St Louis Felony Resisting Arrest

If you are charged with Resisting Arrest in St Louis, it can either be classified as a Class D Felony (which can come with up to four (4) years jail time and a $5,000 fine) or a Class A Misdemeanor (with a potential sentence of up to one (1) year of jail and a $1,000 fine).

With potential sentences such as these, it is important that you retain the services of a good St Louis criminal defense lawyer. Just because the officer wrote out a ticket for Resisting or Interfering with an Arrest, it does not mean that you are guilty of the charge. The state still must prove that such an offense actually occurred.

A St Louis resisting arrest can be charged if you used threats of physical violence, actual physical force, or if you flee from the officer’s attempts to arrest you (i.e. running away). This would also apply to situations in which you have been detained or stopped (i.e. pulled over).

That being said, a lot of times the case can come down to a “He Said, She Said” type of situation in which it is your word against the arresting officer. But there are a number of defenses that can be raised. For instance, if the officer used excessive force in carrying out the arrest, you have the right to use a reasonable amount of counter-force to defend yourself. This defense is tricky, because the officer can easily claim that the reason he/she used force against you in the first place was because you had displayed aggression. Or if you are charged with St Louis resisting arrest because you used foul language, or rude and/or sarcastic remarks towards the officer, that is not “resisting” the officer’s attempt to arrest you. (Unfortunately, it is not a defense to claim that the officer was making an illegal arrest). Mo Stat. 575.150

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 low level felony charge start at $750. But the initial consultation to discuss your legal issues is free of charge. So contact us today to learn more!!

We have two main locations: in the Central West End of St. Louis, at 1 North Taylor (on the corner of Taylor and Laclede), 63108; and in the Twin Cities of Festus / Crystal City, at 1000 Truman Blvd (Highway 61/67), 63019.