65/100LFR Score
Ranked #1 because of its Google rating and review volume: 4.9★ from 775 Google reviews.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
Emergency Criminal Defense Lawyers in Columbia, MO (2026)
32 criminal defense lawyers ranked by LFR ScoreUpdated 0 paid placements in this rankingHow we rank
3 of the 32 criminal defense lawyers on this list post 24/7 hours. 24/7 law firms come first, then same-day, each ranked by LFR Score with availability weighted higher.
If you or someone you know is arrested: you can stay silent and ask for a lawyer before answering questions. Calls from jail are usually recorded, so do not discuss the facts of the case on them.
The short answer
- 1
#1 for emergency criminal defense in Columbia: Harper Evans Hilbrenner & Netemeyer, open 24/7.
Rankings can't be bought. Lawyers can't pay to change their rank or score. How we rank
Top emergency criminal defense lawyers in Columbia at a glance
Ranked by our published LFR Score from public data, not by payment; a rank is not an endorsement or a prediction of results.
| Rank | Business | LFR Score | Google rating | Based in | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harper Evans Hilbrenner & Netemeyer | 65 | 4.9★ (775) | Columbia | Open 24 hrs (Google) |
| 2 | Devkota Law Firm | 57 | 5.0★ (15) | Columbia | Open 24 hrs (Google) |
| 3 | Albers Car Accident and Injury Lawyer | 55 | 5.0★ (5) | Columbia | Open 24 hrs (Google) |
| 4 | Evans Kay | 57 | 3.6★ (12) | Columbia | — |
| 5 | Andrew Popplewell, Esq | 53 | 5.0★ (153) | Columbia | — |
| 6 | Esther Law Firm, LLC | 51 | 5.0★ (73) | Columbia | — |
| 7 | Faber Law Firm | 50 | 4.5★ (74) | Columbia | — |
| 8 | Law Office of Mike Hamilton | 49 | 4.6★ (38) | Columbia | — |
| 9 | Mid-MO Legal Defense LLC (David C. Kirshner) | 49 | 5.0★ (24) | Columbia | — |
| 10 | The Law Firm of Haden & Colbert | 48 | 4.6★ (22) | Columbia | — |
Call an emergency criminal defense lawyer in Columbia now
24-hour hours mean the firm lists itself as open around the clock on Google; that does not show its phone is answered. A lawyer may not be able to visit a jail or appear in court the same day: ask what they can do now and what it costs before you agree.
- #1Call (573) 442-1660
#1Harper Evans Hilbrenner & Netemeyer
Open 24/7 · 4.9 from 775 Google reviews
- #2Call (573) 773-5005
Open 24/7 · 5.0 from 15 Google reviews
- #3Call (573) 787-4774
#3Albers Car Accident and Injury Lawyer
Open 24/7 · 5.0 from 5 Google reviews
The 32 emergency criminal defense lawyers in Columbia, ranked
24/7 first, then same-day service, then the rest. Each group is in LFR Score order on emergency weights.
Ranked by our published LFR Score from public data, not by payment; a rank is not an endorsement or a prediction of results.
Based in Columbia
57/100LFR ScoreRanked #2 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 5.0★ from 15 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Personal injury attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
Based in Columbia
55/100LFR ScoreRanked #3 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 5.0★ from 5 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Personal injury attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
#4 Evans Kay
Based in Columbia
57/100LFR ScoreRanked #4 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 3.6★ from 12 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based on 6 of 9 factors; bar status, recency and availability not yet collected.
