Practice Areas

Souder Tate Law provides clients in Springfield, Missouri and surrounding communities with a variety of innovative criminal defense services, including:

Felony Criminal Defense

Felony charges have a dramatic impact on your life and the lives of your loved ones.  You need an experienced criminal defense attorney to protect your rights and ensure the highest probability of a successful result.  You need an honest attorney you can trust.  Souder Tate has over 20 years of criminal defense experience, offering professional representation at every stage of the judicial process.  Souder Tate Law focuses on the defense of drug and property crimes, DWIs and domestic assault.

Probation Violation

Probation violations often result in prison time or other severe sanctions.  Too often, prison sentences are seen as the only solution when a defendant has violated the terms of probation.  You need a competent and confident attorney who can communicate well with judges, prosecutors and probation officers while seeking innovative solutions for your probation violation.  Souder Tate helps clients charged with probation violations find these innovative solutions while proposing reasonable alternatives to prison.

Sentencing Advocacy

Souder Tate screens every criminal case he takes to make sure the prosecuting attorney has enough evidence to prove each element of the crime charged.  However, approximately 90 percent of criminal cases are disposed of without a trial.  If you ultimately decide pleading guilty is your best option, this is not the end of your case.  In many ways, it is only the beginning.

Missouri has established non-binding sentencing guidelines to assist judges in determining a proper sentence.  These guidelines make recommendations based on various mitigating and aggravating factors.  The more mitigating factors present increases the chance you will receive a reduced sentence or probation.  Because the sentence you receive is determined by these factors, it is extremely important that you are represented by an attorney who knows what mitigating factors the judge will consider and who can suggest options to you which will increase your chances of receiving probation.

Souder Tate is an experienced criminal defense attorney who knows what mitigating factors the judge looks at in determining what sentence should be imposed.  Souder Tate has developed the C.A.R.E. Sentencing Plan to help his clients receive the best possible disposition of their felony criminal cases.  Through this innovative alternative sentencing program, Souder Tate tells the story of his client's life, outlines positive changes his client has made since getting into trouble, documents mitigating factors which are crucial to his client's being granted probation, and proposes a written guideline which the judge can follow in setting conditions of probation.

The C.A.R.E. Sentencing Plan can dramatically increase your chances of getting probation.

DWI/DUI, Traffic Violations, Driver's License Issues

In addition to felony criminal defense and probation violations, Souder Tate represents clients charged with misdemeanors as well as driving while intoxicated, driving while under the influence, and traffic tickets.  Souder Tate is experienced in handling administrative driver's license issues such as the granting of limited driving or hardship privileges as well as DWI expungement and point removal.

Seek Experienced Legal Representation

If you are facing criminal charges, contact Souder Tate Law for a free initial consultation with a lawyer with over 20 years of criminal defense experience.