PROTECTING YOUR FREEDOM, YOUR RECORD, AND YOUR FUTURE
A criminal charge can threaten your job, your record, your freedom, and your future. Attorney Michael Boyd has defended hundreds of criminal cases across St. Charles County, and he handles every case personally from the first call to the last.
PROTECTING YOUR FREEDOM, RECORD, AND FUTURE
A criminal charge is one of the most stressful things a person can go through. The phone calls. The court dates. The questions about what happens next, to your job, your family, your record.
Attorney Michael Boyd has spent 16 years defending people across St. Charles County and the surrounding Missouri courts. He’s handled everything from first-time misdemeanors to serious felonies, and he understands what most people facing charges don’t know: a lot of what happens early in your case determines how it ends.
Criminal cases can end in very different ways. Dismissals, reductions, diversion programs, negotiated outcomes that protect your record. None of that happens by accident. It happens because someone who knows what they’re doing pushes back at the right moments.
That’s what we do.
Attorney Michael Boyd represents people charged with crimes in St. Charles County Circuit Court and local municipal courts, including St. Peters, St. Charles, O’Fallon, Wentzville, Cottleville, and Lake Saint Louis.
Criminal cases are local. The court, the prosecutor, the charge, your record, and the facts of the arrest can all affect what happens next. A misdemeanor in one court may be handled differently than a felony in circuit court, and early decisions can shape the rest of the case.
The Boyd Law Firm helps clients understand what they are facing, what options may be available, and what steps can be taken to protect their record, their freedom, and their future.
Most people facing charges ask one question first: “Am I going to jail?” That’s understandable, but it’s not the whole picture. A criminal case affects three things at once, and a real defense addresses all of them.
Missouri misdemeanor cases are usually handled in municipal or associate circuit court. Felony cases generally involve circuit court and often include a preliminary hearing stage, unless that hearing is waived or the case proceeds another way under Missouri law. Wherever your case is, the first 30 days matter most. Evidence disappears. Witnesses’ memories fade. Prosecutors form opinions early. Getting a lawyer involved quickly is the single biggest factor you can control.
The hours after an arrest matter. Here’s what to do, and what to avoid.
You have the right to remain silent, and using it is almost always the right call. Police are trained to keep you talking, and almost nothing you say will help your case. Tell them you want a lawyer, then stop.
Not with friends. Not on social media. Not on jail calls (those are recorded and routinely used as evidence). The only person you should talk to about your case is your attorney.
The earlier we’re involved, the more we can do. Evidence gets preserved. Witnesses get located. Constitutional problems get identified before they become harder to fix. Time is the one resource you can’t get back.
Criminal charges in Missouri cover an enormous range, from misdemeanor citations that never see a jail cell to felonies that carry years in prison. What they have in common is that the early decisions matter, the evidence is rarely as clear-cut as the police report makes it sound, and the consequences reach well beyond the courtroom.
We defend the full range of these cases across St. Charles County and the surrounding Missouri courts. Every charge below is defendable, and every one of them turns on the specific facts: how the evidence was gathered, whether your rights were respected, and whether the state can actually prove what it claims. Here are the areas we handle most often.
Assault charges in Missouri range from simple misdemeanors to serious felonies that carry years in prison. Domestic assault charges add another layer. They trigger no-contact orders, can affect custody, and may eliminate your right to own a firearm. We dig into the full story, not just the version in the police report.
Learn more about assault defense →
Missouri drug laws are unforgiving, but drug cases often turn on whether the evidence was lawfully obtained. Was the traffic stop legal? Did officers have probable cause to search? Was the substance properly tested? We’ve seen drug cases fall apart at every one of these points.
Learn more about drug crime defense →
Stealing, shoplifting, burglary, fraud, receiving stolen property. Missouri’s property crime statutes cover a wide range, and a conviction can end careers and close doors permanently. Many of these cases are eligible for diversion or dispositions that keep your record clean.
