Criminal Defense Lawyer in St. Joseph, MO

Criminal Defense Lawyer St. Joseph, MO. Being arrested and accused of a crime, even a small one such as a traffic ticket or DWI, can alter someone’s life permanently. Not only will your reputation among friends, family, and colleagues be permanently affected, if found guilty you will be looking at major penalties varying from fines to time spent performing community service to even jail time. Furthermore, if your charges are felonies, if you are convicted your rights as a citizen will be heavily restricted, including a prohibition on voting or owning a firearm.

Having the right St. Joseph criminal defense lawyer representing you in a court of law can be what separates your charges being reduced, if not completely eliminated, and having to suffer these penalties. You need a lawyer who gives your case the ultimate in personal attention and care, who will map out a smart, successful defense strategy tailor-made for your unique situation, and do everything in their power to minimize—or even do away with—the effect that criminal charges can have on your life.

The experienced St. Joseph, MO criminal defense lawyers at Combs Waterkotte are here to assist St. Joseph-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 unequaled among criminal defense lawyers in St. Joseph. We are eager to talk to you about your case today and offer free, no-obligation initial consultations. If you are facing criminal charges and want to put the attorneys at Combs Waterkotte to work for you, give us a call at (314) 900-HELP or get in touch with us online today.

A Full-Service St. Joseph, MO Criminal Defense Lawyer

The experienced St. Joseph, MO criminal defense lawyers at Combs Waterkotte handle a diverse variety 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 being decided in your favor and being deprived of your rights and freedoms. Unlike other St. Joseph criminal defense lawyers, our firm centers our entire experience around complete, total client satisfaction. When you choose Combs Waterkotte, you can be assured that you can talk to your St. Joseph, MO criminal defense lawyer 24/7 to talk about the facts of your case, legal strategy, or any other topic. No matter where you are, what time it is, or your current situation, 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 hassle you further. However, this situation happens rarely, if ever, 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 believe you should talk to a criminal defense lawyer, but calling one could greatly improve the outcome of your case. Here are a few instances where calling a St. Joseph defense lawyer is the right move to make:

• When police “just want to ask questions”. If you were at a crime scene and had nothing at all to do with it, it’s logical to talk to the police. However, you still need to watch your mouth, as the police did not directly see what happened: after all, this is why they are talking to you to begin with. A rookie or excited officer could take your account the wrong way and think that you are a person of interest. If police want your eyewitness account, request if you can make an appointment with the officer. This way, you can talk to an attorney, discuss what you saw and how you were involved, and make sure what you say to the police clearly establishes that you were an innocent bystander. If the facts of your case are murky and could lead to you being a person of interest, you may want to hire a criminal defense lawyer to safeguard your rights.
• When police want you to sign paperwork. Police cannot force you to do anything unless they have a reasonable suspicion that you committed a crime. The Fourth Amendment to the Constitution provides you protection from unreasonable searches and seizures, and heavily limits their power to obtain search warrants or make you grant access to personal information. But, police will occasionally ask you to sign “releases”, which permit them to get blood work or scans to see if you had drugs or alcohol in your system. If the police want you to sign one of these forms, 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 request them, automatically renders 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 St. Joseph, MO. If you are ever taken into custody by the police, you should immediately invoke your right to remain silent, tell them that you do not want to answer any inquiries without an attorney being present, and call a St. Joseph criminal defense lawyer who can help you stand up against charges and accusations.

Fixing Traffic Tickets In St. Joseph, MO

If there’s one thing that St. Joseph drivers do not want to see on their rear bumper, it’s the unmistakable sight of police sirens pulling them over for a moving violation. Motorists all over St. Joseph, MO know that local municipal police departments use traffic enforcement not to promote good driving habits, but sometimes as a way to fill city coffers (especially if the town you are driving through has a declining property tax base, or indeed does not have a property tax at all).

Being written a traffic ticket in St. Joseph, MO isn’t just a nuisance, it’s also a financial penalty. If you elect to pay your St. Joseph traffic ticket, you indirectly plead guilty to the charges you were accused of and they go on your driving record. Depending on the severity of your offense, you could be staring down a suspension or revocation of your driver’s license, and your car insurance premiums will greatly increase. Tickets in general cannot be removed from your driving record for a minimum of three years, as well, meaning that if you are pulled over once again during this period you could be facing harsher penalties.

An increasing number of St. Joseph drivers are choosing Combs Waterkotte as their St. Joseph traffic ticket lawyer, and for good reason. Combs Waterkotte brings unparalleled legal intelligence to every single one of its cases, even small moving violations. Our firm works without rest to make sure that the charges on your traffic ticket are reduced to non-moving violations (which, after you’ve paid them, are removed from your record or affect insurance premiums) or have your ticket dismissed due to police not following proper procedure. Best of all, our exceptional St. Joseph traffic ticket lawyer services come at an excellent value: just $49.99 for most cases, giving you access to quality legal services at a price you would not expect. If you have recently been written a traffic ticket in St. Joseph, 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 fixing your St. Joseph traffic ticket.

Other cases we take on in St. Joseph, 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 Trusted St. Joseph, MO Criminal Defense Lawyers | Combs Waterkotte

When you have been charged with a crime, from a small traffic ticket for not properly changing lanes to grave felonies, talk to a seasoned St. Joseph, MO criminal defense lawyer at Combs Waterkotte first. Call us at (314) 900-HELP or contact us online to schedule a free review of your case. Our firm is here to talk with you at a time that fits your schedule to help you defend yourself against criminal indictments and keep your hard-won reputation amongst family and friends.