Charles 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 fixing your St. Charles County traffic ticket.
Other cases we take on in St. Charles County, MO include:
Contact Trusted St. Charles County, MO Criminal Defense Lawyers | Combs Waterkotte
When you have been accused of a crime, ranging from a small traffic ticket for failing to properly signal to grave felonies, talk to a skilled St. Charles 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 here to talk with you at a time that fits your schedule to help you defend yourself against criminal accusations and keep your hard-won reputation amongst your community.