Dearborn Criminal Defense Lawyers With Payment Plans. When the government makes allegations against you, you’re probably already stressed out. Navigating the MO legal process is an immense challenge all on its own. But for most people facing allegations, the challenges start before you even make it into the courtroom: How am I going to afford a defense attorney?
As scary of a question as it is, there is an answer: You can still hire a leading Dearborn criminal defense lawyer to defend your case. At Combs Waterkotte, we offer affordable and flexible payment plans so that you can get an elite team of attorneys without going bankrupt in the process. And we don’t compromise on your defense quality – when you hire us, you’re getting a highly experienced, award-winning team of expert criminal defense lawyers.
Here, we’re outlining the potential advantages of a payment plan, but if you need to get started on your defense right away, call now at (314) 900-HELP or get in touch online – we offer free consultations for anyone facing charges, and can guide you from there.
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Below, we go over the typical expenses of criminal defense attorneys in Dearborn, the advantages of payment plans, ways we make our payment plans work for our clients, and more. You can jump to a specific point using the below links:
- How much does a criminal defense lawyer cost in Dearborn, MO?
- Are public defenders good options?
- Things that affect a case’s price
- Advantages of payment plans when hiring a lawyer
- How our criminal defense payment plans work for you
- Case types we defend with payment plans for
- Defensive strategies we could use for your case
- Hire a lawyer now with a payment plan that works for you
Now that we’ve outlined the basics, let’s look at why you should look to hire a Dearborn, MO, defense attorney with a payment plan.
How Expensive Are Criminal Defense Attornies in Dearborn?
Prices for criminal defense cases can vary a lot, even for the same lawyer. The different circumstances for each case can increase or decrease costs a lot. A case could cost anything from a couple of thousand dollars to as much as $25,000 for intricate felony cases. MO lawyers, in particular, tend to cost a bit above normal for the United States.
What About Public Defenders? Or Self-Representation?
When you’re facing those kinds of fees, no one would blame you for thinking about getting a public defender or trying to represent yourself. But don’t move too fast – there are major downsides to either of those options. To get a public defender in Dearborn, there are certain eligibility requirements that you must fit to qualify.
Even if you are eligible, by opting for a public defender over a private attorney, you’re drastically decreasing your chances of the state dropping the case against you. Public defenders also frequently negotiate subpar plea deals, which leads to unfavorable outcomes for you.
What’s worse, even if you have a skilled public defender, it probably won’t make a difference – unfortunately, due to their lack of funding and colossal workloads, they are in a spot where they can’t give clients’ cases the time they need.
Going it alone will probably be even worse, though: Even just for a traffic ticket, you need a lawyer to protect yourself from unseen costs. We’ve had a client who paid a ticket without thinking about it, and she lost $6,000 in increased insurance costs.
What Factors Affect Criminal Case Costs?
There’s a reason that there’s such a wide range in potential prices: Many factors go into determining the price. Here are the most important ones to watch out for:
- Location: Defending alleged crimes in city courts typically costs more than in rural jurisdictions, due to the increased complexity of the legal system.
- Type of Charge: Generally, misdemeanors are less expensive than felonies. Additionally, some defenses can be more expensive because of the sensitive nature of the allegation, like with sex crimes.
- Experience: Normally, the more courtroom experience an attorney has, the more they will charge.
- Hourly vs Flat: Hourly rates can have hidden costs, or shoot up over time. Flat fees may look more expensive at first, but you avoid surprise costs.
- Unique Case Factors: Expert analysts and witnesses are expensive – if your case involves, for example, computer programs and your lawyer needs to hire a software engineer for assistance, that can increase the case costs.
What Difference Will a Payment Plan Make?
If you’re facing criminal allegations, payment plans can make a huge difference. Without a huge upfront cost, more people are able to afford a top attorney without going bankrupt.
The best payment plans are tailored to you, so that you’re not stuck with rigid steps that don’t work for your situation.
Normally, people aren’t thinking about what to do if they’re facing prosecution. They’re not setting up their budget to cover the costs of criminal defense. Payment plans make hiring a premium legal defense team for your case not only possible, but reasonable.
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How Combs Waterkotte’s Payment Plans Protect Your Wallet
At Combs Waterkotte, we want your rights to be protected, no matter who you are and what your bank account looks like. Because of that, we structure our fees in a way to make it realistic and affordable for everyday people, facing anything from DWIs to murder charges.
Here’s how our payment plans can protect your budget:
- Low deposits – You don’t have to pay high initial fees to hire us – for both felonies and misdemeanors.
- Realistic bill structures – we’re flexible and will work with your budget to build a plan that works for you.
- Multiple payment options – we accept credit, debit, checks, money orders, and more.
- Flat fees – you don’t get stuck with surprise expenses or the buildup of hourly fees..
Get a leading criminal defense without breaking the bank. We build staunch defenses, are in reach 24/7, and won’t stop fighting until you get the justice you deserve.
Free book
How a Criminal Defense Attorney Can Protect Your Rights and Future
Combs Waterkotte has over 80 years of experience and over 10,000 cases handled. This ebook helps guide you through the criminal defense process and how an experienced, skilled defense attorney can keep your freedoms intact.
Criminal Defense Case Types We Offer Payment Plans For
At Combs Waterkotte, we build defenses for a diverse catalog of allegations and offer payment plans for all of them. Here are some of the most common charges we defend clients against:
Facing a different criminal charge? Search our complete list of Dearborn, MO, criminal charges we offer payment plans for, or reach out now to discuss options for your case.

Combs Waterkotte Dearborn Criminal Defense Strategies
When we defend you, our goal is find the most positive outcome for your case, whatever it is. Whatever you’re facing, our team will create a trial-ready, fearless defense that intimidates prosecutors and impacts juries. We also leverage our relationships with prosecutors and judges across MO to get charges dropped and secure favorable plea deals.
Want to learn more about how we do it? These are some typical defense strategies we use against criminal charges in Dearborn, MO:
- Alibi
- Self Defense/Defense of Others
- Lack of Intent
- Fourth Amendment Rights Violation
- Fifth Amendment Rights Violation
- Duress
- Necessity

Charged With a Crime in Dearborn, MO? Low on Funds? Call Combs Waterkotte
We’re not here to be stingy or put you in debt – we’re here to defend your freedom and your future. Our team of top-rated Dearborn, MO, criminal defense lawyers has defended over 10,000 cases with clients just like you to defend cases just like yours.
At Combs Waterkotte, we see you as a person, not a paycheck or case number. We help good people in bad situations, both legal and financial. Let us protect your freedom and your bank account.
reach out online or call us at (314) 900-HELP now for a free evaluation fo your case, and to figure out payment plans that make it affordable for you.

