Find a Lawyer Missouri Kansas City Criminal Defense
David Bell

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David Bell

5.0
107 reviews
This is an aggregated review score of Avvo and Lawyers.com reviews.
Rating: 10.0

Licensed for 28 years

Criminal defense Lawyer at Kansas City, MO
Practice Areas: Criminal Defense, White Collar Crime, Sex Crime ... +3 more

1200 Main, Suite 2110, Kansas City, MO

Virtual Consultation Available

Free Consultation

Call for a FREE consultation (816) 844-6916

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David Bell's Website
Overview Reviews Experience Activity
Overview Reviews Experience Activity
Call for a FREE consultation (816) 844-6916

About David

Biography

David Bell is a top-rated criminal defense attorney in Kansas City with significant experience in criminal matters at the local, state and federal level. He specializes in helping good people navigate through a bad situation. Call 816-844-6916.

Helping good people navigate through a bad situation, David brings decades of experience to achieve the best outcomes. Don't wait, call for an initial consultation today.

Caring and understanding, there when you need him and quick to respond. David Bell is the person you want on your side. Call today for an initial consultation.

Understanding the complexities of your case is key. David Bell brings decades of experience and knowledge to get you the outcome you deserve. Call today for a consultation.

Caring and compassionate, there when you need him and quick to respond. David Bell is the person you want on your side. Call today for an initial consultation.

Accused of a violent crime? Don't wait to secure the best representation for yourself. David Bell will take the time to understand the aspects of your case to mount a vigorous defense. Call today for an initial consultation.

Restoring professionals and saving careers, David Bell can help clear your record. Don't wait to get your life back. Call today for an initial consultation.

Practice Areas

6

Practice Areas

Criminal Defense 50%

50%
Domestic Violence 10%

10%
Expungement 10%

10%
Sex Crime 10%

10%
Violent Crime 10%

10%
White Collar Crime 10%

10%

Fees and Rates

Cost

Free Consultation

$0 first 30 minutes

Hourly Rates

$ 325-350 per hour

Payment Methods

  • Cash
  • Check
  • Credit Card

Awards

Client's Choice
Client's Choice
2025 2024 2023
...
+ 4
Silver Client Champion

Avvo Client's Choice Awards

Client's Choice

The Avvo Client's Choice Award Badge is granted to attorneys with a significant number of 4+ star reviews in a given year.

Client's Choice
Client's Choice 2025
Client's Choice
Client's Choice 2024
Client's Choice
Client's Choice 2023
Client's Choice
Client's Choice 2022
Client's Choice
Client's Choice 2021
Client's Choice
Client's Choice 2020
Client's Choice
Client's Choice 2019

Silver Client Champion

Silver Client Champion

Client Champion awards recognize those attorneys who excel at service as affirmed by their clients. The awards, based on the quantity and quality of an attorney’s Martindale-Hubbell client reviews, demonstrate an ongoing commitment to delivering excellent client service.

This attorney has received at least 3 client reviews, and has an average score of 4.0 or higher.

Licenses

Licensed in Kansas for 27 years

State: Kansas

Acquired: 1998

Active

No misconduct found

Licensed in Missouri for 28 years

State: Missouri

Acquired: 1997

Good Standing, Active

No misconduct found

Location

Wyrsch Hobbs & Mirakian, PC

(816) 844-6916

Mobile

1200 Main, Suite 2110, Kansas City, MO, 64105

whmlawdb.com/
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Gallery

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Gallery

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Online Presence

Other places you can find David online.

David Bell's Reviews

Filter Avvo Reviews (104) Refine reviews to match your needs. Use the filters to quickly surface reviews that align with your case or priorities.
Star rating
5 stars 104
4 stars 0
3 stars 0
2 stars 0
1 star 0
Practice Areas
Criminal Defense (45) Lawsuits & Disputes (18) Domestic Violence (3) Juvenile (3) Family (2) Federal Crime (2) Litigation (2) Speeding & Traffic Ticket (2) Administrative Law (1) Appeals (1) Business (1) Civil Rights (1) DUI & DWI (1) Divorce & Separation (1) Expungement (1) Tax (1) White Collar Crime (1)
What Clients Mention
Case Results (58) Advocacy (47) Recommendation (40) Professionalism (31) Communication Style (28) Compassion (24) General Knowledge (23) Character & Conduct (22) Responsiveness (22) Trustworthiness (18) Cost of Services (10) Practice Area Knowledge (8) Staff & Support (5) Free Consultations (4) Punctuality (1)

Showing 21 - 24 of 24 reviews | Compassion

Posted by Teri | July 19, 2020 | Hired Attorney | Criminal Defense

Best Criminal Attorney In MO

David Bell was the most professional and most thoroughly passionate lawyer I’ve ever hired. He cared enough to listen to the details of my case and and also listened and learned me as a individual. He genuinely put all his efforts towards finding the best solution possible. He worked tirelessly, even... weekends to make sure my case was handled properly which resulted in no charges!! Saying he’s the best lawyer Is an understatement. If you want someone who is going to fight for you and your best interests, David Bell is your guy!!

