I cannot give Stephen enough praise both as a person and an attorney. I know Stephen through work…read morethat I have done in politics around Missouri and knew that he was a Criminal Defense Attorney, among other specialties, before hiring him. My significant other was going being put through the ringer by Clay County, charging him with 3 felonies and a misdemeanor (one of which an armed criminal action, which doesn't have a maximum sentence so he was potentially facing life), as a first time offender, for entering his own home with a knife. He later was beaten by his ex-girlfriend's parents while trying to leave her and later hospitalized for his injuries, while no one else was injured. After he was released from medical treatment he was taken into custody and charged with the above crimes on the evidence of a police report and half of the witnesses' statements. My SO didn't have money to afford an attorney and initially had a public defender, who cut a deal for a dropped ACA and 15 years. Needless to say, it was an absolute abomination of a deal considering the lack of evidence, he was a first time offender, and a non-existent investigation. Attorneys that we reached out to in Clay County could not get us to trial, only take a plea for a felony and get 5-10 years in prison. One even said that if they took it to trial he would jeopardize their career and legal practice within Clay County. We learned that the corruption in Clay County is abhorrent at every level, not just within county government, so we started exploring options outside of Clay County.
As I stated earlier, I know Stephen through political work that I have done/been doing throughout the state. I initially reached out to him to ask if he knew any attorneys in the Kansas City area that would maybe be willing to take it on. Nick called him and chatted with him the next day and he was the first to not only work with our budget, but would actually represent him regardless if it went to trial or not. We hired Stephen shortly after securing a continuance with roughly 4 months until the trial. I had been doing some investigative work, doing background checks, and monitoring social media use, which seemed to help in the process. Although, always check with your attorney to see if this is okay. I checked with him at every step of the way to ensure compliance with the law and to not jeopardize any part of this process.
He always made a point to be in court, answered correspondence promptly, provided support and advice when we needed it, was prepared at every step of the way, actually investigated into the charges, and was just absolutely phenomenal throughout the process. There was one hearing that we were at where others in the courtroom for other cases, upon hearing arguments from Stephen, were routing for us. Usually, people are having side conversations, however, during this one you could hear a pin drop. This wasn't even the trial and he was able to sway people to his client's side of the story.
My SO's case eventually went to trial, where Stephen shined in all of his statements, cross examinations, questioning, etc. Stephen was prepared throughout the process, but especially with the trail. This man can kick some ass in the courtroom, and honestly, it was great to watch. My SO was found not guilty on all counts except the misdemeanor by the jury: which is exactly the outcome that we were okay with. As I stated earlier, we could not be happier with the representation that led up to that. He truly cares about his clients, cares about their futures, and just is an amazing person. He truly knows the consequences of his job and the lifelong impact that it can have on the people he represents. Thanks to him, Nick can get a decent paying job, be able to get decent housing, and isn't spending his life in prison for a crime that he didn't commit. This fact is not lost on us and we are so grateful for all that Stephen has done for us. Also, his paralegal, Blaine Wyse, is fantastic as well. He was kind, professional, and you can tell that they both work well as a team. The Wyse Guys are some of the best in Missouri and I cannot recommend them enough.