What should you do immediately after being served with an order of protection in Missouri? Chris Combs and Steve Waterkotte of Combs Waterkotte Criminal Defense Law Firm discuss what you need to do if served with a restraining order or order of protection in Missouri.
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Episode Transcript
Steve Waterkotte: My advice, if you are served, whether it’s BS or whether it’s truthful, whether it’s by an ex parte or by some notice of hearing or summons, you call an attorney, get yourself ready for the hearing and start getting the wheels in motion on that.
Scott Michael Dunn: Let’s say I do make the call. What happens to me if I violate an order of protection?
Steve Waterkotte: Your first offense, it’s a class A misdemeanor. In many of these cases, they’ll issue a warrant because they take these things very seriously. The whole crux of that is that you are already violating a court’s order, a judge’s order. So despite it only being a misdemeanor, in many of these cases they will issue a warrant for an arrest. You can be arrested, taken in, you’ll have to argue the bond to get reduced.
Courts treat these things very seriously. Because, again, think about this, you’re spitting on an order of the court. The judge has ordered you to not do something, and you are doing it in direct violation of that judge’s order, that court’s order.
So they treat these things very seriously. The first two offenses are class A misdemeanors, and the third offense will be charged as a felony offense.
If you need Missouri’s leading order of protection defense team to defend your rights and freedom, speak to one of our attorneys today at (314) 900-HELP or contact us online for a free case review.
