Criminal Defense Attorney in Kansas City

Criminal Defense Lawyer Kansas City, Mo

If you’ve been accused of committing a crime in the Kansas City area, you are understandably overwhelmed, anxious, and unsure of your future. The legal system is complex and whether the charge against you is a misdemeanor or felony, the consequences can be be severe. You may face jail time, large fines, and a negative impact on your reputation, both personally and professionally. It is very important to hire an experienced criminal defense lawyer that you can talk to and trust. Award winning criminal defense Attorneys are at your service.  Aggressive experienced representation with multiple defense strategies. Free confidential consultation with our criminal defense attorneys. Contact us today!

Trust the Attorneys at KC Defense Counsel

Jordan R. Watson

Rated by Super Lawyers

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The attorneys at KC Defense Counsel have represented hundreds of clients, defending individuals in a range of criminal cases, from minor misdemeanors to serious felony charges. They understand the legal system and can help guide you through the process while zealously fighting for your rights and working to preserve your freedom.

Strong Representation for a Range of Criminal Charges

The attorneys at KC Defense Counsel have valuable experience defending clients in all types of criminal cases. If you’ve been accused of a crime in the Kansas City area, your freedom and future depend on strong, reliable representation for the following types of crimes:

Misdemeanors & Felonies

Misdemeanor crimes are those that are punishable by one year or less imprisonment and are considered less severe offenses than felonies. Although less serious, a misdemeanor conviction can still lead to jail time as well as fines.

Felonies are those crimes considered more severe and, as such, carry harsher punishments. A felony conviction can mean thousands of dollars in fines and several years in prison. Under Missouri law, felony crimes can fall into one of five categories, Class A to Class E. Each class contains a list of criminal offenses and corresponding sentencing guidelines. Felonies listed under Class A would be considered the most severe crimes while felonies in Class E would be considered the least severe.

Assault

Assault is a serious charge in Missouri and can be classified as assault in the first, second, third or fourth degree depending on the circumstances of the case. The crime of assault can range from a Class C misdemeanor, as in the case of a fourth degree assault charge, to a Class A felony for first degree assault.

Results that Matter

Night Club Manager in popular Bar charged with assault, Dismissed by Prosecution

Mother of three wrongfully accused of assault, dismissed by Judge at Trial

Spouse Charged with Domestic Assualt, Dismissed at trial

Theft Crimes: Stealing, Robbery, and Burglary

Theft crimes in Missouri include theft, stealing, burglary, shoplifting, tampering, and robbery, among others. These crimes may be classified as either misdemeanors or felonies and can lead to severe penalties.

Results that Matter

Theft, Robbery, and Burglary Crimes handled by KC Defense Counsel:

Young Client Charged Felony Burglary and Misdemeanor Receiving Stolen Property: Probation on Reciept of Stolen Property and Felony Burlary Dismissed!!

Young Mother Charged with Embezzlement-1 Day of Probation

Young woman charged with Shoplifting/ Petty Theft for forgetting to pay for merchandise underneath cart: Dismissed.

Drug Crimes Including  Possession

Drug crimes encompass several types of criminal drug activity in the state including possession, distribution, manufacture, and trafficking, as well as several others. In addition, drug crimes can fall under state as well as federal law.

In Missouri,  possession penalties depend upon the amount you possess as well as whether you’ve had prior possession convictions. If you’re charged with your first offense and you had less than 35g of substance at the time of arrest, you face misdemeanor charges.

Results that Matter

Examples of Drug Crime and Possession Outcomes from KC Defense Counsel:
Possession: Dismissed. Reduced to Littering.
A young man was passing through Missouri on the way from a state where drug was legalized. He was stopped and the officer found a small amount that he forgot to leave behind. He pled guilty to possession because he thought it was just a fine, not realizing that he would then have a record for drug possession. Our own Justin Hunt got the plea set aside AND got the charge amended to littering.

Felony Drug Possession: Probation, Kept off client’s record.

Missouri DWI

Being arrested for DWI/DUI in Missouri can mean driver’s license suspension, fines, probation, even jail time. You are subject to criminal as well as administrative penalties. However, due to mistakes in the officer’s procedure and equipment, you might be falsely accused of Driving While Intoxicated. Before pleading guilty to something that can ruin your life, contact our office for a free consultation.

Our experienced DWI/DUI attorneys know more about DWI investigations than many officers. Here are some questions that an experienced DWI attorney will learn about your case:
Did the officer have reasonable suspicion to pull you over?
Did the officer account for clues that indicate sobriety or just list clues that indicate intoxication?
Did the officer use the three sobriety tests recommended by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA)?
Did the officer perform those tests in a scientifically accurate manner?
Did the officer perform breath tests with a properly maintained and calibrated instrument?
Does the officer understand how his breath test instrument functions or is he merely trained how to press a button?
Was your blood drawn in a scientifically sound manner?
Was your blood sample properly stored and tested?

