Criminal Defense Lawyer in St. Louis, MO
Criminal Defense Lawyer St. Louis, MO. Getting charged with a crime, even a seemingly insignificant one such as a traffic ticket or DWI, 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 subject to major penalties ranging from fines to hours spent performing community service to even jail time. In addition, if your charges are felonies, a conviction means your rights as a citizen will be heavily restricted, including the inability to vote or own a firearm.
Having the correct St. Louis criminal defense lawyer representing you in a court of law can your charges being lowered, if not entirely eliminated, and having to suffer these penalties. You need a lawyer who gives your case the ultimate in personal attention and care, who will develop a proven, winning defense strategy tailor-made for your own situation, and do everything in their power to minimize—or even eliminate—the effect that criminal charges can have on your life.
The veteran St. Louis, MO criminal defense lawyers at Combs Waterkotte are here to help St. Louis-area citizens of all kinds who are facing criminal charges limit the effect they have on their lives, reputations, and freedom. Our standard of providing successful, client-focused legal representation is unrivalled 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 get in touch with us online today.
St. Louis City Resources
Below are quick links to important websites that may assist you with your legal matters in St. Louis and Missouri.
A Full-Service St. Louis, MO Criminal Defense Lawyer
The skilled St. Louis, MO criminal defense lawyers at Combs Waterkotte handle a diverse array of case types and criminal charges, including:
- 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 being deprived of your rights and freedoms. In contrast with other St. Louis 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. Louis, MO criminal defense lawyer at any time of day to chat about the facts of your case, how you want to proceed, or anything else. Regardless of where you are, the time of day, 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 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 call a veteran St. Louis criminal defense lawyer at any time.
It is entirely possible that you may not think that it is necessary to call a criminal defense lawyer, but calling one could vastly improve the circumstances of your case. Here are a few scenarios where calling a St. Louis defense lawyer is the right thing to do:
- When officers “just want to ask questions”. If you were near the scene of a crime and were just passing through, it’s logical to talk to the police. However, you still need to mind your words, as the police did not directly witness the crime: after all, this is why they are talking to you to begin with. An inexperienced or overzealous officer could see your account the wrong way and think that you are a person of interest. If police want your witness statement, request if you can make an appointment with a detective. This way, you can call an attorney, discuss what you saw and how you were involved, and make sure what you tell the police clearly establishes that you were an innocent bystander. If the facts of your case are murky and could make you a suspect, you may want to hire a criminal defense lawyer to safeguard your rights.
- When police want you to sign a document. Police cannot compel you to do anything unless they have a genuine suspicion that you committed a crime. The Fourth Amendment to the Constitution grants you protection from unreasonable searches and seizures, and heavily curtails their power to obtain search warrants or require you to grant access to personal information. However, police will sometimes ask you to sign “releases”, which allow them to get blood work or scans to see if you had drugs or alcohol in your system. If the police request that you sign one of these papers, politely say no and ask to talk with a lawyer. Voluntarily allowing the police to gain access to these records, even if they did not have a legal reason to ask for them, automatically makes them admissible in court as evidence, so it is critical to know your rights at all times.
- When you have been arrested for a crime. This is the most logical time you need a criminal defense lawyer in St. Louis, MO. If you are ever arrested by the police, you should immediately invoke your right to remain silent, say that you do not want to answer any questions without a lawyer in the room, and call a St. Louis criminal defense lawyer who can help you stand up against charges and accusations.
Fixing Traffic Tickets In St. Louis, MO
If there’s one thing that St. Louis drivers do not want to see behind them, it’s the unmistakable sight of police sirens pulling them over for a moving violation. Motorists all over St. Louis, MO know that local municipal law enforcement uses traffic enforcement not to keep roads safe, but sometimes as a secondary revenue stream (especially if the municipality you are driving through has a declining property tax base, or indeed does not levy property tax on homeowners).
Being written a traffic ticket in St. Louis, MO isn’t just a pain, it’s also a drain on your finances. If you choose to pay your St. Louis traffic ticket, you indirectly 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 staring down a suspension or revocation of your driver’s license, and your car insurance premiums will greatly increase. Tickets usually 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 subject to harsher penalties.
Many St. Louis drivers are choosing Combs Waterkotte as their St. Louis 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 without rest 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 affect insurance premiums) or have your ticket dismissed due to police not following proper procedure. Best of all, our top-notch St. Louis 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 issued a traffic ticket in St. Louis, MO and do not want it to stay on your driving record, call us now at (314) 900-HELP to speak with our firm and start the process of getting your St. Louis traffic ticket fixed.
Other cases we take on in St. Louis, MO include:
- Gun Crime Lawyer
- 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
Contact Trusted St. Louis, 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. Louis, 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 here to chat with you at any time to help you defend yourself against criminal indictments and keep your hard-earned reputation amongst friends and in the community.