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North Kansas City, MO

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Last Updated: January 23, 2026

North Kansas City, MO, Criminal Defense Lawyers With Payment Plans. If you’re facing an arrest or criminal charge, you might think things can’t possibly get worse. You’re facing challenges that nobody wants to go through. But frequently, the challenges start before you even make it into the courtroom: How am I going to afford a lawyer?

Don’t give up on getting a top-quality North Kansas City criminal defense lawyer to defend your rights. At Combs Waterkotte, we can set up tailored payment plans so that you can get premium legal representation without going into debt over it. And we don’t compromise on your defense quality – when you work with our team, you’re getting a results-driven, award-winning team of expert criminal defense lawyers.

On this page, we go over why a payment plan might work for you, but if you’re facing charges and aren’t sure where to start, call now at (314) 900-HELP or get in touch online – we offer free consultations for anyone facing charges, and can decide on next steps after our call.

Here, we go over the price of hiring a criminal defense attorney in North Kansas City, how payment plans can help make your defense more affordable, how our payment plans work, and more. You can skip ahead to a specific topic here:

Without further ado, let’s get into the advantages of hiring a North Kansas City attorney with a payment plan.


How Much Do Criminal Defense Lawyers Cost in North Kansas City?

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. Criminal defense case costs range from a couple of thousand dollars to as much as $25,000 for involved felony cases. MO lawyers, in particular, tend to cost a bit above normal for the United States.

What About Public Defenders? Or Self-Representation?

With bills that high, it may be tempting to opt for a public defender or trying to represent yourself. But don’t make that decision lightly – there are major downsides to either of those options. To get a public defender in North Kansas City, first, you need to meet the eligibility requirements.

Even if you do qualify, picking a public defender instead of a private defense lawyer signficicantly decreases your chances of the goverment dropping the case against you. Public defenders also frequently push for plea deals, which causes unfavorable results for you.

Tragically, even if you have a great public defender, it’s unlikely to help you – unfortunately, due to their lack of funding and immense workloads, they are in a spot where they can’t give clients’ cases the time they need.

Going it alone can be even worse, though: Even if you’re only facing a traffic ticket, you need a lawyer to warn you about hidden consequences. One of our clients paid a ticket without speakign to a traffic lawyer, 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 are considered when a lawyer sets fees for a case. Here are the key ones to keep in mind:

  • Location: Defending alleged crimes in city courts typically costs more than in rural jurisdictions, because of the additional competition and fees.
  • Type of Charge: Misdemeanors are usually cheaper than felonies. Some types of charges, like sex crimes, can also be more expensive due to the social stigma surrounding them.
  • Experience: Experienced, expert lawyers will typically charge more than their novice counterparts.
  • Hourly vs Flat: While it depends on the case, flat feeds tend to be more transparent in terms of pricing. Hourly rates can look more affordable at first glance, but over time will add up.
  • Unique Case Factors: If your defense requires specialized work, for example, hiring an expert forensic analyst as a witness, you will likely have to pay more.

What Difference Will a Payment Plan Make?

If you’re facing criminal allegations, payment plans can make a huge difference. Because there isn’t a large upfront cost, more people can hire a lawyer without going into debt.

The best payment plans are tailored to you, so that your lawyer can adapt to your needs and find a way that works for you.

We know that most people aren’t expecting to face criminal charges. They’re not setting up their budget to prepare for defense allegations. Payment plans make top-rate criminal defense lawyers affordable for people when they need one most.



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Play video

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Everything You Need to Know About Juvenile Criminal Defense Cases in Missouri. Attorneys Christopher Combs and Matthew Brown from Combs Waterkotte answer the most commonly asked questions about …

How Does Plea Bargaining Work?
Play video

How Does Plea Bargaining Work?

Missouri criminal defense attorney Chris Combs discusses how he negotiates the most favorable plea bargaining deals for his clients. You can read a transcript of the interview below.

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Play video

Can Criminal Charges Be Dropped?

Can your criminal case get dismissed? How can your defense attorney get your case dismissed? Missouri criminal defense attorney Chris Combs discusses what needs to happen to have your charges …

Public Defender Caseloads Are High. Can I Trust One With My Case?
Play video

Public Defender Caseloads Are High. Can I Trust One With My Case?

St. Louis defense attorney Chris Combs explains how a private defense lawyer can offer the resources and attention to detail that many public defenders don't have time for. You can read a …

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Play video

Everything You Need to Know About Criminal Defense Cases in Missouri

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Play video

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How Combs Waterkotte’s Payment Plans Protect Your Wallet

At Combs Waterkotte, we want to give you a suburb defense, no matter who you are and what your bank account looks like. So that you can afford that, we set up our payment plans in a way to make it reasonable and affordable for everyday people, facing anything from DWIs to homicide 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 customize your billing structure in a way that works for everyone.
  • Multiple payment options – we accept credit, debit, checks, money orders, and more.
  • Flat fees – avoid hidden costs and the snowballing bills from hourly rates.

Get a high-quality criminal defense without going broke. We build staunch defenses, are available 24/7, and keep fighting until you get the justice you deserve.


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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.










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    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 each of them. Here are some of the most common charges we defend clients against:

    Is your charge not one of the ones listed above? Check out the complete list of North Kansas City, MO, criminal charges we offer payment plans for, or get in touch today to go over options for your case.


    Criminal Defense Lawyers With Payment Plans


    Combs Waterkotte North Kansas City Criminal Defense Strategies

    At Combs Waterkotte, our goal is find the most positive outcome for your case, whatever it is. Whatever you’re up against, we will put together a trial-ready, fearless defense that intimidates the state and impacts juries. We also take advantage of our relationships with prosecutors and judges across MO to get charges dropped and obtain favorable plea deals.

    Here are some of the main defense strategies we use to protect the rights of people in North Kansas City, MO:


    Criminal Defense Lawyers With Payment Plans


    Facing Criminal Charges in North Kansas City, 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 expert North Kansas City, 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 another case or paycheck. 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 wallet.

    Set up an appointment online or call us at (314) 900-HELP anytime for a free case examination, and to go over payment plans that will work for you.

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