Sunset Hills Missouri Criminal Defense Attorney

Sunset Hills Municipal Court Info

Hours: 8AM – 4:30PM, Monday – Friday
Court Phone: 314.849.3402
Court Administrator: Carol A. Lay
Municipal Judge: Brian P. Millikan

Reviews for The People’s Counsel

★★★★★
“Highly recommend if you are looking for a trustworthy team to work on your behalf!”
—Ashley R.

★★★★★
“Charles and Tom are the BEST criminal defense lawyers EVER!!”
—James T.

★★★★★
“Great price, great communication, great lawyer!!”
—Teighlor P.

★★★★★
“I have worked with Charles Barberio twice now and have been incredibly impressed with his professionalism…”
—Carrie G.

THE PEOPLE’S COUNSEL IS THE MOST AFFORDABLE CRIMINAL DEFENSE IN SUNSET HILLS MISSOURI

There are really only two ways to handle a criminal charge in Sunset Hills Missouri:  1) You can attempt to represent yourself. This is the way that most Americans approach legal matters in this country. They roll the dice, appear in front of the judge all alone, and mortgage their futures;  2) You can hire an experienced Sunset Hills Missouri criminal defense lawyer to help you defend your rights. 

It may come as a shock to some people that the vast majority of people in Missouri (and across the country) never reach out to an attorney when they are facing legal troubles. There are many reasons for this. But perhaps the two biggest reasons have to do with money and knowledge. To begin with, a lot of people will take a pass on hiring a good Sunset Hills MO criminal defense attorney because of what can often be an overwhelming cost. And instead of breaking their household budget (with money they don’t have), most folks will choose to represent themselves. 

But how well do you think everything goes when someone (with no prior legal experience) steps into court by themselves? Here’s how it normally plays out:  The individual stands at the podium in court, the judge reads off the charges and asks how the individual wishes to plead, the individual has no clue what to do, so he/she ends up doing what almost every other unrepresented individual does – he /she pleads guilty to the charges.

SUNSET HILLS MISSOURI CRIMINAL DEFENSE LAWYER

However, admitting guilt is the worst outcome possible! Why? Because now that misdemeanor charge will become a part of your permanent record. This means that every time you apply for a job in the future (or go to rent an apartment, or try to take out a business or education loan), things will likely not go your way. Because most employers, landlords, and banks run criminal background checks on all applicants (and as a result, you will be eliminated as a candidate). 

But the Sunset Hills MO criminal defense attorneys at The People’s Counsel have a much different plan in mind for you! Our legal defense team has successfully handled hundreds and hundreds of criminal cases over the last ten (10) years. And we would be more than happy to assist you in this time of need! 

Once we are hired, our team will swing into action by reviewing all available evidence connected to your case. By putting so much emphasis on learning the facts, we are often able to find a way to get the charges dismissed. This can happen if/when the police officer who arrested you performed his/her duties in a way that violated your Constitutional rights (such as an unlawful search and seizure), or if the prosecutor fails to provide the necessary evidence to prove that you are in fact guilty of the charge. 

YOU HAVE RIGHTS!  LET US HELP PROTECT THEM!!

If there isn’t an opportunity for our Sunset Hills Missouri criminal defense lawyer to get the charges dropped, then we will work very closely with the local prosecutor to get a “plea bargain” hammered out. A plea bargain is basically a deal between you and the prosecutor in which you do not plead guilty to the original misdemeanor charge. Instead, you would plead to a minor infraction (such as ‘littering’). This is because the lesser offense (i.e. ‘littering’) won’t show up on your permanent record. And if your record stays clean, then we avoid all of the negativity described above! 

On the other hand, prosecutors will sometimes be unwilling to offer a recommendation in which the misdemeanor is reduced. In this kind of situation, we might be able to convince the judge that it would be better if you were placed on probation (instead of doing any jail time or paying a large fine). The probationary period would last between one (1) to two (2) years, and so long as you keep out of anymore trouble during this time, the misdemeanor will not show up on your record. 

As you can plainly see, there are a multitude of options available to someone facing criminal charges in Sunset Hills Missouri. All you have to do is give us a call, and we will take it from there. We look forward to hearing from you!!