Drug Crime Lawyer in Lake Lotawana, MO. If someone makes drug-related allegations against you, you could be up against life-altering consequences. If you’re particularly unlucky, you could face manufacturing allegations, and up to life in prison. Without the help of a premier Lake Lotawana, MO, criminal defense lawyer, you’ll be in a tough battle against the state prosecutor.
Combs Waterkotte is dedicated to ensuring our clients get fair, expert legal representation. When you work with us, you get a lawyer who is ready to defend against any drug charge in Lake Lotawana, MO, and will help you find the best outcome possible for your case.
If you need an experienced Lake Lotawana, MO, drug crime lawyer, we’re just a call away. You can connect with us at (314) 900-HELP or tell us about your case online for a no strings attached case review.
Lake Lotawana, MO, Drug Crime Lawyer: Page Summary
In this post, we overview what a drug crime lawyer in Lake Lotawana, MO, does to protect you, the differences between criminal substance allegations in Missouri, the top qualities to look for when deciding on a drug defense attorney, and list some resources which can help people defending against criminal drug allegations in Lake Lotawana, MO.
You can navigate to a specific section using the links below:
- The Role of a Lake Lotawana, MO, Drug Crime Defense Attorney
- Lake Lotawana, MO, Drug Charges We Defend and Their Penalties
- Lake Lotawana, MO, Drug Crime Lawyer Essential Qualities
- Treatment and Diversion Programs for Lake Lotawana, MO, Drug Charges
- Resources to Help With Substance Abuse and Drug Crime Allegations
- Talk to a Drug Crime Lawyer in Lake Lotawana, MO, Today
Cases Handled
Over 10,000
Jail Days Saved
Over 1 Million
Google Reviews
500+ Perfect
Legal Experience
Over 80 Years
How a Lake Lotawana, MO, Drug Crime Lawyer Fights for You
When you contact an expert Lake Lotawana, MO, drug crime lawyer from Combs Waterkotte, we start working on your defense immediately. Regardless of the particulars, it’s critical to work with a team that will protect your rights and defend your freedom.
When you work with our firm, you can expect your drug crime lawyer to do the following:
- Listen to Your Side of the Story: A legal case is about more than just winning or a verdict. We’re dedicated to treating you like a person, not a case number.
- Stand By You During Interrogations: No matter what, even if you’re innocent, you need an attorney by your side to ensure that your rights are being protected.
- Argue for Bail: If you’re facing drug charges in Lake Lotawana, MO, you may or may not get bail; getting it depends on certain subjective factors. Our team will fight for your freedom and a low bail amount.
- Decide on a Powerful Defense Strategy: Based on the specifics of your case, we’ll work together to come up with a powerful defense strategy to fight the prosecution.
- Negotiate With the State: The prosecutors know that we build every defense as if we’re going to trial, so they know they can’t get away with an unfair offer.
- Fight the State in Front of a Jury: Not every case ends with a plea deal. If you choose to go to trial, our trial-ready team of drug crime lawyers will represent you in court.
- Continue to Fight for Your Interests at Sentencing/Appeals/Parole: After a trial, you may have the option for sentencing, appeal, and/or parole hearings. Our lawyers can stay by your side and help you explore further options.
Strong Drug Crime Defense Strategies
A leading drug crimes defense attorney should have a variety of defenses to choose from for your case. Below are some of the common strategies that your Lake Lotawana, MO, drug crime lawyer should consider:
Lack of Intent
If you didn’t mean to break the law, you often can be found innocent. Intentions are critical in drug crime cases. In the wrong circumstances, you can be accused just for being near a controlled substance, even if they weren’t yours. For example, if someone using drug paraphernalia left them on your property, you can argue that you did not have intent to use them, and because of that, are innocent.
Substance Analysis Errors
Before you can be convicted, the state needs to prove what that substance was. If the evidence chain of custody was broken, or the lab made a mistake in the analysis, we’ll highlight that and have the evidence removed.
Fourth Amendment Rights Violation
Your Fourth Amendment rights place rules on how law enforcement officers can find evidence. This means that law enforcement officers cannot search you for evidence with either a warrant or probable cause. Your Lake Lotawana, MO, drug crime lawyer can question the legitimacy of these warrants and probable cause inferences.
Entrapment
Police are allowed to conduct undercover operations to catch alleged criminals, but there are limits on what they are allowed to do. If they go too far and cause you to break the law when you wouldn’t have otherwise, that is entrapment. By claiming entrapment, we can successfully argue for many drug charges to be dropped or dismissed.
Drug possession defenses are different from those for some other types of accusations, namely, violent crimes. This is because many are vice crimes, so strategies like “self-defense” don’t apply.
On the other hand, you can fight drug charges in unique ways, with unique defenses. For example, let’s look at a hypothetical marijuana criminal charge. While it is now legal in Missouri, adults over 21 cannot carry more than 3oz of marijuana at a time. If you only had 3oz on you, but a police officer’s scale malfunctioned, and it showed more than 3oz, you can claim that there was a measurement error and you did not violate the law.
Vice Crimes Definition: Vice crimes are actions that are illegal and socially unacceptable, but generally don’t hurt other people. Common examples include using drugs, prostitution, and certain kinds of gambling.
Drug Allegations We Fight in Lake Lotawana, MO
There’s no such thing as a drug accusation in Lake Lotawana, MO, that isn’t serious. Here are some of the charges we will defend you against:
Drug Possession
Drug possession is probably the most common drug-related charge in Lake Lotawana, MO. You would ‘possess’ a drug if you allegedly had it on your person, or it was somewhere else, but you had control over it.
