Criminal Defense Lawyer in Ste. Genevieve County, MO
Criminal Defense Lawyer Ste. Genevieve County, MO. Being arrested and accused of a crime, even a minor one such as a moving violation or driving while intoxicated, can alter someone’s life forever. Not only will your standing among friends, family, and colleagues be permanently soiled, if found guilty you will be looking at substantial penalties varying from fines to hours spent performing community service to even time behind bars. Furthermore, 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 right Ste. Genevieve County criminal defense lawyer representing you in the courtoroom can be what separates your charges being lowered, if not completely dropped, and having to face these punishments. You need a lawyer who gives your case the best in personal care and attention, who will plan out a smart, winning defense strategy custom-made for your unique circumstances, and do all that they can to reduce—or even do away with—the effect that criminal charges can have on your life.
The experienced Ste. Genevieve County, MO criminal defense lawyers at Combs Waterkotte are here to help Ste. Genevieve County-area citizens of all kinds who are looking at criminal charges limit the effect they have on their reputation, freedoms, and lives. Our standard of providing successful, client-focused legal representation is unrivalled among criminal defense lawyers in Ste. Genevieve County. 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 in your corner, call us at (314) 900-HELP or contact online today.
Ste. Genevieve County Resources
Below are quick links to important websites that may assist you with your legal matters in Ste. Genevieve County and Missouri.
A Full-Service Ste. Genevieve County, MO Criminal Defense Lawyer
The experienced Ste. Genevieve County, MO criminal defense lawyers at Combs Waterkotte take a wide array of case types and criminal charges, such as:
- Motor Vehicle Theft
- Assault/Battery
- Domestic Violence
- Theft/Larceny
- Probation Violations
- Drug Charges
Working with the right lawyer can be the difference between your case going in your way and being deprived of your rights and freedoms. Unlike other Ste. Genevieve County 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 Ste. Genevieve County, 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, the time of day, or your current situation, 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 what they want to hear, you will be fine and they will not hassle you further. However, this is not always the case, 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 you need to chat with a criminal defense lawyer, but calling one could greatly improve the result of your case. Here are a few instances where calling a Ste. Genevieve County 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 fine 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 younger 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, go over what you saw and how you were involved, and make sure what you tell the police leaves no doubt that you were just a bystander. If the facts of your case are not clear and could possibly place you under suspicion, you should 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 reasonable 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 get search warrants or force you to grant access to personal data. But, police will occasionally ask you to sign “releases”, which permit them to get blood tests or scans to see if you had drugs or alcohol in your system. If the police request that you sign one of these documents, politely decline and ask to speak with a lawyer. Voluntarily allowing the police to obtain access to these records, even if they did not have a legitimate reason to request 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 logical time you need a criminal defense lawyer in Ste. Genevieve County, MO. If you are ever arrested by the police, you should immediately invoke your right to remain silent, tell them that you do not want to answer any inquiries without a lawyer by your side, and call a Ste. Genevieve County criminal defense lawyer who can help you defend yourself against charges and accusations.
Fixing Traffic Tickets In Ste. Genevieve County, MO
If there’s one thing that Ste. Genevieve County drivers do not want to see on their rear bumper, it’s the distinctive sight of police sirens pulling them over for a moving violation. Motorists all over Ste. Genevieve County, MO know that local municipal law enforcement uses traffic enforcement not to punish reckless drivers, but sometimes as a way to fill city coffers (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 Ste. Genevieve County, MO isn’t just a nuisance, it’s also a drain on your finances. If you elect to pay your Ste. Genevieve County traffic ticket, you effectively 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 drastically increase. Tickets in general 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 facing harsher penalties.
A growing number of Ste. Genevieve County drivers are choosing Combs Waterkotte as their Ste. Genevieve County traffic ticket lawyer, and for good reason. Combs Waterkotte brings unmatched legal knowledge to every single one of its cases, even small moving violations. Our firm works non-stop to ensure that the charges on your traffic ticket are brought down to non-moving violations (which, once paid, are removed from your record or influence insurance premiums) or have your ticket dismissed due to police not following proper procedure. Most importantly, our premier Ste. Genevieve County traffic ticket lawyer services come at an exceptional 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 Ste. Genevieve 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 Ste. Genevieve County traffic ticket fixed.
Other cases we take on in Ste. Genevieve 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 Ste. Genevieve County, MO Criminal Defense Lawyers | Combs Waterkotte
When you have been charged with a crime, ranging from a small traffic ticket for rolling a stop sign to grave felonies, talk to a seasoned Ste. Genevieve County, MO criminal defense lawyer at Combs Waterkotte first. Call us at (314) 900-HELP or contact us online to book a free case review. Our firm is ready to chat with you at any time to help you defend yourself against criminal accusations and keep your hard-won reputation amongst your community.