Criminal Defense Lawyer in Ray County, MO

Criminal Defense Lawyer Ray County, MO. Having a criminal charge filed against you, even a minor one such as a traffic ticket or DWI, can alter someone’s life permanently. Not only will your standing among colleagues, friends, and family be permanently affected, if found guilty you will be looking at major penalties varying from fines to hours spent performing community service to even time behind bars. Also, if your charges are felonies, a conviction means your rights as a citizen will be heavily limited, including a prohibition on voting or owning a firearm.

Having the ideal Ray County criminal defense lawyer representing you in the courtoroom can make the difference between your charges being lowered, if not completely dropped, and having to suffer these punishments. You need a lawyer who gives your case the ultimate in personal care and attention, who will plan out an intelligent, winning defense strategy tailor-made for your unique circumstances, and do all that they can to reduce—or even eliminate—the effect that criminal charges can have on your life.

The experienced Ray County, MO criminal defense lawyers at Combs Waterkotte are here to assist Ray County-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 unrivalled among criminal defense lawyers in Ray County. We are waiting 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 Ray County, MO Criminal Defense Lawyer

The skilled Ray County, MO criminal defense lawyers at Combs Waterkotte handle a wide variety of case types and criminal charges, including:

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

Finding the right lawyer can make the difference between your case going in your way and losing your rights and freedoms. Unlike other Ray County criminal defense lawyers, our firm places total client satisfaction at the center of our practice. When you choose Combs Waterkotte, you can rest easy knowing that you can call your Ray County, MO criminal defense lawyer at any time, day or night, to talk about the facts of your case, legal strategy, or any other topic. 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 are ever questioned by the police, you may believe that if you “lay low” or say what they want to hear, you will be all right and they will not give you any more trouble. However, this situation happens rarely, if ever, and you should take any criminal investigation seriously and be ready to talk to a veteran St. Louis criminal defense lawyer at any time.

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

• When investigators “just want to ask questions”. If you were at the scene of a crime and were in no way involved it, it’s fine to talk to the police. However, you still need to watch what you say, 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 read your account the wrong way and think that you are a prime suspect. If police want your witness statement, request if you can make an appointment with the officer. This way, you can talk to an attorney, discuss what you saw and how you fit into the situation, and make sure what you say to the police clearly establishes that you were an innocent bystander. If the facts of your case are less obvious 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 something. Police cannot force you to do anything unless they have a genuine hunch that you committed a crime. The Fourth Amendment to the Constitution gives you protection from unreasonable searches and seizures, and heavily curtails their power to obtain search warrants or make you grant access to personal information. But, 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 ask you to sign one of these forms, politely decline and ask to speak with a lawyer. Voluntarily permitting the police to get 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 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 Ray County, MO. If you are ever actually detained by the police, you should immediately invoke your right to remain silent, say that you do not want to answer any inquiries without a lawyer by your side, and call a Ray County criminal defense lawyer who can help you defend yourself against charges and accusations.

Fixing Traffic Tickets In Ray County, MO

If there’s one thing that Ray County drivers do not like to see in their rear-view mirror, it’s the unmistakable sight of police sirens pulling them over for something they did on the roads. Motorists all over Ray County, MO know that local municipal law enforcement uses traffic tickets not to keep roads safe, but sometimes as a secondary revenue stream (especially if the municipality you are driving through has a dwindling property tax base, or indeed does not levy property tax on homeowners).

Getting a traffic ticket in Ray County, MO isn’t just a nuisance, it’s also a drain on your finances. If you decide to pay your Ray County traffic ticket, you effectively plead guilty to the charges you were accused of and they go on your driving record. Depending on the severity 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, meaning that if you are pulled over once again during this period you could be subject to increased penalties.

A growing number of Ray County drivers are choosing Combs Waterkotte as their Ray County traffic ticket lawyer, and with good cause. Combs Waterkotte brings unequaled legal knowledge to every one of its cases, even minor 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, do not stay on your record or influence insurance rates) or have your ticket dismissed due to police not following proper procedure. Best of all, our top-notch Ray County traffic ticket lawyer services come at an exceptional value: just $49.99 for most cases, providing you access to quality legal services at a price you would not expect. If you have recently been given a traffic ticket in Ray County, MO and do not want it to affect your driving record, call us now at (314) 900-HELP to speak with our firm and begin the process of getting your Ray County traffic ticket fixed.

Contact Trusted Ray County, MO Criminal Defense Lawyers | Combs Waterkotte

When you have been accused of a crime, ranging from a simple traffic ticket for rolling a stop sign to grave felonies, talk to a skilled Ray County, MO criminal defense lawyer at Combs Waterkotte first. Call us at (314) 900-HELP or contact us online to set up a free case review. Our firm is eager to talk with you at any time to help you defend yourself against criminal charges and keep your hard-earned reputation amongst your community.