Criminal Defense Lawyer in McDonald County, MO

Criminal Defense Lawyer McDonald County, MO. Having a criminal charge filed against you, even a minor one such as a moving violation or driving while intoxicated, can change someone’s life for good. Not only will your reputation among friends, family, and colleagues be permanently soiled, if found guilty you will be facing substantial penalties varying from fines to time spent performing community service to even time in jail. Also, if your charges are felonies, if you are convicted your rights as a citizen will be heavily limited, including being unable to vote or own a firearm.

Having the right McDonald County criminal defense lawyer representing you in front of a judge can be what separates your charges being reduced, if not completely eliminated, and having to face these punishments. You need a lawyer who gives your case the best in personal care and attention, who will develop a proven, winning defense strategy custom-made for your unique circumstances, and do all that they can to minimize—or even do away with—the effect that criminal charges can have on your life.

The experienced McDonald County, MO criminal defense lawyers at Combs Waterkotte are here to help McDonald County-area citizens of all kinds who are looking at criminal charges minimize the effect they have on their freedom, lives, and reputations. Our standard of providing successful, client-focused legal representation is unmatched among criminal defense lawyers in McDonald County. We are waiting to talk to you about your case today and offer free, no-strings-attached initial consultations. If you are facing criminal charges and want to put the attorneys at Combs Waterkotte in your corner, give us a call at (314) 900-HELP or get in touch with us online today.

A Full-Service McDonald County, MO Criminal Defense Lawyer

The knowledgeable McDonald County, MO criminal defense lawyers at Combs Waterkotte take a extensive array of case types and criminal charges, including:

• Motor Vehicle Theft
• Assault/Battery
• Domestic Violence
• Theft/Larceny
• Probation Violations
• Drug Charges

Finding the right lawyer can make the difference between your case going in your favor and being deprived of your rights and freedoms. Unlike other McDonald County criminal defense lawyers, our firm places total client satisfaction at the center of our practice. When you choose Combs Waterkotte, you can rest easy knowing that you can contact your McDonald County, MO criminal defense lawyer at any time, day or night, to chat about the facts of your case, legal strategy, or anything else. Regardless of where you are, the time of day, or your present circumstances, you will have a dedicated line to your attorney to lend an ear in your time of need.

When Should I Call A Criminal Defense Lawyer?

If you are ever questioned by the police, you may think that if you “lay low” or say what they want to hear, you will be all right and they will not give you any more trouble. However, this is a rare occurrence, and you should take any criminal investigation seriously and be ready to call an experienced St. Louis criminal defense lawyer at any time.

It is 100% possible that you may not think that it is necessary to chat with a criminal defense lawyer, but calling one could vastly improve the circumstances of your case. Here are a few instances where calling a McDonald County defense lawyer is the right move to make:

• When police “just want to ask questions”. If you were near the scene of a crime and had nothing at all to do with it, it’s logical to talk to the police. However, you still need to watch what you say, as the police did not directly see what happened: after all, this is why they are looking for witnesses in the first place. An inexperienced or excited officer could see your account the wrong way and consider you a prime suspect. If police want your eyewitness account, request if you can make an appointment with a detective. This way, you can call an attorney, discuss what you saw and how you fit into the situation, and make sure what you tell the police clearly establishes that you were just a bystander. If the facts of your case are not clear and could lead to you being a person of interest, you should hire a criminal defense lawyer to safeguard your rights.
• When police want you to sign something. Police cannot force you to do anything unless they have a reasonable suspicion that you committed a crime. The Fourth Amendment to the Constitution gives you protection from unreasonable searches and seizures, and heavily curtails their ability to obtain search warrants or require you to grant access to personal information. However, police will from time to time ask you to sign “releases”, which allow them to get blood work or scans to see if you had drugs or alcohol in your bloodstream. If the police ask you to sign one of these documents, politely decline and request to speak with a lawyer. Voluntarily allowing the police to obtain access to these records, even if they did not have a good reason to ask for them, automatically makes them admissible in court as evidence, so it is key to know your rights at all times.
• When you have been arrested for a crime. This is the most obvious time you need a criminal defense lawyer in McDonald County, MO. If you are ever actually detained by the police, you should immediately invoke your right to remain silent, tell them that you do not want to answer any interrogation without a lawyer by your side, and call a McDonald County criminal defense lawyer who can help you defend yourself against charges and accusations.

Fixing Traffic Tickets In McDonald County, MO

If there’s one thing that McDonald County drivers do not like to see on their rear bumper, it’s the unmistakable sight of police sirens pulling them over for a moving violation. Motorists all around McDonald County, MO know that local municipal law enforcement uses traffic enforcement not to punish reckless drivers, but sometimes as a secondary revenue stream (especially if the town you were pulled over in has a dwindling property tax base, or indeed does not levy property tax on homeowners).

Getting a traffic ticket in McDonald County, MO isn’t just a nuisance, it’s also a drain on your finances. If you choose to pay your McDonald County traffic ticket, you essentially plead guilty to the charges you were accused of and they go on your driving record. Depending on the degree of your offense, you could be facing a suspension or revocation of your driver’s license, and your car insurance premiums will greatly increase. Tickets generally cannot be expunged from your driving record for a minimum of three years, as well, which means that if you are pulled over another time during this period you could be looking at stiffer penalties.

Many McDonald County drivers are choosing Combs Waterkotte as their McDonald County traffic ticket lawyer, and with good cause. Combs Waterkotte brings unmatched legal intelligence to every one of its cases, even minor moving violations. Our firm works non-stop to make sure that the charges on your traffic ticket are reduced to non-moving violations (which, after you’ve paid them, do not stay on your record or affect insurance premiums) or have your ticket dismissed due to police error. Best of all, our exceptional McDonald County traffic ticket lawyer services come at an excellent value: just $49.99 for most cases, giving you access to premier legal services at a price you would not expect. If you have recently been given a traffic ticket in McDonald County, MO and do not want it to hamper your driving record, call us now at (314) 900-HELP to speak with our firm and start the process of getting your McDonald County traffic ticket fixed.

Other cases we take on in McDonald County, MO include:

• Child Abuse & Neglect Lawyer
• Homicide Lawyer
• Assault Lawyer
• Rape Defense Lawyer
• Sex Offense Lawyers
• DWI Attorney
• Crime Defense Lawyers
• Domestic Violence Defense Attorneys
• Child Pornography Defense Lawyer
• Criminal Lawyer

Contact Seasoned McDonald County, MO Criminal Defense Lawyers | Combs Waterkotte

When you have been accused of a crime, ranging from a small traffic ticket for rolling a stop sign to substantial felonies, talk to a skilled McDonald County, MO criminal defense lawyer at Combs Waterkotte first. Call us at (314) 900-HELP or contact us online to book a free review of your case. Our firm is ready to chat with you at any time to help you defend yourself against criminal charges and keep your hard-won reputation amongst family and friends.