Excelsior Estates, MO, Criminal Defense Lawyers With Payment Plans. Arrests and criminal charges are bad enough on their own. You’re facing challenges that nobody wants to go through. But for most people facing allegations, the challenges start before you even make it into the courtroom: How are you going to pay for a lawyer?
You have options: You can still get a top-quality Excelsior Estates criminal defense attorney to defend your case. At Combs Waterkotte, we can set up tailored payment plans so that you can get an elite team of attorneys without going bankrupt in the process. And being affordable doesn’t mean you’re getting a lesser defense – when you work with our team, you’re getting a highly experienced, award-winning team of expert criminal defense attorneys.
Here, we’re outlining the potential advantages of a payment plan, but if you’re in an emergency and need to discuss options with an expert, call now at (314) 900-HELP or schedule an appointment online – we offer free consultations for anyone facing charges, and can decide on next steps after our call.
On this page, we outline the typical expenses of criminal defense attorneys in Excelsior Estates, why payment plans may be a good choice for you, how our payment plans work, and more. You can navigate to a specific topic here:
- How much will I have to pay a criminal defense lawyer in Excelsior Estates, MO?
- What about public defenders?
- Things that affect a case’s price
- Why you should consider payment plans when hiring an attorney
- How our criminal defense payment plans work
- Case types we offer 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 Excelsior Estates, MO, defense attorney with a payment plan.
How Expensive Are Criminal Defense Attornies in Excelsior Estates?
It’s not possible to give a definitive answer on how much a case will cost without knowing all of the details, since each case is unique and provides different challenges. They can range anywhere from a couple of thousand dollars to as much as $25,000 for involved felony cases. MO lawyers, in particular, tend to cost slightly above average for the United States.
What About Public Defenders? Or Self-Representation?
With bills that high, you might be thinking about looking for a public defender or representing yourself. But don’t move too fast – there are major downsides to either of those options. To get a public defender in Excelsior Estates, first, you need to meet the eligibility requirements.
Even if you do qualify, by opting for a public defender over a private attorney, you’re drastically decreasing your chances of the prosecution dropping the case against you. They’re also more likely to push you to accept plea deals, which causes unfavorable outcomes for you.
Tragically, even if you have a great public defender, it’s unlikely to help you – unfortunately, because of their low support and colossal caseloads, they can’t give every case the time it deserves.
Going it alone is often even worse, though: Even just for a traffic ticket, you need a lawyer to be on your side and watch out for pitfalls. 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?
Because every case is unique, the potential cost for a case can vary a lot: Many factors are considered when a lawyer sets fees for a case. Here are the most important ones to keep in mind:
- Location: Urban cases tend to be more expensive than rural cases, due to the increased complexity of the legal system.
- Type of Charge: Felony allegations normally cost less than misdemeanor allegations. Some defenses are also more expensive if the specific allegations carry a social stigma, like rape or other sex crimes.
- Experience: You can expect more experienced lawyers to charge more for their quality of defense.
- 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.
Can a Payment Plan Make a Difference?
If you’re facing criminal allegations, payment plans can make a huge difference. Because there isn’t a large upfront cost, more people are able to afford a top attorney without going bankrupt.
The best payment plans are customizable, 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 account for the costs of a lawyer. Payment plans make a path for you to hire Excelsior Estates, MO’s leading criminal defense firm without the stress of coming up with the funds.
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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. In order to do so, we handle our billing in a way to make it reasonable and affordable for everyday people, facing everything from DWIs to murder charges.
Here’s how our payment plans can save you money:
- Low deposits – our down payments for both felonies and misdemeanors are affordable.
- Realistic bill structures – we’re flexible and will work with your budget to build a plan that works for you.
- Multiple payment options – we take cash, credit, debit, checks, money orders, and more.
- Flat fees – avoid hidden costs and the snowballing bills from hourly rates.
Get a quality criminal defense without breaking the bank. We build strong defenses, keep our phones open 24/7, and don’t give up until you get the justice you deserve.
Free book
How a Criminal Defense Attorney Can Protect Your Rights and Future
Combs Waterkotte has over 60 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:
Are you up against something not on that list? Look at our complete list of Excelsior Estates, MO, criminal charges we offer payment plans for, or get in touch today to go over what we can do for your case.

Combs Waterkotte Excelsior Estates Criminal Defense Strategies
When we defend you, our mission is to get you the best possible outcome for your case, whatever that looks like. Whatever you’re facing, we will put together a trial-ready, fearless defense that intimidates and impacts juries. We also leverage our relationships with prosecutors and judges across MO to get charges dismissed and secure favorable plea deals.
Here are some of the main defense strategies we use to protect the rights of people in Excelsior Estates, MO:
- Alibi
- Self Defense/Defense of Others
- Lack of Intent
- Fourth Amendment Rights Violation
- Fifth Amendment Rights Violation
- Duress
- Necessity

Need a Criminal Defense Lawyer in Excelsior Estates, MO? Low on Funds? Call Combs Waterkotte
We’re not here to empty your bank accounts or force you into debt – we’re here to defend your freedom and your future. Our team of top-rated Excelsior Estates, MO, criminal defense attorneys 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 want to give your case the attention it deserves, no matter what it is or what your finances look like. Let us protect your freedom and your credit.
Get in touch online or call us at (314) 900-HELP now for a free consultation on your case, and to go over payment plans that are right for you.

