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 transcript of the interview below.
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Interview Transcript
Scott Michael Dunn: One thing that really dawns on me, which is scary, if you’re overloaded and you have a massive caseload, is there a predominance in the public defense creed to maybe expedite cases a little quicker than they should? Or maybe not work really super hard to get what they could possibly get by taking it to court?
Chris Combs: Well, I know at least at our firm, we are results driven, meaning we are always looking for dismissal or an amendment to a lesser charge. We do not take the first plea offer and then go back to our client and say, ”If you don’t like it, pay us to go to trial.”
Whereas in the public defender’s office, I think you hit the nail on the head. I think that with less face time, less hands on the file. By the time your file makes its way to me at Combs Waterkotte, it’s been reviewed by two or three people, a paralegal, a law clerk, an associate lawyer, before it lands on my desk. Again, you’re just not going to get the time.
I’m not saying you’re not going to get the effort, but you’re just not going to get the time that we’re going to invest in your case. I think that’s critical.
Scott Michael Dunn: And with that time investment in the case, you’re looking for the win.
Chris Combs: Yeah, I’m looking for the win. I’m not here to rush it.
When you have that kind of caseload, you may do what I just mentioned, which is, “Look, this is the best deal I can get. If you don’t like it, we’ve got to go to trial and there may be a much better deal out there, but just not time to fight for it.”
So it’s like, “Take this or let’s roll the dice in front of 12 jurors,” when there very well could be another avenue to getting a better result.
Scott Michael Dunn: Yeah. I know Steve had mentioned – and you just said, so many eyes on content and the documents. What Steve mentioned, we were talking about orders of protection, he really goes through everything in great detail, reads text messages and all through and through.
And what I feel like there’s a pretty substantial difference between being overloaded as a public defender and going into a private attorney. I don’t know how they would even have the time to really comb through stuff like that.
Chris Combs: Yeah, I don’t think they have the time. We tell every client, “You cannot give us too much information.”
Our team will parse through anything. Medical records, we get mountains of medical records sometimes. It’s just case specific, but we always want as much information as possible and will parse through it.
This is a generalized statement, but I don’t know how most public defenders could find the time.
And I have great friends who are public defenders, but it is hard for them to find the time to be able to go through voluminous amounts of documents and things of that nature.
Scott Michael Dunn: I don’t know how it’s even possible. They’re a singular entity.
Chris Combs: They’ve got a tough, tough job, public defenders. I respect it.
Scott Michael Dunn: Exactly. Lots of respect to any of those out there that are public defenders. Because it’s a hard job.
Chris Combs: Yes, it is.
Scott Michael Dunn: But, if my life’s on the line, I don’t really want to gamble.
Chris Combs: No, you want the lawyer of your choosing, that you’ve researched, that you’ve interviewed, and that you feel comfortable handling your freedom, your liberty, your criminal record, your ability to go back and get an arrest record expunged.
Scott Michael Dunn: Absolutely.
I’m always amazed by the quantity of information that can fit in one brain. You have an immense amount of information. I’m always pleased and we’re blessed that you take the time out to sit and share that just vast amount of knowledge with us.
Chris Combs: It comes with time. Every day I learn something new, but I appreciate it.
I think getting this information out there is really helpful to people. As we say, we’re helping good people in bad situations. People make bad judgment calls in the heat of the moment or what have you. So we’re there to help them every step of the way.
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