Drug Possession Penalty: For any substances other than Marijuana, possession is a class D felony, with up to seven years in prison if convicted (Marijuana possession can either be a class A or class D misdemeanor).
Drug Distribution
Drug distribution is normally treated more seriously than simple possession. These charges include when someone allegedly sold an illegal drug, tried to sell it, or even just planned to sell some they had.
Drug Distribution Penalty: Distribution charges can range from a class E felony (up to four years in prison) to a class C felony (three to ten years in prison).
Drug Trafficking
Drug trafficking refers to when someone is accused of possessing, purchasing, or bringing into Missouri a large amount of an illegal substance.
Drug Trafficking Penalty: Depending on the exact charge you face, you could be up against anything from a class C felony to a class A felony (ten years to life in prison).
Drug Manufacturing
Drug manufacturing charges in Lake Lotawana, MO, are what you probably expect: cases where a person supposedly made an illegal drug.
Drug Manufacturing Penalty: Manufacturing penalties depend on the type of substance that was allegedly made and the amount. Some other factors, such as if someone was injured in the process, can also elevate the penalties. The sentence can range from a class E felony up to a class A felony.
DWI With Drugs
A DWI with drugs is not that different than one with alcohol: If you were operating a vehicle with drugs in your system (even legal ones) that make it unsafe to be on the road, you can be accused of a DWI with drugs.
DWI with Drugs Penalty: The penalty depends on whether you have any previous DWI convictions. If you’ve never been convicted before, the penalty is a class B misdemeanor (up to six months in jail). Additionally, you will face a license suspension.
Juvenile Drug Crimes
Juvenile drug crimes are more of a category than a specific offense. This includes any charges where the accused is under 18. This also includes some special crimes, such as a minor in possession of marijuana.
Juvenile Drug Crimes Penalty: The potential penalties are the same as for adults, but the defense strategies are different. Your juvenile drug crime lawyer can help you look into juvenile diversion programs in Lake Lotawana, MO.
As outlined above, most of these allegations can be charged as a felony. To defend yourself against years behind bars, it’s essential to work with an expert felony drug crime lawyer to build your defense.
Federal Drug Charges in Lake Lotawana, MO
In addition to state charges, there’s another thing to be aware of: Federal charges. If the alleged crime took place on federal land, or across multiple states, the federal government may decide to prosecute the case. If you are facing federal charges, contact a proven federal drug charges lawyer who can take on the United States Government immediately.
What You Need in a Lake Lotawana, MO, Drug Crime Lawyer
A Lake Lotawana, MO, drug crimes attorney with skill and knowledge is essential to help you win your case. If you want to maximize your chances of a positive outcome, you need someone who has all of the following:
- Established relationships in Lake Lotawana, MO, courtrooms
- Compassion for your situation and well-being
- Fair and clear payment structures
- Plans on how to defend against your charges
- A history of positive outcomes for clients
Combs Waterkotte meets all of the criteria for a high-quality drug crime lawyer. We are committed to your case and will always be honest with you about it.
Legal Alternatives: Missouri Drug Charges and Treatment/Diversion Programs
Jury trials for drug cases are intimidating. They can be unforgiving and unpredictable. With help, though, you might be able to take another route. Your drug crime lawyer advise you on special courts and diversionary programs that can keep you out of prison.
While the state of Missouri has several different drug treatment courts, most defendants will try to use adult treatment court. These courts were made to help people with substance use disorders fight against addiction, rather than facing typical criminal charges.
The typical process involves the court identifying if someone is a good candidate for treatment services, working with the defense attorney to ensure the candidate’s rights are respected, and providing rehabilitation services to the person once they’re in the program. Typically, drug testing is required on a regular basis in these programs.
Some other types of treatment courts in Missouri include DWI court, family treatment court, and/or juvenile court. These offer some of the same benefits, however, not every city has them available. Contact a drug crime lawyer to see what you have access to in Lake Lotawana, MO.
Getting Help: Substance Abuse and Legal Resources
Drug cases are complicated. The government’s rules don’t always take real-life circumstances into account. But there are ways to find help. Below, you can review some resources for assistance with both the addiction layer and the legal layer:
Substance Abuse Assistance Resources
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
SAMHSA is an official government organization which focuses on the mental health and wellbeing of people within the United States. They also feature FindTreatment.gov, which can help people locate treatment options.
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
NIDA offers information regarding commonly abused substances, news in the space, and conducts research trials in attempts to fight addiction.
Missouri Treatment Court Reports
This Missouri government resource can help you get an idea of where the nearest treatment courts are to you, and includes additional resources for locating a treatment court option.
Missouri Drug Charges Legal Resources
Missouri Drug Laws Index
Because the statutes as written can be convoluted and hard to understand, we’ve rewritten some of the key drug statutes in plain English to make them more easily interpreted.
Missouri Legal FAQs
Our legal FAQs provide answers to some of the most common criminal defense questions in Missouri, including for drug crime accusations.
Legal Glossary
Our legal glossary gives definitions for court and legal terms. If you’ve been given a court document that you can’t make sense of, this can be a useful resource.
The consequences of a drug charge are a big deal. But with the right drug crime lawyer, you can find options that help you start over.
Get Expert Legal Representation in Lake Lotawana, MO, From a Proven Drug Crime Lawyer
When you work with a Lake Lotawana, MO, drug crime attorney, you need to have high standards. You should be getting expert legal representation and working with someone who puts you first.
At Combs Waterkotte, we have:
- Successfully handled over 10,000 cases
- Wide-spread criminal defense resources
- Two former prosecutors who understand how the state thinks
- A stellar reputation amongst clients and peers
Reach out to us at (314) 900-HELP or send us a note online to talk to a drug crime lawyer now.