If the answer to any of these questions is “no” you might not be guilty of Driving While Intoxicated.

Results that Matter

DUI/DWI: Dismissed. Reduced to Non-moving violation. Reduced to Careless & Imprudent Driving.
Several times our office has reviewed dashcam footage to find officers have improperly performed Field Sobriety Tests. After brining our results to the prosecutors, they agreed to either dismiss or reduce the charges and let our clients pay fines.

Refusal Hearing: Client Kept License.
A young profession was stopped for speeding and accused of DUI. He refused chemical testing because he believed the officer was mistaken. In return, the Department of Revenue attempted to revoke his license. Our Kansas City Criminal Defense Attorneys proved that the officer WAS wrong. The Court ordered the license not to be suspended.

Middle Aged Male Charged with Felony DUI and An Accident-Plead up to the Judge, NO jail time served

Possible DWI/DUI Defenses:

Rising Blood-Alcohol: This is common: You’re at the bar and down a shot at last call. You feel fine, so you drive home. A few miles down the road you’re stopped for a tail light and the officer smells the fresh drink on your breath. 30 minutes and a series of tests later you test at a .08. Are you guilty of DWI?DUI?
No. Driving While Intoxicated means you were Intoxicated WHILE you were driving. If your BAC was .07 while you were driving, and the rose to above a .08 during the officer’s 30 minute investigation, then you are not guilty of DWI.

Improper Investigation: You may have seen this on t.v. An officer thinks he smells alcohol, so he waggles his finger in front of somebody’s face. Then he gives some confusing instructions and tells them to perform some test that most people couldn’t do sober. Finally, he sticks an old machine up to their mouth and tells them to blow. They test over .08. Are they guilty of DWI?

No. The Field Sobriety Tests must be performed in a scientifically valid manner. An officer cannot just go through the motions. Further, the breath test instrument must be properly maintained and calibrated AND the officer must properly operate the instrument to get a valid test.

Probation Violations

Violating the terms of your probation can lead to jail time. After an alleged probation violation, a warrant will be issued or you will receive notice of a future court date. Having an attorney present is extremely important to help you retain your freedom and avoid maximum penalties.

Results that Matter

A young mother, possibly experiencing postpartum depression, just stopped checking in with her probation officer. Our office got her out of jail and reunited with her child AND kept her on probation.
A young driver on probation for driving while suspended didn’t realize they had to pay a fee to get their license reinstated. They were stopped, accused of violating their probation, AND charged with a new DWS. Our office got their license reinstated, got the new charge reduced to a non-moving violation, AND kept them on probation for their old charge.

Violent Crimes

The term violent crimes encompass several different crimes in the state including some of the most serious crimes. A conviction of a violent crime can mean a life-altering punishment as well as future consequences personally and professionally.

Examples of Violent Crimes Handled by KC Defense Counsel:

Results that Matter

Felony Kidnapping in the First Degree: Reduced to Peace Disturbance
A woman was accused of kidnapping the infant in her care. She faced 10 years to life in prison. Our attorneys convinced the prosecutor’s office to reduce the charge to Misdemeanor Peace Disturbance. The client received probation.
Felony Child Abuse or Neglect: Reduced to Misdemeanor; Client kept custody of their child.
A woman was accused of beating her child with a wire and was in danger of losing custody. Our attorneys negotiated with prosecutors, helped her get into parenting classes, and got her charge reduced to a misdemeanor. She did probation and kept her child.
Felony Burglary and Felony Receiving Stolen Property: Probation

Vehicular Homicide: Probation
A young man was charged with killing the passenger in his car. Our attorneys worked to get the judge to sentence him to a treatment program and probation.

Solicitation

An attorney can help if you’ve been accused of solicitation, or prostitution crimes, in Missouri. Under certain circumstances such crimes can be felony crimes with serious consequences.

Results that Matter

Prositution- ordered communtiy service

Municipal Crimes

If you’ve been accused of violating a city ordinance, contact an attorney. The penalties in municipal court can include jail time, fines, and a criminal record.

Results that Matter

Examples of Municipal Crimes Handled by Our Criminal Lawyers at KC Defense Counsel:

Vandalising a house-Reduced to non-reportable charge stays off record.
Young Male Charged with 2 counts of resisting arrest, 1 dismissed, 1 probation.
Shoplifting: Dismissed or reduced to Disorderly Conduct.