Learn more about theft defense →
Missouri is a strong Second Amendment state, but weapons charges still happen. Unlawful use, unlawful possession, concealment violations, and weapons-related felonies tacked onto other charges. These cases often involve constitutional questions about the stop and the search.
Learn more about weapons charge defense →
Probation violations, bond violations, missed court dates, and active warrants can move fast. The court may issue a warrant, revoke bond, or schedule a hearing where jail is a real possibility. If there’s a warrant or violation issue, call before making your next move.
Talk to a lawyer today →
A criminal charge against a teenager doesn’t have to define their future. Missouri’s juvenile system works differently from adult court, with its own procedures, its own judges, and a focus that’s supposed to lean toward rehabilitation over punishment. But the stakes are still real, and certain charges can land a minor in adult court.
Learn more about juvenile defense →
We handle most types of criminal cases in St. Charles County. If your charge is not listed above, call and we’ll tell you straight whether we can help.
One of the hardest parts of facing criminal charges is not knowing what comes next. The process can stretch on for months, with court dates, paperwork, and decisions that don’t always make sense from the outside. Knowing the general path ahead won’t remove the stress, but it does make it easier to understand where your case stands and why certain steps matter more than others. Every criminal case in Missouri follows a general path, though the timeline and stakes vary widely. Here’s what to expect.
After an arrest, you’ll be booked and either released or held until you can see a judge. Your first court appearance, usually within a few days, covers bond and basic procedural matters. Having an attorney present at this stage can affect whether you go home and under what conditions.
At arraignment, the formal charges are read and you enter a plea (almost always not guilty at this stage). Then discovery begins. The prosecution turns over their evidence, and we start examining it for weaknesses, missing pieces, and constitutional problems.
Discovery often reveals far more than the police report suggested. It’s also where we look for what isn’t there.
In most Missouri felony cases, the state has to show probable cause at a preliminary hearing before the case can move forward in circuit court. There are exceptions: the hearing can be waived, and some felony cases proceed by indictment instead. When a preliminary hearing happens, it’s one of the few times we get to cross-examine the state’s witnesses under oath before trial. It’s a strategic opportunity that gets waived far too often.
This is where most criminal cases are actually won or lost, not at trial. Motions to suppress evidence, motions to dismiss, motions challenging the state’s witnesses or evidence. A successful pre-trial motion can end a case before it ever reaches a jury.
Most criminal cases end without trial. But the resolution should reflect the actual strength of the evidence, not pressure to dispose of a case quickly. That means dismissals where the evidence doesn’t support charges, reductions where the original charge is overstated, and diversion or SIS where they protect your future.
When trial is the right move, we’re prepared for it. Most of the time, the work that prepares a case for trial is what produces the best resolution short of one.
The goal isn’t always “win at trial or lose.” In a lot of cases, the best outcome is a resolution that avoids jail, avoids a conviction, preserves expungement options, or keeps the worst consequences off your permanent record. Missouri law gives us several tools to do that:
SIS (Suspended Imposition of Sentence): No sentence is imposed. If you successfully complete probation, the case is generally not treated as a conviction for most purposes, though important exceptions can apply.
SES (Suspended Execution of Sentence): A sentence is imposed, but its execution is suspended in favor of probation. SES generally remains a conviction on your record even after successful completion.
Diversion: Complete certain conditions and charges are dismissed entirely.
Drug Court, Mental Health Court, Veterans Court: Treatment-based alternatives for qualifying defendants.
Not every case qualifies for every option. Knowing which alternatives are realistic, and how to position your case to qualify, is part of what experienced defense work looks like.
A criminal case does not end when court does. The collateral consequences are often what hurt most. A plea that avoids jail may still create problems with employment, professional licensing, immigration status, firearm rights, housing, custody, or future background checks.
That is why we look beyond the sentencing range. The goal is not just to get you through the next court date. The goal is to protect your future.
