Joe Welch

Located in St. Louis and Kansas City, Joe Welch has earned his reputation as "the drug lawyer" in courts throughout Missouri by a combination of winning drug cases in the courtroom, advocating to end drug prohibition, and having the expertise to understand the science behind drug cases. Fellow lawyers in the community often seek his advice on novel or confusing issues in their own drug cases. He has defended countless people who have been busted on I-70 with tens or hundreds or thousands of pounds of cannabis, and operates out of locations in Kansas City, Hermann, and with his main office in the Historic Dickmann Building in St. Louis.

The Litigator

Joe Welch has tried countless cases before judges, juries, and administrative bodies, and has litigated hundreds of motions to suppress, dismiss, or otherwise undermine the government's cases against his clients. His courtroom success and experience is unrivaled and his administrative law expertise is a key to success in the new medical cannabis industry.

The Advocate

For over 15 years Joseph Welch has been an active, public, and outspoken member of NORML long before marijuana legalization had the public support it now does. He drafted the 2009 petition to decriminalize marijuana in the City of St. Louis. He has helped prosecutors challenge their own opinions about drug laws and mass incarceration, and publicly fights for a society where law is no longer the tool of oppression

The Scientist

Joe Welch also has a bachelors degree in geology, a "hard science" of physics, math and chemistry where he studied and used many of the same instruments that the government's drug chemists use in analyzing controlled substances Few lawyers know more about mass spectrometry, gas chromatography, specific versus presumptive tests, the Wiley library, and lab quality control than he does He also has extensive knowledge regarding the science of addiction, drug treatment and drug testing

The Highest Credentials

Top 100 Trial Lawyer by the National Trial Lawyers

Ranked 10/10 Superb, Avvo's highest rating

Graduated from top ranked Washington University School of Law

Attended the Missouri Bar CLE's Advanced Trial College

Member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL)

Member of the Missouri Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (MACDL)

Member of the Missouri Association of Trial Lawyers (MATA)

Member of the NORML Legal Committee Card carrying member of the ACLU Member of the Missouri Civil Liberties Association (MOCLA)

Member of the National Lawyers Guild (NLG)

Practiced law for over 20 years

Why Trial Experience is Key

Whether or not you want a trial, you need an attorney experienced in trying cases in front of a jury. The only leverage you have against the government prosecutors in a criminal case is your lawyer's willingness to take your case to trial.

Many criminal cases get dismissed right before trial, and even losing your trial is often better than settling for a plea bargain. Most lawyers never take cases to trial.  They take your money and walk you into a plea bargain without investigating your case or fighting for you at all. Many of Joe Welch's felony cases get reduced to misdemeanors or dismissed completely because he's willing to put up a fight.

The prosecutor knows whether or not your lawyer is willing to put up a fight. If your lawyer has never tried a case, the prosecutor holds the upper hand and will force you into a less favorable plea bargain.

Security Focused

Your communications with your criminal defense lawyer should be private and secure and that's why Joe Welch uses state of the art encryption to communicate with you and protect your secrets.