Based in Columbia
53/100LFR ScoreRanked #5 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 5.0★ from 153 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
Based in Columbia
51/100LFR ScoreRanked #6 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 5.0★ from 73 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
Based in Columbia
50/100LFR ScoreRanked #7 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.5★ from 74 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
Based in Columbia
49/100LFR ScoreRanked #8 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.6★ from 38 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
Based in Columbia
49/100LFR ScoreRanked #9 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 5.0★ from 24 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
Based in Columbia
48/100LFR ScoreRanked #10 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.6★ from 22 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
Based in Columbia
48/100LFR ScoreRanked #11 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.4★ from 21 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
Based in Columbia
48/100LFR ScoreRanked #12 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 5.0★ from 12 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
Based in Jefferson City, 27 mi away
47/100LFR ScoreRanked #13 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.8★ from 215 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
#14 Murray Law Firm
Based in Columbia
47/100LFR ScoreRanked #14 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.1★ from 15 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
Based in Columbia
47/100LFR ScoreRanked #15 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 5.0★ from 9 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
Based in Columbia
47/100LFR ScoreRanked #16 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 3.8★ from 13 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
Based in Jefferson City, 28 mi away
46/100LFR ScoreRanked #17 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.8★ from 108 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
#18 Ernst Law LLC
Based in Jefferson City, 28 mi away
43/100LFR ScoreRanked #18 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 5.0★ from 18 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
#19 Vindex Law, PC
Based in Jefferson City, 28 mi away
42/100LFR ScoreRanked #19 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.9★ from 16 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
Based in Columbia
41/100LFR ScoreRanked #20 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.9★ from 62 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Personal injury attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
Based in Columbia
41/100LFR ScoreRanked #21 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.9★ from 47 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Personal injury attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
Based in Columbia
39/100LFR ScoreRanked #22 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 5.0★ from 20 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
Based in Mexico, 29 mi away
39/100LFR ScoreRanked #23 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 3.0★ from 4 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
Based in Columbia
39/100LFR ScoreRanked #24 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.1★ from 25 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Bankruptcy attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
Based in Columbia
38/100LFR ScoreRanked #25 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.3★ from 12 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Family law attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
All 32 criminal defense lawyers by emergency score
#1 to #25 are shown in full above. Here are #26 to #32, in LFR Score order; each links to its profile.
| Rank | Business | LFR Score | Google rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 | Ed Orr Law Firm | 37 | 5.0★ (7) | In Columbia |
| 27 | James L Rutter, Attorney at Law | 37 | 5.0★ (6) | In Columbia |
| 28 | Welshon Law | 37 | 3.5★ (8) | In Columbia |
| 29 | Scott Hamblin, Attorney at Law | 36 | 4.6★ (105) | 28 mi |
| 30 | Grayson & Grayson | 35 | 5.0★ (37) | 27 mi |
| 31 | Brydon Swearengen & England | 32 | 3.9★ (21) | 28 mi |
| 32 | The Seigfreid Law Firm, LLC | 30 | 2.9★ (8) | 29 mi |
How we ranked emergency criminal defense lawyers in Columbia
Emergency lists move 10 points of the LFR Score from reputation to availability: 15% and 15%. Availability credits 24/7 hours, same-day service, weekend hours and weekly open hours. 24/7 criminal defense lawyers are listed first, then same-day, then the rest; ranks follow that order. Paid placement never changes a rank.
Paid placement never changes a rank or score. Attorney advertising businesses are paid, labelled, limited to 3 and shown above the ranking, outside it.
| Factor | Weight | Computed from |
|---|---|---|
| Reputation | 15% | Google star rating, adjusted for how many reviews back it |
| Bar status | 10% | An active bar or law society record matched to a lawyer at the firm (not measured until a record source is loaded) |
| Review volume | 10% | Number of Google reviews, compared with the most-reviewed firm on the list |
| Recency | 10% | Share of reviews from the last 12 months |
| Availability | 15% | Weekly office hours, Saturday, Sunday, and phones answered 24/7 |
| Practice focus | 15% | How clearly the firm practises this area (its Google category and name) |
| Proximity | 5% | An office in the city scores highest, less the farther away it is |
| Claimed profile | 10% | The firm has claimed its Law Firms Ranked profile (free and paid earn the same) |
| Law Firms Ranked reviews | 10% | Verified client reviews collected by Law Firms Ranked: their rating and how many there are |
Emergency criminal defense lawyers in Columbia: questions
Which criminal defense lawyers in Columbia are open 24/7?
3 on this list post 24/7 hours: Harper Evans Hilbrenner & Netemeyer, Devkota Law Firm and Albers Car Accident and Injury Lawyer.
Who is ranked #1 for emergency criminal defense in Columbia, MO?
Harper Evans Hilbrenner & Netemeyer is #1, with an LFR Score of 65 out of 100 on emergency weights.
How are emergency criminal defense lawyers in Columbia ranked?
Emergency lists move 10 points of the LFR Score from reputation to availability: 15% and 15%. Availability credits 24/7 hours, same-day service, weekend hours and weekly open hours. 24/7 criminal defense lawyers are listed first, then same-day, then the rest; ranks follow that order. Paid placement never changes a rank.
What should I do before the criminal defense lawyer arrives?
If you or someone you know is arrested: you can stay silent and ask for a lawyer before answering questions. Calls from jail are usually recorded, so do not discuss the facts of the case on them.
How many emergency criminal defense lawyers here list a phone number?
25 of the 25 law firms ranked in full list a phone number. Tap Call to dial it.
Update log for Columbia
- November 2026: LFR Scores recalculated for 32 criminal defense lawyers serving Columbia.