Criminal Defense Attorney in St. Clair, MO

Criminal Defense Attorney in St. Clair, MO. If you have been recently arrested and charged with a criminal offense, you do not need to be told that the situation is a serious ordeal. Even being convicted of a small infraction could cause you to pay an expensive fine, do time in county jail, or have to spend several years on probation. Facing a felony conviction only heightens these consequences: not only will you likely have to spend multiple years encarcerated in the Missouri state prisons, but after your release you will continue to pay through the loss of additional rights or privileges that a large number of citizens take for granted. Convicted felons are banned from owning firearms, running in an election, or holding certain occupations. In addition, in many cases, you could be required to admit your status as a convicted felon on rent or employment applications, which often severely curtails where they can live or work.

The experienced St. Clair, MO criminal defense attorneys at Combs Waterkotte have assisted many people rise above criminal convictions in the St. Clair, MO area. Our firm knows that sometimes good people can get caught up in bad situations, and our criminal defense lawyers work to limit the effect a criminal conviction has on your freedom, reputation, and life. Our record of success is notable among St. Clair criminal defense law firms, and we place client satisfaction at the center of everything we do — hear it firsthand from the satisfied St. Clair clients who have worked with Combs Waterkotte. Give us a call today at (314) 900-HELP, or contact us online, for a free, no-obligation review of your St. Clair, MO criminal case.

St. Clair, MO Federal Criminal Defense Lawyer

Being arrested is stressful in itself, but when the charges you are facing are federal charges, they demand an extra stage of legal knowledge and care. United States prosecuting attorneys are driven to win by any means necessary: the U.S. Department of Justice regularly boasts that it has a conviction rate of about 90 percent. The overwhelming majority of those convictions are plea bargains, where a defendant negotiates a lesser punishment or charge in exchange for an admission of guilt. Federal prosecutors will stop at nothing to induce a guilty plea, make sure that you spend years in a federal prison, and resign you to live the rest of your life with a federal criminal conviction.

At Combs Waterkotte, our St. Clair, MO criminal defense attorneys have vast and documented experience in taking on federal criminal defense cases and winning positive outcomes for our clients. Our firm of federal criminal defense attorneys near St. Clair, MO is not afraid to face off against any opponent — whether they are local municipal prosecutors, the Missouri state prosecutor department or federal attorneys — and fight fiercely on our clients’ behalf. We have fought for many St. Clair-area residents who were facing all kinds of federal criminal charges defend themselves against these charges and put what is a certainly scary experience in their rear-view mirror. Read more about our expertise in federal criminal cases and what makes federal criminal cases different from state and municipal cases.

A Full-Service St. Clair, MO Criminal Defense Attorney

The skilled St. Clair, MO criminal defense attorneys at Combs Waterkotte defend all cases and criminal charges, such as:

The criminal defense attorneys of Combs Waterkotte based in St. Clair, Missouri possess years of experience protecting defendants’ rights and fighting against criminal allegations. When you hire a lawyer from our hard-working St. Louis-based law firm, you can be confident that you will always receive thoughful counsel and dedicated legal defense. Regardless of whether you are facing a misdemeanor or felony, we treat your case, and your life, with the utmost care. You will always be able to reach and speak with the leading criminal defense attorney assigned to your case.

With your very life at risk of being taken from you, you need a legal ally you can trust and rely upon to advocate for you and fight on your behalf. Do not procrastinate speaking to a criminal defense attorney to help you fight your charges in St. Clair, MO or anywhere in Missouri. The quicker you get an attorney on your case, the sooner we can get to work building your case and lifting the weight of the unknown from your shoulders. Call (314) 900-HELP now or reach us online to get in touch with a criminal defense attorney in St. Clair, MO about your criminal case.

What are the punishments for criminal charges in Missouri?

Any criminal conviction will have an impact on your life. When the crime is a felony, the outcome of a conviction can be much more dire. You may be sentenced to years encarcerated in state prisons, and as a convicted felon you will no longer have certain rights or privileges that many people take for granted. As a convicted felon in Missouri, you are prohibited from purchasing or possessing firearms, voting in elections, running for office, or holding certain jobs. Also, in many cases, as a felon you are forced to disclose your status as a convicted felon on job or rental applications, which is an obvious obstacle to achieving a productive, fruitful life.

If you have already received a felony conviction or suspect that the likelihood of a conviction is high, you are not without options. Missouri law does allow for the restoration of certain rights and for certain cases you may be able to request a pardon, expungement, or the sealing of your record. Consult an experienced criminal defense attorney in St. Clair, MO to explore your post-conviction rights and options. Contact us to find out what our St. Clair, MO defense attorneys can do to help you reclaim your rights.

Felony Charges and Punishments in St. Clair, Missouri

In Missouri, crimes that are considered felonies are classified into categories based on the severity of the crime. Based on the class of your felony conviction, the punishment will vary.

