Criminal Defense Lawyer in St. Clair, MO
Criminal Defense Lawyer St. Clair, MO. Having a criminal charge filed against you, even a small one such as a traffic ticket or driving while intoxicated, can alter someone’s life permanently. Not only will your reputation among colleagues, friends, and family be permanently affected, if found guilty you will be subject to major penalties varying from fines to hours spent performing community service to even time in jail. Also, if your charges are felonies, a conviction means your rights as a citizen will be heavily limited, including being unable to vote or own a firearm.
Having the ideal St. Clair criminal defense lawyer representing you in the courtoroom can your charges being reduced, if not completely eliminated, and having to face these punishments. You need a lawyer who gives your case the best in personal attention and care, who will plan out a smart, winning defense strategy tailor-made for your distinct circumstances, and do all that they can to minimize—or even do away with—the effect that criminal charges can have on your life.
The experienced St. Clair, MO criminal defense lawyers at Combs Waterkotte are here to assist St. Clair-area citizens of all kinds who are looking at criminal charges reduce the effect they have on their freedom, lives, and reputations. Our standard of offering successful, client-focused legal representation is unequaled among criminal defense lawyers in St. Clair. 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.
A Full-Service St. Clair, MO Criminal Defense Lawyer
The knowledgeable St. Clair, MO criminal defense lawyers at Combs Waterkotte handle a wide variety of case types and criminal charges, such as:
- Motor Vehicle Theft
- Assault/Battery
- Domestic Violence
- Theft/Larceny
- Probation Violations
- Drug Charges
Choosing the right lawyer can be the difference between your case being decided in your favor and losing your rights and freedoms. Unlike other St. Clair criminal defense lawyers, our firm centers our entire experience around complete, total client satisfaction. When you choose Combs Waterkotte, you can rest easy knowing that you can contact your St. Clair, MO criminal defense lawyer at any time of day to discuss the facts of your case, how you want to proceed, or anything else. Regardless of where you are, the time of day, or your present circumstances, you will have a dedicated line to your attorney to listen and understand you 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 the right thing, you will be fine 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 speak with an experienced St. Louis criminal defense lawyer at any time.
It is wholly possible that you may not believe you should 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. Clair defense lawyer is the right decision:
- When officers “just want to ask questions”. If you were near a crime scene and were just passing through, it’s logical to talk to the police. However, you still need to watch what you say, 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 read your statement the wrong way and think that you are a person of interest. If police want your witness statement, ask them if you can make an appointment with the officer. This way, you can call an attorney, discuss what you saw and how you were involved, and make sure what you tell the police leaves no doubt that you were an innocent 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 protect your rights.
- When police want you to sign a document. Police cannot force you to do anything unless they have a reasonable suspicion that you committed a crime. The Fourth Amendment to the Constitution gives you protection from unreasonable searches and seizures, and greatly limits their ability to obtain search warrants or make you grant access to personal information. However, police will from time to time 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 want you to sign one of these documents, politely decline and ask to talk with a lawyer. Voluntarily allowing the police to obtain access to these records, even if they did not have a legal reason to ask for them, automatically renders 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 undoubtable time you need a criminal defense lawyer in St. Clair, 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 interrogation without a lawyer by your side, and call a St. Clair criminal defense lawyer who can help you defend yourself against charges and accusations.
Fixing Traffic Tickets In St. Clair, MO
If there’s one thing that St. Clair drivers do not want to see on their rear bumper, it’s the distinctive sight of police sirens pulling them over for something they did on the roads. Motorists all over St. Clair, MO know that local municipal police departments use traffic enforcement not to keep roads safe, but sometimes as a secondary revenue stream (especially if the municipality you were pulled over in has a dwindling property tax base, or indeed does not levy property tax on homeowners).
Getting a traffic ticket in St. Clair, MO isn’t just a pain, it’s also a drain on your finances. If you elect to pay your St. Clair traffic ticket, you essentially plead guilty to the charges against you 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 drastically increase. Tickets in general cannot be expunged from your driving record for a minimum of three years, as well, meaning that if you are pulled over again during this window you could be looking at stiffer penalties.
An increasing number of 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 every single one of its cases, even minor moving violations. Our firm works without rest to make sure that the charges on your traffic ticket are reduced to non-moving violations (which, after you’ve paid them, are removed from your record or affect insurance rates) or have your ticket dismissed due to police not following proper procedure. Best of all, our premier St. Clair 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 issued a traffic ticket in St. Clair, MO and do not want it to affect 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.
Contact Seasoned St. Clair, MO Criminal Defense Lawyers | Combs Waterkotte
When you have been charged with a crime, from a small traffic ticket for rolling a stop sign to serious felonies, talk to a knowledgeable St. Clair, MO criminal defense lawyer at Combs Waterkotte first. Call us at (314) 900-HELP or contact us online to schedule a free case review. Our firm is ready to talk with you at a time that fits your schedule to help you defend yourself against criminal charges and keep your hard-won reputation amongst friends and in the community.