Contact an Experienced Criminal Defense Lawyer

The experienced attorneys at KC Defense Counsel have proven success defending clients that have been accused of municipal violations, misdemeanors, and serious felony crimes. Despite the charges, you have options including fighting your case in court, or entering into a plea deal and working with your attorneys to negotiate reduced charges. Call the experienced lawyers at the KC Defense Counsel to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case and the options available to you. Hiring an attorney can help to protect your rights and your future.

Disclaimer

The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely upon advertising

No Attorney-Client Relationship or Legal Advice Communication of information by, in, to or through this Web site and your receipt or use of it .

  1. is not provided in the course of and does not create or constitute an attorney-client relationship.
  2. is not intended as a solicitation.
  3. is not intended to convey or constitute legal advice, and
  4. is not a substitute for obtaining legal advice from a qualified attorney.

You should not act upon any such information without first seeking qualified professional counsel on your specific matter. The hiring of an attorney is an important decision that should not be based solely upon Web site communications or advertisements.

You also should not rely upon the transmission of an e-mail message to an attorney through this Web site to create an attorney-client relationship.   The transmission or exchange of information will not do so.   Without an attorney-client relationship in the matter, we cannot assure you that your communications will be privileged or (unless we otherwise agree in a specific case) that we will treat them as such.

All information provided by this site, including summaries and articles on legal topics, is general in nature and provided for informational purposes only. This information is not intended as legal advice, and should not be taken as such. Legal advice involves an attorney’s application of legal knowledge and judgment to specific facts and circumstances presented by a client. Before providing specific advice, a lawyer may need to conduct legal research and/or obtain additional facts. Nonlawyers should therefore not draw conclusions about what may be legally required, permissible, or advisable based solely upon consultation of general sources of legal information, including this and other law firm websites, without first seeking appropriate legal advice.
This site links to other resources on the Internet that we have identified as potentially helpful and of interest. However, the linked websites are not under our control, we are not responsible for the accuracy of their content, and we make no representation concerning such content’s quality, currency, accuracy, safety, or suitability for a particular use. This statement must be included to remind you that the Internet consists of billions of interlinked pages, most of which have not been subjected to any peer review or formal fact-checking process. This is another reason not to take action based on Internet research without seeking appropriate legal advice.

The information on this website may not reflect the most current legal developments, and is not guaranteed to be correct, complete or up-to-date. We have made every reasonable effort to create an accurate and useful website. However, labor and employment law is often complex and rapidly changing, so what is true today may no longer be true days, weeks, or months from now. This is another reason not to take action based on internet research without seeking appropriate legal advice.

The information on this website should not be taken as a promise or indication of future results. This statement must be included to remind you of the fundamental risks inherent in the American justice system, as a result of which no lawyer, no matter how skilled, can predict the outcome of any matter with certainty.

Missouri does not license attorneys based on their legal practice area specializations. Neither the Missouri Supreme Court nor The Missouri Bar reviews or approves certifying organizations or specialist designations.

We cannot represent clients in states or jurisdictions in which we are not licensed. The states in which each attorney is licensed are indicated on their individual pages within this site.If this website does not comply with all laws and ethical rules of the state or jurisdiction in which it is viewed, including rules governing communication of legal services, we will not engage in any representation resulting from such viewing. The information on this site is not intended to constitute legal advice or to substitute for obtaining legal advice from an attorney licensed in your state.

No Attorney-Client Relationship or Legal Advice Communication of information by, in, to or through this Web site and your receipt or use of it (1) is not provided in the course of and does not create or constitute an attorney-client relationship, (2) is not intended as a solicitation, (3) is not intended to convey or constitute legal advice, and (4) is not a substitute for obtaining legal advice from a qualified attorney.   You should not act upon any such information without first seeking qualified professional counsel on your specific matter.   The hiring of an attorney is an important decision that should not be based solely upon Web site communications or advertisements.

You also should not rely upon the transmission of an e-mail message to an attorney through this Web site to create an attorney-client relationship.   The transmission or exchange of information will not do so.

The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely upon advertising”.

All information provided by this site, including summaries and articles on legal topics, is general in nature and provided for informational purposes only. This information is not intended as legal advice, and should not be taken as such. Legal advice involves an attorney’s application of legal knowledge and judgment to specific facts and circumstances presented by a client. Before providing specific advice, a lawyer may need to conduct legal research and/or obtain additional facts. Non lawyers should therefore not draw conclusions about what may be legally required, permissible, or advisable based solely upon consultation of general sources of legal information, including this and other law firm websites, without first seeking appropriate legal advice.