A criminal record can follow you long after the court case is over. Background checks come up at hiring, promotions, professional licensing, and sometimes even housing applications. Some convictions can make you ineligible for certain jobs. Others may later be explainable or even eligible for expungement, but only if the case is handled the right way on the front end.
That is why the outcome matters. A case that gets dismissed, reduced, diverted, or resolved through a suspended imposition of sentence (SIS) may look very different to a future employer than a straight conviction. We think about those consequences from the very first conversation, because by the time you are filling out a job application, many of the best options may already be gone.
For licensed professionals, a criminal case can threaten the credential their livelihood depends on. Nurses, teachers, real estate agents, CDL holders, healthcare workers, financial professionals, and others may face licensing-board review for certain convictions. In some fields, even an arrest or charge that does not result in a traditional conviction can create problems. Some employers actually have policies which require their employees to report any arrest or criminal charge as soon as that event occurs.
In these cases, the underlying charge matters, but the final disposition can matter just as much. A resolution that avoids a conviction, reduces the charge, preserves expungement options, or limits what must be reported can make a major difference for a license that took years to earn. If you hold a professional license, that information needs to be provided to your attorney so that it can be part of the defense strategy from day one and not as an afterthought after it might be too late.
For non-citizens, the immigration consequences of a criminal case in Missouri can sometimes be more serious than the criminal penalty itself. A plea that looks manageable in criminal court may create problems with removal, reentry, immigration benefits, or a future path to citizenship. Immigration law does not always treat offenses the same way Missouri criminal law does. That means the exact charge, plea language, sentence, and final disposition all matter.
When immigration status may be affected, we do not guess and we do not treat it as an afterthought. We coordinate with immigration counsel when situations such as this arise so we can be sure that our defense strategy focuses on our client’s immigration situation, especially before any plea or resolution can even be considered.
For many of our clients, their gun rights are not a side issue, they are one of the MAIN issues. A criminal case can affect the right to own, possess, purchase, or carry a firearm, especially when the charge involves a felony, domestic violence, a protective order, or an offense relating to a firearm.
Not every criminal charge gives rise to concerns about your right to possess firearms, and the final disposition of the criminal case matters when it comes to this issue. A plea that seems manageable from a sentencing standpoint may still create serious problems under Missouri’s unlawful-possession statute and federal firearm restrictions. That is why we look at the impact that your criminal charge could potentially have on your gun rights before a case is resolved, not after. The goal is to protect your rights now and in the future.
Michael Boyd has defended hundreds of criminal cases across St. Charles County. Put our knowledge and experience to work for you.
The first call is free, and we’ll tell you exactly what you’re facing and what we can do to help.
We represent clients in criminal cases throughout St. Charles County and surrounding Missouri jurisdictions:
If your criminal charge(s) was filed somewhere not listed, call us. We likely cover it.
Criminal charges are stressful enough without wondering whether your lawyer actually knows your case and understands what you are hoping to accomplish. At The Boyd Law Firm, when you call, you talk directly with Michael Boyd. Not a call center. Not a case manager. Not someone reading from a script.
Michael has spent 16+ years practicing law in Missouri courts and has handled hundreds of criminal cases, from first-time misdemeanors to serious felonies. He understands how criminal cases actually move through the local system: the court procedures, the way charges get negotiated, bond and pretrial issues, and the practical decisions that can shape the direction of a case. Michael has built his entire practice right here in St. Charles County. He knows these courts like his own backyard, because they are his own backyard.
That experience matters. Every court has its own pace and its own expectations. Understanding how they operate helps Michael give clients practical advice, build an effective defense strategy early on, and avoid the missteps that can make a difficult situation even worse.
“Most people ask if they’re going to jail. I’m also looking at how this case could affect the rest of their life.”
— Michael Boyd
Our law office is located in the heart of St. Charles County, allowing us to handle your criminal case regardless of which local court it’s charged in.
Attorney, The Boyd Law Firm
Missouri Attorney
