AS LOW AS $750 FOR CERTAIN ST LOUIS FELONIES
No, a municipality within the St Louis area does not have the authority to charge you with a felony. They are limited to misdemeanors and simple infractions. The only two governmental entities that may charge a felony are the county and St Louis City.
Let’s look at a specific example: A municipal police officer catches you at the Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre in Maryland Heights, MO with an illegal substance (heroin). Getting caught with such a thing in the state of Missouri is a Class C Felony. But Maryland Heights can’t charge you with this kind of thing. They must send it to St Louis County.
Once St Louis County gets ahold of it, they will then do a lab analysis of the substance to determine if it is in fact an illegal substance. If after that analysis they believe that there is enough evidence to warrant it, they have the option to bring felony level charges.
On the other hand, if the county decides that there is not enough evidence to bring felony charges, then the matter gets kicked back down to Maryland Heights. And then it will be the prosecutor’s decision at the muni level to bring a misdemeanor charge. But if the prosecutor does make this decision, then it will because he or she believes that there is enough evidence to charge you with a misdemeanor of some kind.
ONLY $375 TO HANDLE MOST MISDEMEANOR CHARGES IN ST LOUIS
But just because Maryland Heights decides to bring such a charge does not mean that they can prove that you are guilty of it. And this is why it is so terribly important to consult with a good St Louis criminal defense lawyer!! We will answer all of your questions, explain all of your rights and options, and help guide you through the entire process.
The affordable St. Louis criminal defense attorneys at The Bankruptcy Company have been taking care of criminal charges in Missouri for over ten (10) years. We specialize in making sure that your record stays clean, and so that you can move forward with life. And we want to do it all at an affordable price. The upfront fees for a misdemeanor charge start at $375. For certain felony cases, the fees are as low as $750. But the initial consultation to discuss your legal issues is free of charge. So contact us today to learn more!!
We have one location by appointment only: 4625 Lindell Blvd St. Louis, MO 63108.