Criminal Defense Lawyer in Greater St. Louis, MO

Criminal Defense Lawyer in Greater St. Louis, MO. Being arrested and accused of a crime, even a small one such as a moving violation or driving while intoxicated, can change someone’s life permanently. Not only will your reputation among friends, family, and colleagues be permanently changed, if found guilty you will be facing substantial penalties ranging from fines to hours spent performing community service to even time behind bars. Furthermore, if your charges are felonies, if you are convicted your rights as a citizen will be heavily restricted, including the inability to vote or own a firearm.

Having the right St. Louis criminal defense lawyer representing you in front of a judge can make the difference between your charges being reduced, if not entirely eliminated, and having to face these punishments. You need a lawyer who gives your case the utmost personal attention and care, who will plan out an intelligent, winning defense strategy custom-made for your unique circumstances, and does everything in their power to minimize—or even eliminate—the effect that criminal charges can have on your life.

The experienced St. Louis, MO criminal defense lawyers at Combs Waterkotte are here to help St. Louis-area citizens from all walks of life who are facing criminal charges minimize the effect they have on their lives, reputations, and freedom. Our standard of providing successful, client-focused legal representation is unmatched among criminal defense lawyers in St. Louis. We are ready 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 to work for you, give us a call at (314) 900-HELP or talk to us online today.

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

The skilled St. Louis, MO criminal defense lawyers at Combs Waterkotte handle a wide variety of case types and criminal charges, such as:

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

Choosing the right lawyer can make the difference between your case being decided in your favor and losing your rights and freedoms. Unlike other St. Louis criminal defense lawyers, our firm centers our entire experience around complete, total client satisfaction. When you choose Combs Waterkotte, you can rest assured that you can contact your St. Louis criminal defense lawyer at any time, day or night, to discuss the facts of your case, legal strategy, or anything else. No matter where you are, what time it is, or your present circumstances, you will have a direct line to your attorney to be a friendly listener in your time of need.

When Should I Call A Criminal Defense Lawyer?

If you ever get in trouble with the police, you may believe that if you “lay low” or say the right thing, you will be fine 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 talk to an experienced St. Louis criminal defense lawyer at any time.

It is entirely possible that you may not think you need to talk to a criminal defense lawyer, but calling one could vastly improve the outcome of your case. Here are a few scenarios where calling a St. Louis defense lawyer is the right move to make:

• When investigators “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 safe to talk to the police. However, you still need to watch what you say, as the police did not directly witness the crime: after all, this is why they are talking to you in the first place. An inexperienced or overzealous officer could read your statement the wrong way and consider you a prime suspect. If police want your witness statement, ask them if you can make an appointment with the officer. This way, you can call an attorney, discuss what you saw and how you were involved, and make sure what you say to the police leaves no doubt that you were an innocent bystander. If the facts of your case are murky and could possibly place you under suspicion, you may want to hire a criminal defense lawyer to protect 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 greatly limits their ability to get search warrants or force you to grant access to personal information. However, police will occasionally ask you to sign “releases”, which allow them to get blood tests or scans to see if you had drugs or alcohol in your system. If the police ask you to sign one of these documents, politely refuse and ask to speak with a lawyer. Voluntarily allowing the police to gain access to these records, even if they did not have a legitimate reason to ask for them, automatically makes them admissible in court as evidence, so it is crucial 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. Louis. If you are ever actually detained by the police, you should immediately invoke your right to remain silent, explain that you do not want to answer any questions without an attorney being present, and call a criminal defense lawyer in St. Louis who can help you defend yourself against charges and accusations.

Fixing Traffic Tickets In St. Louis, MO

If there’s one thing that St. Louis-area drivers do not like to see in their rearview mirror, it’s the unmistakable sight of police sirens pulling them over for a moving violation. Motorists all around St. Louis know that local municipal police departments use traffic enforcement not to keep roads safe, but sometimes as additional revenue sources (especially if the town you are driving through has a dwindling property tax base, or indeed does not levy property tax on homeowners).

Getting a traffic ticket in St. Louis, MO isn’t just a nuisance; it’s also a drain on your finances. If you elect to pay your St. Louis traffic ticket, you essentially plead guilty to the charges against you and they go on your driving record. Depending on the severity of your offense, you could be facing a suspension or revocation of your driver’s license, and your car insurance premiums will drastically increase. Tickets generally cannot be removed from your driving record for a minimum of three years, as well, meaning that if you are pulled over another time during this period you could be subject to increased penalties.

A growing number of St. Louis drivers are choosing Combs Waterkotte as their St. Louis traffic ticket lawyer, and for good reason. Combs Waterkotte brings unmatched legal knowledge to all of our cases, even small moving violations. Our firm works hard to ensure that the charges on your traffic ticket are reduced to non-moving violations (which, once paid, do not stay on your record or influence insurance rates) or have your ticket dismissed due to police error. Best of all, our premier St. Louis 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 given a traffic ticket in St. Louis and do not want it to stay on your driving record, call us now at (314) 900-HELP to speak with our firm and get the ball rolling on fixing your St. Louis traffic ticket.

Contact Experienced St. Louis Criminal Defense Lawyers | Combs Waterkotte

When you have been charged with a crime, from a simple traffic ticket for failing to properly signal to serious felonies, talk to a seasoned St. Louis criminal defense lawyer at Combs Waterkotte first. Call us at (314) 900-HELP or contact us online to schedule a free consultation. Our firm is ready to talk with you at any time to help you defend yourself against criminal charges and keep your hard-earned reputation amongst friends and in the community.