Posted by anonymous | February 07, 2018 | Hired Attorney | Criminal Defense

Facing a Felony Charge

My husband travels to K.C. for work every week to the same place of business and has done so for twenty years. He is known and respected there. However, upon arriving at work one week last year he found himself in a compromising predicament. He is required to show proper identification when entering.... He did so as always except the color of the identification card changes from week to week and he had the previous weeks color. He was approached by a hot head security officer that told him he was not authorized to be there because of the color of the badge. To make a long story short it escalated unnecessarily from there and my husband was asked to leave. When my husband didn’t leave and asked for management to rectify the situation the officer took things into his own hands. The officer proceeded to pepper spray and assault him. My husband then reacted to defend himself. He was arrested and facing a felony charge. We had no idea who to contact in the area for counsel as neither of us had dealt with any sort of legal issues in the past and we are from another state. We were very happy to have been referred to David Bell from another colleague. David was very professional and spent a great deal of time with us when we initially met for our first consultation. He was obviously very well connected in his field as he was making calls while we were going thru the details of the case on our first visit. He was very down to earth and laid out the best and worst case scenario for my husbands case. Although David is very qualified and a very good attorney he did not take advantage of us financially, as he very easily could have. He treated us like old friends and I will never forget what he said when we got ready to leave from our consult. He said, “now, on a personal note, you two go home and do what you do, I’m going to take care of this.” David did just that! Not only did my husband get the charges dropped but it was done so in a very reasonable time frame. We are definitely back to doing what we do! We have all the confidence in the world in David’s genius skills and he definitely knows and practices the law at a high level! We would highly recommend David to anyone facing trouble in the K.C. area!! Amazing attorney!!

Posted by Craig | January 31, 2017 | Hired Attorney | Lawsuits & Disputes

Excellent Experience!

If you are looking for an experienced lawyer that is willing to put in the work to give his clients the best experience possible then you should contact David Bell. My son had a legal issue right before Thanksgiving weekend and, as if that wasn't stressful enough, we then had the task of trying to fi...nd a lawyer that was knowledgeable, experienced, and willing to truly help us to come out the other side of the situation with the best possible outcome. After a great deal of searching and reading reviews I came across David Bell. I am a firm believer that the true measure of how successful someone is will be reflected in the opinions of those that have had dealings with them. David had some well thought out, glowing reviews, as well as an excellent resume (education and experience) so I gave him a call. I called David on Black Friday and he took my call while he was out shopping with his family. I felt bad that I intruded on his family time but he insisted that it was fine which made me feel like we were important to him and he wanted to help. We set up an appointment for the next morning (Saturday) and we met him in his office to discuss the case. Once we talked through all of the facts, David went through all of the scenarios from best case to worst case. David formulated a plan and began working on it that day. We went into David's office very worried and concerned and we left with a totally different mindset and in fact felt relieved. Over the next few days we talked to David several times and ultimately we were able to resolve the matter without any further legal issues. The end result was definitely the best case scenario we had discussed, however, without David's hard work and effort this could have just as easily ended up much worse. This was our first experience with a lawyer and I would 100% recommend David Bell to anyone that needs legal help and I made sure that my entire family has his contact info handy because you never know when you will be in a situation that calls for legal help.

Posted by anonymous | March 22, 2016 | Hired Attorney | Criminal Defense

BRILLIANT ATTORNEY....HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!!

In my opinion, David Bell is the top defense attorney in the Kansas City area and among the top three in Missouri. I will even go so far as to say that he is within the top 25 attorney's in the nation. He is a legend before his time. I call it like I see it. He is an absolutely amazing attorne...y. He is a rare combination of pure brilliance, shrewd, and bulldog. All I could think about in my multiple trial appearances was, "Oh my God I am so glad David Bell is representing me." Trust me when I say that he is unequivocally magnificent in the court room. Opposing counsel does not want to be on the other side of David Bell in court or in general. Not only are his cross examination skills the best in the business, but he is highly skilled in dismantling opposing counsel arguments. He is very quick thinking on his feet and he has an innate ability to exploit small windows of opportunity like no other. David Bell is also very genuine, personable, conscientious, and cares deeply for his clients. He was there for us in every possible way and he went the extra mile and beyond. Most of all David Bell knows how to win. I have never had any prior experience with legal issues other than a non-moving violation about thirty years ago. I won't get detailed about my case, but for two solid years I was in a state of pure hell. I gained a hundred pounds due to the stress . I was in danger of losing my marriage, my family, my career, and all that I hold dear. I was in danger of being incarcerated. Truly my case was something out of a crime novel in terms of the magnitude and nature of the allegations that ranged from - well you name it. Suffice to say the charges were beyond terrible in every way. In the beginning I didn't know what I was doing in terms of legal representation. An acquaintance recommended an attorney, but I soon found that they were completely inept. In desperation I began seeking other counsel. David Bell's name kept surfacing as I spoke to multiple other attorneys. All other attorneys were hesitant to take my case I guess because of a high degree of difficulty and a high probability of losing. When I first met with David Bell I remember being in a state of pure despair as I said sobbing, "Look, I don't know what to do…I am innocent, but I am scared to death of losing everything that I have." I'll never forget what he said to me, "This is what you do - you fight this head on." He said it with such self-assurance that a glimmer of hope began to ignite within me. He quickly assured me that my case was winnable. Unlike the other attorneys that I had met with, David was completely confident in his ability and he welcomed the challenge. He told me to go home and get a good night's sleep. For the first time in months I slept. Although initially very impressed, I really didn't know what to expect of him on the first day of trial, but it was immediately evident that David Bell's presence was well respected in the court room. He was very prepared. It was like watching a skilled surgeon in the operating room as he methodically dismantled the testimony of key witnesses during cross examination and destroyed opposing counsel arguments. All I can say is that David Bell was 100% effective for me - winning four extremely difficult cases at multiple levels and over a two year period. If you are in legal trouble - get David Bell in your corner and you will begin to sleep at night. All of my charges have been completely expunged from my record. David Bell gave me my life back. He descended into the depths of hell where I was floundering in hopelessness. He took me by the hand and he slowly led me out completely unscathed. I remember the first time he called after three days of intense trial, "Are you sitting down - the prosecutor is dismissing your case." I began to sob. It was a magical moment that would replay again and again.

