Criminal Defense Lawyer University City, MO. Having a criminal charge filed against you, even a seemingly insignificant one such as a moving violation or DWI, can alter someone’s life for good. Not only will your reputation among friends, family, and colleagues be permanently soiled, if found guilty you will be subject to significant penalties ranging from fines to time 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 limited, including a prohibition on voting or owning a firearm.
Having the ideal University City criminal defense lawyer representing you in a court of law can your charges being lowered, if not completely dropped, and having to face these punishments. You need a lawyer who gives your case the ultimate in personal care and attention, who will develop a proven, winning defense strategy custom-made for your unique circumstances, and do everything in their power to reduce—or even do away with—the effect that criminal charges can have on your life.
The experienced University City, MO criminal defense lawyers at Combs Waterkotte are here to assist University City-area citizens of all kinds who are facing criminal charges minimize 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 University City. We are eager to talk to you about your case today and offer free, no-strings-attached initial consultations. If you are facing criminal charges and want to put the attorneys at Combs Waterkotte on your side, call us at (314) 900-HELP or get in touch with us online today.
St. Louis County Resources
Below are quick links to important websites that may assist you with your legal matters in St. Louis County and Missouri.
A Full-Service University City, MO Criminal Defense Lawyer
The skilled University City, MO criminal defense lawyers at Combs Waterkotte take a extensive variety of case types and criminal charges, including:
- Motor Vehicle Theft
- Assault/Battery
- Domestic Violence
- Theft/Larceny
- Probation Violations
- Drug Charges
Choosing the right lawyer can make the difference between your case going in your favor and being deprived of your rights and freedoms. Unlike other University City 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 contact your University City, MO criminal defense lawyer 24/7 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 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 believe that if you “lay low” or say the right thing, 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 call an experienced St. Louis criminal defense lawyer at any time.
It is 100% possible that you may not think you need to call a criminal defense lawyer, but calling one could vastly improve the outcome of your case. Here are a few instances where calling a University City defense lawyer is the right move to make:
- When police “just want to ask questions”. If you were at a crime scene and were just passing through, it’s fine 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 looking for witnesses in the first place. An inexperienced or excited officer could see your statement the wrong way and consider you a prime suspect. If police want your witness statement, ask them if you can make an appointment with the officer. This way, you can call an attorney, go over 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 less obvious and could possibly place you under suspicion, you may want to hire a criminal defense lawyer to protect your rights.
- When police want you to sign a document. Police cannot compel you to do anything unless they have a genuine suspicion that you committed a crime. The Fourth Amendment to the Constitution provides you protection from unreasonable searches and seizures, and heavily curtails their power to obtain search warrants or require you to grant access to personal information. But, police will sometimes ask you to sign “releases”, which allow them to get blood tests or scans to see if you had drugs or alcohol in your system. If the police ask you to sign one of these documents, politely say no and ask to talk 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 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 University City, MO. If you are ever actually detained by the police, you should immediately invoke your right to remain silent, explain that you do not want to answer any inquiries without a lawyer in the room, and call a University City criminal defense lawyer who can help you defend yourself against charges and accusations.
Fixing Traffic Tickets In University City, MO
If there’s one thing that University City drivers do not like to see on their rear bumper, it’s the distinctive sight of police sirens pulling them over for something they did on the roads. Motorists all over University City, 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 town you were pulled over in has a declining property tax base, or indeed does not levy property tax on homeowners).
Being given a traffic ticket in University City, MO isn’t just a nuisance, it’s also a financial penalty. If you choose to pay your University City traffic ticket, you indirectly plead guilty to the charges against you and they go on your driving record. Depending on the type of your offense, you could be staring down a suspension or revocation of your driver’s license, and your car insurance premiums will greatly increase. Tickets generally cannot be expunged from your driving record for at least three years, as well, meaning that if you are pulled over again during this window you could be looking at harsher penalties.
A growing number of University City drivers are choosing Combs Waterkotte as their University City traffic ticket lawyer, and with good reason. Combs Waterkotte brings unequaled legal intelligence to every single one of its cases, even minor moving violations. Our firm works tirelessly 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 influence insurance premiums) or have your ticket dismissed due to an irregularity in your stop. Most importantly, our top-notch University City 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 issued a traffic ticket in University City, 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 University City traffic ticket.
Other cases we take on in University City, MO include:
Contact Experienced University City, MO Criminal Defense Lawyers | Combs Waterkotte
When you have been charged with a crime, ranging from a small traffic ticket for not properly changing lanes to substantial felonies, talk to a knowledgeable University City, MO criminal defense lawyer at Combs Waterkotte first. Call us at (314) 900-HELP or contact us online to set up a free case review. Our firm is eager to chat with you at a time that fits your schedule to help you defend yourself against criminal charges and keep your hard-won reputation amongst family and friends.