Drug Crime Lawyer in Orrick, 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. If you don’t work with a premier Orrick, 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. Your attorney from our team is ready to defend against any drug charge in Orrick, MO, and won’t stop fighting until you get the justice you deserve.
If you need an expert Orrick, MO, drug crime lawyer, we’re just a call away. Call us at (314) 900-HELP or send us a note on line for a no-obligation review of your charges.
Orrick, MO, Drug Crime Lawyer: Page Overview
In this article, we outline how a drug crime lawyer in Orrick, MO, will take direct action to help you, the different drug charges you can face in Missouri, the top qualities to look for when deciding on a drug defense attorney, and resources available to help people facing drug charges in Orrick, MO.
If there’s a specific topic you want to learn more about, you can jump ahead using the links below:
- What a Orrick, MO, Drug Crime Lawyer Does
- Orrick, MO, Drug Charges We Defend and Their Penalties
- What You Need in a Orrick, MO, Drug Crime Lawyer
- Alternatives to Court for Orrick, MO, Drug Charges
- Substance Abuse and Legal Resources
- Connect With a Drug Crime Lawyer in Orrick, MO, Today
Cases Handled
Over 10,000
Jail Days Saved
Over 1 Million
Google Reviews
500+ Perfect
Legal Experience
Over 80 Years
What a Orrick, MO, Drug Crime Lawyer Does
When you call an expert Orrick, MO, drug crime lawyer from Combs Waterkotte, you get help in your case right away. Regardless of the particulars, it’s critical to work with an attorney who will protect your rights and won’t back down.
Each of our team members is dedicated to giving you the best experience and legal representation possible. Here’s how we do it:
- Listen to Your Side of the Story: The outcome of your case matters, but so does your experience while you fight it. We want to know you, and how we can best help.
- Protect You During Interrogations: No matter what, regardless of the circumstances, you need an attorney by your side to ensure that your rights are being protected.
- Argue for Pretrial Release: Bail is not guaranteed for all crimes in Orrick, MO, and getting it depends on certain subjective factors. Our team will fight for your freedom and a low bail amount.
- Craft 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.
- Explore Plea Deal Options: The prosecutors know that we build every defense as if we’re going to trial, so we can negotiate from a position of strength.
- 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 present your case in court.
- Represent You for Sentencing/Appeals/Parole: After a trial, you may have the option for sentencing, appeal, and/or parole hearings. We won’t give up until you get justice.
Strong Strategies Our Lawyers Use Against Drug Charges
A leading drug crimes defense attorney should have a variety of defenses to choose from for your case. When you work with us, we’ll look at the below defense strategies and figure out what fits your circumstances best:
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 face criminal accusations if someone with you was using a controlled substance, even if you didn’t touch it. For example, if someone using drug paraphernalia left them on your property, you can argue that you did not have intent, and there for are not guilty of possessing or using them.
Mistaken Substance Analysis
To be convicted of possession, distributing, or manufacturing an illegal substance, the state needs to correctly identify the substance as something illegal to use or make. 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 restrict the police’s ability to search you for evidence. This means that law enforcement officers cannot search you for evidence with either a warrant or probable cause. Your Orrick, 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. If you wouldn’t have broken the law otherwise, we can use this to defend against the charges.
Drug possession defenses require specialized expertise, because not every type of criminal defense strategy will work for them. This is because many are vice crimes, so strategies like “self-defense” aren’t applicable.
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 4oz, you can claim that there was a measurement error and you were actually innocent.
Vice Crimes Definition: Vice crimes refer to a category of actions that are illegal, but committing them typically does not harm anyone other than the alleged offender. Common examples include using drugs, prostitution, and certain kinds of gambling.
Common Drug Charges in Orrick, MO
You can face a variety of different drug accusations in Orrick, MO, and it’s important to work with a reputable drug crime lawyer for any of them. Below, you can read about some typical charges, and what legal consequences you could face if convicted:
| Drug Charge Category | Description | Minimum Possible Penalty | Maximum Possible Penalty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drug Possession | Holding or having control over a drug | Class D Misdemeanor | Class D Felony |
| Drug Distribution | Selling or trying to sell a drug | Class E Felony | Class C Felony |
| Drug Trafficking | Owning or crossing state borders, into Missouri, with large quantities of drugs | Class C Felony | Class A Felony |
| Drug Manufacturing | Growing, mixing, or otherwise making drugs | Class E Felony | Class A Felony |
| DWI With Drugs | Operating a vehicle while under the influence of drugs | Class B Misdemeanor | Class A Felony (multiple prior offenses) |
| Juvenile Drug Crimes | Any of the above if the alleged offender was younger than 18 | Varies | Varies |
As you probably noticed, several of the above allegations carry felony consequences if convicted. If you want to avoid years behind bars, it’s imperitive to work with an accomplished felony drug crime lawyer to fight your case.
Federal Drug Charges in Orrick, MO
In cases where the federal government has decided to take over, building a strong defense is more critical than ever. Federal prosecutors are often even tougher than state prosecutors, and frequently have higher conviction rates. If you are facing federal charges, contact a leading federal drug charges lawyer who can take on the United States Government as soon as possible.
What to Look For in a Orrick, MO, Drug Crime Lawyer
A Orrick, 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:
- Practice fighting cases in Orrick, MO
- Care for how you’re doing
- Upfront and clear payment structures
- Familiarity with the statute(s) you’re accused of violating
- A history of positive outcomes for clients
Combs Waterkotte offers everything you need in a high-quality drug crime lawyer. We can offer you expert legal counsel and guidance on how to move forward.
Missouri’s Drug Treatment and 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 can help you explore special courts and diversionary programs that can offer you alternatives.
While Missouri has many drug treatment courts, adult treatment courts are the most widely available. As the name would imply, these systems offer treatment opportunities over typical punishments.
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. As a part of participation, candidates will agree to regular testing to ensure they do not take any illegal substances.
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 learn about what you have access to in Orrick, 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 forward. Below, you can review some resources for assistance with both the addiction layer and the legal layer:
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
- National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
- Missouri Treatment Court Reports
- Missouri Drug Laws Index
- Missouri Legal FAQs
- Legal Glossary
- General Missouri Criminal Defense Resources
Facing drug charges can turn your life upside down. But with the right drug crime lawyer, you can find options to get back on your feet and move forward.
You Need a Skilled Orrick, MO, Drug Crime Lawyer. You Need Combs Waterkotte
When you work with a Orrick, MO, drug crime attorney, you need to have high standards. You should be getting advice on how to best handle your case from day one.
At Combs Waterkotte, we have:
- Over 80 years of combined legal experience
- Wide-spread criminal defense resources
- Availability around the clock
- A stellar reputation amongst clients and peers
Call us at (314) 900-HELP or send us a note online to speak with a drug crime lawyer today.
