Criminal Defense Lawyer St. Louis, MO. Having a criminal charge filed against you, even a small one such as a moving violation or driving while intoxicated, can alter someone’s life for good. Not only will your standing among colleagues, friends, and family be permanently changed, if found guilty you will be facing major penalties varying from fines to time spent performing community service to even time behind bars. 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 correct St. Louis criminal defense lawyer representing you in a court of law can make the difference between your charges being lowered, if not entirely dropped, and having to face these penalties. You need a lawyer who gives your case the utmost in personal care and attention, who will map out a smart, winning defense strategy custom-made for your unique circumstances, and do everything in their power to minimize—or even do away with—the effect that criminal charges can have on your life.
The veteran St. Louis, MO criminal defense lawyers at Combs Waterkotte are here to help St. Louis-area citizens from all walks of life who are facing criminal charges limit the effect they have on their lives, reputations, and freedom. Our standard of providing successful, client-focused legal representation is unrivalled among criminal defense lawyers in St. Louis. We are eager 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 contact online today.
St. Louis City Resources
Below are quick links to important websites that may assist you with your legal matters in St. Louis and Missouri.
A Complete St. Louis, MO Criminal Defense Lawyer
The knowledgeable St. Louis, MO criminal defense lawyers at Combs Waterkotte handle a wide variety of case types and criminal charges, such as:
- Motor Vehicle Theft
- Assault/Battery
- Domestic Violence
- Theft/Larceny
- Probation Violations
- Drug Charges
Finding the right lawyer can make the difference between your case being decided in your way and losing your rights and freedoms. Unlike other St. Louis criminal defense lawyers, our firm centers our entire experience around complete, total client satisfaction. When you choose Combs Waterkotte, you can rest assured that you can talk to your St. Louis, MO criminal defense lawyer at any time, day or night, to talk about 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 current situation, you will have a direct line to your attorney to lend an ear in your time of need.
When Should I Call A Criminal Defense Lawyer?
If you are ever questioned by the police, you may believe that if you “lay low” or say what they want to hear, you will be all right and they will not hassle you further. However, this is a rare occurrence, and you should take any criminal investigation seriously and be ready to talk to a trusted St. Louis criminal defense lawyer at any time.
It is 100% possible that you may not believe you should call a criminal defense lawyer, but calling one could vastly improve the outcome of your case. Here are a few scenarios where calling a St. Louis defense lawyer is the right decision:
- When officers “just want to ask questions”. If you were near a crime scene and were in no way involved it, it’s safe to talk to the police. However, you still need to mind your words, as the police did not directly see what happened: after all, this is why they are talking to you to begin with. An inexperienced or overzealous officer could see your statement the wrong way and think that you are 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 say to the police clearly establishes that you were an innocent bystander. If the facts of your case are murky and could possibly place you under suspicion, you should hire a criminal defense lawyer to protect 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 grants you protection from unreasonable searches and seizures, and greatly curtails their ability to get search warrants or make you grant access to personal information. But, 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 request that you sign one of these documents, politely refuse and request to speak with a lawyer. Voluntarily allowing the police to get access to these records, even if they did not have a good reason to ask for them, automatically makes 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 logical time you need a criminal defense lawyer in St. Louis, MO. If you are ever actually detained 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 by your side, and call a St. Louis criminal defense lawyer who can help you defend yourself against charges and accusations.
Fixing Traffic Tickets In St. Louis, MO
If there’s one thing that St. Louis 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 St. Louis, MO know that local municipal law enforcement uses 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 have a property tax at all).
Being given a traffic ticket in St. Louis, MO isn’t just a pain, it’s also a financial penalty. If you decide to pay your St. Louis traffic ticket, you indirectly plead guilty to the charges against you 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 dramatically increase. Tickets in general cannot be removed from your driving record for a minimum of three years, as well, meaning that if you are pulled over another time during this window you could be looking at increased penalties.
More and more St. Louis drivers are choosing Combs Waterkotte as their St. Louis traffic ticket lawyer, and for good reason. Combs Waterkotte brings unequaled legal acumen to all its cases, even small moving violations. Our firm works without rest to ensure that the charges on your traffic ticket are brought down 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 an irregularity in your stop. Most importantly, our top-notch St. Louis traffic ticket lawyer services come at an exceptional value: just $49.99 for most cases, providing you access to premier legal services at a price you would not expect. If you have recently been issued a traffic ticket in St. Louis, MO and do not want it to stay on your driving record, call us now at (314) 900-HELP to speak with our firm and start the process of fixing your St. Louis traffic ticket.
Other cases we take on in St. Louis, MO include:
Contact Seasoned St. Louis, MO Criminal Defense Lawyers | Combs Waterkotte
When you have been charged with a crime, from a simple traffic ticket for rolling a stop sign to grave felonies, talk to a skilled St. Louis, MO criminal defense lawyer at Combs Waterkotte first. Call us at (314) 900-HELP or contact us online to set up a free consultation. Our firm is ready to talk with you at any time to help you defend yourself against criminal charges and keep your hard-earned reputation amongst family and friends.