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David Bell's Lawyer Endorsements

Endorse David
Michael Gerard Leonard headshot
Michael Leonard

White collar crime lawyer | Dec 07

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Dave has a well deserved reputation among the Criminal Defense Lawyers in Kansas City as a well prepared and excellent trial attorney. He has been practicing for over 20 years and has the requisite experience to handle any situation. I would hire him to represent my son"

Chadwick Dwight Meyers headshot
Chadwick Meyers

Criminal defense lawyer | Jul 18

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"David is a knowledgable attorney with unmatched experience in his field. Would highly recommend."

Jonathan David Bailey headshot
Jonathan Bailey

Criminal defense lawyer | Dec 13

Relationship: Worked together on matter

"I consider David not only a great attorney, but also a mentor and friend. He is always available to help other attorneys in the community. He fights for his clients no matter the circumstances. I highly recommend David."

Michael Martin Spiegel headshot
Michael Spiegel

Criminal defense lawyer | Jul 23

Relationship: Opposing Counsel on matter

"I endorse this lawyer One tough opponent."

Jody Rachelle Gondring headshot
Jody Gondring

Criminal defense lawyer | Jul 12

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse David Bell! You got a criminal problem- David is the man. David fights for his clients with excellent results."

Ruth Beatrice Sanders headshot
Ruth Sanders

Criminal defense lawyer | Feb 22

Relationship: Worked together on matter

"Over the years, both as an appellate attorney for the Missouri State Public Defender and in my current practice, I have read transcripts of many of David's trials. David is a tough, focused, thorough, and absolutely tireless advocate at trial. I have also talked to David about many of his cases, and have observed firsthand his professionalism and dedication to his clients. David's reputation as an excellent attorney is well earned."

View All Endorsements
Jon H Saline headshot
Jon Saline

Criminal defense lawyer

Experience

Rating:  10.0 (Superb)

Honors

2025

Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers

2024

Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers

2023

Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers

2022

Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers

2021

Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers

2020

Top Attorney, Avvo

2020

Clients Choice Award, Avvo

2020

Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers

2019

Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers

2012

Rising Star, Super Lawyers

2011

Rising Star, Super Lawyers

2007

Charles M. Shaw Trial Award, Missouri Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers

2006

16 Up and Coming Lawyers, Missouri Lawyers Weekly

Work Experience

2007 - Present

Shareholder, Wyrsch Hobbs & Mirakian P.C.

2010 - 2019

Judge, City of Mission, Kansas

2001 - 2007

Trial Attorney, Missouri State Public Defender's Office

1997 - 2001

Attorney, Morrison & Hecker

Associations

1997 - Present

Missouri Bar

Member

Sample of Legal Cases

In the Interest of [Redacted]

Family Court case dismissed and Children's Division Decision Overturned.

See More Legal Cases

Education

1997

New York University

LL.M

1997

New York University

JD

1994

Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania

BA - Bachelor of Arts

Speaking Engagements

2016

2016

CLE By the Hour

Criminal Law Update

2015

Continuing Legal Education

Criminal Law Update

2015

American Justice

Criminal Justice System

2015

3 Part Radio Show Series Race, Economics and Criminal Justice

2013

Recent Trends in 4th Amendment Law Overview of 4th Amendment

Languages

English

Activity

35

Legal Answers

Legal Answers

Q&A

Is it illegal for a 15 year old girl to send me a butt in underwear picture?

12 Feb 2022
Q&A

25 yr old possible bench warrant in Missouri

21 Jul 2021
Q&A

Can I drop charges against a friend who was charged with child endangerment?

27 Jun 2021
See More Legal Answers
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