DON’T SETTLE FOR ANYTHING LESS THAN THE PEOPLE’S COUNSEL! OUR DEFENSE TEAM IS HERE TO HELP
When our Jennings MO criminal defense lawyers at The People’s Counsel represent people in the Greater St Louis area, our team focuses on a defense strategy that protects your rights and interests in order to get you the best outcome. In some cases, our efforts require quite a bit of legwork (which normally involves gathering evidence, speaking with witnesses, requesting documentation from the prosecutor, etc.). But regardless of the workload, our goal is to provide the strongest criminal defense services in all of Missouri.
Below is a short list of the primary ways in which our Jennings Missouri criminal defense team might attack the charges leveled against you (depending on the circumstances of your particular case). The descriptions provided here are short. But when you contact us (by phone, email, or online inquiry), our staff can provide much more detail.
JENNINGS MISSOURI CRIMINAL DEFENSE
- We will seek to have the charges dropped if the circumstances warrant such an approach. Every day, police officers come into contact with the public. Very often, it is traffic stop (in which you are pulled over for an alleged violation of the law). However, it is not unusual for a police officer to perform his/her duties poorly.
At The People’s Counsel, we understand that the police play an incredibly important role in the safety of our communities (including Jennings Missouri). But the police also have a profound duty to conduct themselves within the boundaries of the law. If an officer violates your Constitution rights (of which there are many), then we might be in a position to ask that the charge(s) be dismissed. So let’s say that the reason for why the police officer issued a criminal citation was because he/she searched your vehicle, and seized some item(s). The seizure of these items will undoubtedly be used as evidence against you by the prosecutor. However, if the way in which the officer searched and/or seized the items was in violation of the law, our defense team will point this out to the prosecutor. If the prosecutor is unwilling to drop the charges, then we would very likely be in a good position to ask that the court dismiss the case.
- Even if the police officer’s conduct was clean, there might still be a chance to work out a “plea bargain” with the local prosecutor. If such a deal can be had, then the original misdemeanor charge (such as possession of marijuana, trespassing, disturbing the peace, etc.) is amended down to a lesser offense (like “littering,” which would not ever show up on your permanent record). Because of the good working relationship The People’s Counsel has with the Jennings Municipal Court, our team has secured many successful plea bargains over the last ten (10) years.
- An alternative route would be to convince the judge that you be placed on probation. This is referred to as an “SIS” (or Suspended Imposition of Sentence). If the judge agrees, then the court will not sentence you to any jail time or to pay any fine. Instead, the imposition of those potential punishments is suspended in favor of a probationary period (which normally runs between one to two years in length). Assuming you do not get into any more trouble during this period of time, the original criminal charge(s) will never show up on your record.
SIMPLY PLEADING GUILTY TO THE CHARGES IS NOT YOUR ONLY OPTION! LET US HELP YOU PROTECT YOUR RIGHTS!!
- If all else fails, then you still have the right to defend your rights and interests in a trial. In reality, criminal trials are rare (because most cases are resolved by one of the above-mentioned defense strategies). But our legal team is ready if necessary! What most people do not realize is that it is incumbent upon the prosecutor to prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, each element of the statute under which you were charged. If the prosecutor cannot do this (to the satisfaction of either the judge or jury), then you will be found Not Guilty. Of course, we will also have an opportunity to provide evidence to the court. This evidence (whether it is your testimony, an eye witness, or documentation that we acquire) will be used to show that the allegations made against you have no basis in the law (and should therefore be dropped).
So if you have recently been charged with a crime in Jennings MO, then you should absolutely give us a call! Our team will begin working on your case immediately, and provide you with the finest defense services available. We look forward to hearing from you!!