Class A Felony – minimum of 10 years and no more than 30 years in prison, or life in prison
Class B Felony – at least five but no more than 15 years in prison
Class C Felony – between three and 10 years in prison
Class D Felony – a maximum of seven years in prison
Class E Felony – no more than four years in prison

In the end, the outcome of your felony criminal case depends on a variety of variables. If you receive a felony conviction, the precise punishment you are sentenced to is determined by the judge. The judge in your case will weigh information such as the situation surrounding the crime, your criminal history and other details.

There are some special crimes for which the class and subsequent punishment are enhanced, so what is typically considered a Class D felony in Missouri can be raised to a Class C, etc. This can happen for some defendants with prior convictions or for crimes that are determined to have been carried out due to a victim’s race, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, sex or disability. Likewise, with a competent and dedicated criminal defense attorney in St. Clair representing you, what was originally a Class B charge could be dropped down to a lower class felony, a felony could be dropped down to a misdemeanor or your criminal defense attorney may be able to get you a less severe.

You may also be able to avoid a criminal conviction altogether, if you have the right circumstances and a diligent and skillful criminal defense attorney. If you have a strong case demonstrating your innocence but the prosecutor is not willing to drop the charges, your Combs Waterkotte criminal defense lawyer will present your case meticulously to your peers in a jury trial, leaving the jury members to then decide whether or not to find you guilty. Contact our St. Clair, MO felony defense attorneys today to discuss your case and your options and receive quality counsel and representation.

Misdemeanor Charges in Missouri

Like with felonies, misdemeanors in Missouri are categorized into groups based on severity. Rather than time in state prison and possible parole supervision, the maximum punishment allowed for a misdemeanor is a year in jail, and in many cases no jail time is required, but rather the payment of a fine.

Class A Misdemeanor – up to one year in jail; a fine of up to $2,000
Class B Misdemeanor – up to six months in jail; a fine of up to $1,000
Class C Misdemeanor – up to 15 days in jail; a fine of up to $700
Class D Misdemeanor – a fine of up to $500

Similar to felonies, sentencing for a misdemeanor can be enhanced in certain cases. However, in misdemeanor cases your defense attorney can often help you avoid serving jail time in favor of a period of supervision known as probation. You may also be required to meet additional requirements as a condition of your probation, such as community service or competition of a substance abuse rehabilitation program.

Misdemeanors are not to be taken lightly, but are not as serious as felony convictions and a good criminal defense attorney can help you get an outcome that is minimally disruptive to your life and allows you to move forward in a positive light. Call Combs Waterkotte today at (314) 900-HELP to discuss your case and your options with a defense attorney near St. Clair, MO now.

Fixing Traffic Tickets In St. Clair, MO

Did you know Combs Waterkotte also handles traffic tickets and other aspects of traffic law? Even if you have not been accused of committing a criminal act, our St. Clair-based defense attorneys can help you through our expert traffic law services. Affordable and effective as attorneys against traffic tickets, do not let our record of success in difficult criminal cases intimidate you or dissuade you from hiring us for top traffic ticket legal representation.

Being given a traffic ticket in St. Clair, MO isn’t just a pain, it’s also a financial penalty. If you decide to pay your St. Clair traffic ticket, you effectively plead guilty to the charges against you and they go on your driving record. Depending on the type of your offense, you could be facing a suspension or revocation of your driver’s license, and your car insurance premiums will dramatically increase. Tickets in general cannot be expunged from your driving record for at least three years, as well, which means that if you are pulled over again during this period you could be looking at increased penalties.

Many St. Clair drivers are choosing Combs Waterkotte as their St. Clair traffic ticket lawyer, and with good cause. Combs Waterkotte brings unparalleled legal acumen to all its cases, even minor moving violations. Our firm works without rest to make sure that the charges on your traffic ticket are brought down to non-moving violations (which, once paid, do not stay on your record or influence insurance premiums) or have your ticket dismissed due to an irregularity in your stop. Most importantly, our premier St. Clair traffic ticket lawyer services come at an exceptional value: just $49.99 for most cases, allowing you access to first-rate legal services at a price you would not expect. If you have recently been issued a traffic ticket in St. Clair, 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 fixing your St. Clair traffic ticket.

In addition to criminal defense law for Missouri state felonies and misdemeanors, federal crimes and traffic tickets, the leading St. Clair, MO area attorneys of Combs Waterkotte have the skill and expertise you need from your lawyer in any criminal or personal injury case. Learn more about the types of cases we win below.

Hire Your St. Clair, MO Criminal Defense Attorney Now | Combs Waterkotte

Choosing the right St. Clair, MO lawyer can be the difference between your case ending favorably and you spending time in jail. Unlike other St. Clair defense attorneys, our firm places total client satisfaction at the heart of everything we do. When you choose Combs Waterkotte, you can be confident that you will receive round-the-clock access to the St. Clair criminal defense lawyer working on your case. No matter what time it or where you are, you can talk to us about your case, the legal process, or anything else.

When you are looking at criminal charges in St. Clair, from a simple traffic ticket for failing to properly signal to serious felonies, make Combs Waterkotte your first call. Talk to us at (314) 900-HELP or contact us online to schedule a free consultation, but preceding that we suggest that you take a look at what some of our previous clients have said about their experiences working with the experienced St. Clair, MO criminal defense attorneys at Combs Waterkotte.