Criminal Defense Attorney in St. Peters, MO

Criminal Defense Attorney in St. Peters, MO. If you have been charged with a criminal offense, you understand that the situation is to be taken seriously. Just being convicted of a minor infraction could cause you to pay a hefty fine, serve time in county jail, or have to spend multiple years under probation. Facing a felony conviction only increases these consequences: not only will you likely have to spend several years in the Missouri state prisons, but following your reentry into society you will continue to pay through the loss of additional privileges or rights that most citizens assume they will always have. Convicted felons are prohibited from owning firearms, running for office, or holding certain occupations. Also, in many cases, you could be required to share your status as a convicted felon on rent or employment applications, which often severely limits where they can live or work.

The experienced St. Peters, MO criminal defense attorneys at Combs Waterkotte have helped many St. Peters-area residents fight criminal charges. Our firm understands that people with good intetions can be in the wrong place at the wrong time, and our criminal defense firm works to limit the detremental consequences criminal charges have on your freedom, reputation, and life. Our impressive history of winning distinguishes us from other St. Peters criminal defense law firms, and we pride ourselves on the special focus we place on our personalized touch and availability to our clients — hear it firsthand from the satisfied St. Peters 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. Peters, MO criminal case.

St. Peters, MO Federal Criminal Defense Lawyer

An allegation of any crime is a scary enough situation, but when the charges against you are federal charges, they require a heightened stage of legal intelligence and care. Prosecutors for the United States courts are driven to win at all costs: the U.S. Department of Justice often boasts that it has a conviction rate of around 90 percent. The vast majority of those convictions result in plea bargains, where a defendant accepts a lesser charge or punishment in exchange for a confession of guilt. Federal prosecutors will pull out every trick in the book to coax a guilty plea, guarantee that you spend years in a federal prison, and have a federal conviction on your record for the remainder of your life.

At Combs Waterkotte, our St. Peters, MO criminal defense attorneys have vast and documented experience in taking on federal criminal defense cases and winning positive results for our clients. Our firm of federal criminal defense attorneys near St. Peters, MO is not afraid to square 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 stood up for many St. Peters-area residents who were looking at all manner of federal criminal charges defend themselves against these charges and put what is an unquestionably harrowing 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. Peters, MO Criminal Defense Attorney

The experienced St. Peters, MO criminal defense attorneys at Combs Waterkotte defend all cases and criminal charges, like:

The criminal defense attorneys of Combs Waterkotte based in St. Peters, Missouri have been successfully defending the rights of the accused for years. When you hire a criminal defense attorney with our hard-working St. Louis-based law firm, you can be confident that you will always get personalized care and dedicated representation. Whether a misdemeanor or felony, we treat your case, and your life, with the utmost care. You have one dedicated attorney on your case and you can reach our lawyers and paralegals any time.

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 put off speaking to a criminal defense attorney to help you fight your charges in St. Peters, MO or anywhere in Missouri. The sooner you hire an attorney to represent you, the sooner we can get to work building a sound approach to your case and allowing you to breathe you to breathe a little easier as we tackle the looming uncertainty of an impending criminal court proceeding. Call (314) 900-HELP now or reach us online to get in touch with a St. Peters, MO criminal defense attorney about your criminal case.

Criminal Charges and Consequences Under Missouri Law

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 in the state prison system, and as a convicted felon you lose lifelong rights 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 obtaining certain types of employment. Also, in many cases, as a felon you are required to disclose your status as a convicted felon on applications for jobs, housing and other opportunities and resources, which is an obvious impairment to achieving a productive, fruitful life.

If you have already received a felony conviction or suspect that the likelihood of a conviction is high, do not panic. Missouri law does allow for the restoration of certain rights and for certain cases you may be eligible to request a pardon, expungement, or the sealing of your record. Turn to an experienced criminal defense attorney in St. Peters, MO to learn about your post-conviction rights and options. Contact us to find out what our St. Peters, MO defense attorneys can do to help you reclaim your rights.

Felony Charges and Punishments in St. Peters, Missouri

In Missouri, crimes that are considered felonies are categorized into five classes that reflect 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 – no more than 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 number of variables. If you receive a felony conviction, the exact punishment you are sentenced to is up to the judge. The judge in your case will take into account information including the specific circumstances of the crime, your criminal history and other details.

However, there are exceptions to the guidelines above. The classification of some crimes may be enhanced, so a crime typically considered a Class D felony in Missouri can be raised to a Class C, etc. This can happen if you have prior convictions or in certain crimes that are considered dangerous or crimes due to a victim’s race, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, sex or disability. On the other hand, with the representation and dedication of a talented St. Peters criminal defense attorney, what was originally a Class B felony could be dropped down to a lesser felony, a felony could be dropped down to a misdemeanor or your criminal defense attorney may be able to get you a less serious.

In some cases with the right circumstances and the skill of an experienced defense attorney, you can have the charges dropped entirely. 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 take the fight to trial where they will present your case to a jury of your peers who will then determine whether or not to find you guilty. Contact Combs Waterkotte to discuss your case and potential options with our St. Peters, MO criminal defense attorneys.

Misdemeanor Charges in Missouri

Like with felonies, misdemeanors in Missouri are grouped into categories 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 based upon the circumstances or your criminal history. 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. Peters, MO now.

Fixing Traffic Tickets In St. Peters, MO

Did you know that Combs Waterkotte can also help you resolve traffic tickets and other traffic law matters? Even if you have never been arrested for a crime, our defense attorneys in the St. Peters, MO area 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.

Getting a traffic ticket in St. Peters, MO isn’t just a pain, it’s also a drain on your finances. If you choose to pay your St. Peters traffic ticket, you indirectly plead guilty to the charges you were pulled over for and they go on your driving record. Depending on the type of your offense, you could be staring down a suspension or revocation of your driver’s license, and your car insurance premiums will dramatically increase. Tickets generally cannot be removed from your driving record for a minimum of three years, as well, which means that if you are pulled over again during this period you could be facing increased penalties.

A growing number of St. Peters drivers are choosing Combs Waterkotte as their St. Peters traffic ticket lawyer, and with good reason. Combs Waterkotte brings unparalleled legal acumen to all its cases, even small moving violations. Our firm works tirelessly to make sure that the charges on your traffic ticket are brought down to non-moving violations (which, after you’ve paid them, do not stay on your record or affect insurance rates) or have your ticket dismissed due to police error. Most importantly, our top-notch St. Peters 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. Peters, 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. Peters traffic ticket.

In addition to criminal defense law for Missouri state felonies and misdemeanors, federal crimes and traffic tickets, the leading St. Peters, 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. Peters, MO Criminal Defense Attorney Now | Combs Waterkotte

Selecting the right St. Peters, MO lawyer can be the difference between your case being ended favorably and you spending time behind bars. In contrast to other St. Peters defense attorneys, our firm places total client satisfaction at the heart of everything we do. When you choose Combs Waterkotte, you can be sure that you will receive anytime access to the St. Peters criminal defense lawyer working on your case. No matter what time it or where you are, you can discuss your case, the legal process, or any other topic.

When you are facing criminal charges in St. Peters, from a simple traffic ticket for failing to properly signal to severe felonies, call Combs Waterkotte first. Call us at (314) 900-HELP or contact us online to set up a free consultation, but before that we ask you to take a look at what some of our previous clients have said about their time working with the skilled St. Peters, MO criminal defense attorneys at Combs Waterkotte.