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2024

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Best Criminal Defense Lawyers in Raleigh, NC

Our Recommended Top 18

We did the research for you!

  • Licensing
  • User Reviews
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Our goal is to connect people with the best local professionals. We scored Raleigh criminal defense lawyers on more than 25 variables across five categories, and analyzed the results to give you a hand-picked list of the best.

301Reviewed

187Curated

18Top Picks

Learn about our selection process.

Providers

featured provider = Featured Provider

19 W Hargett St Ste 508, Raleigh, NC 27601

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Avvo
4.7 (38)
Google
5.0 (3)
Yelp
5.0 (3)

Why choose this provider?

The Chetson Firm is a full-service criminal defense law firm that has been taking cases on behalf of the residents of Raleigh for over a decade. The firm represents defendants in criminal cases involving sexual assault, drug possession and distribution, child abuse, and white-collar crimes. Its attorneys defend clients in court to determine their innocence and maintain their records. From 2015 to 2019, founding attorney Damon Chetson was honored by Thomson Reuters as a Super Lawyers Rising Star.

  • Drug Crimes
  • Violent Crimes
  • Domestic Violence
  • Sexual Assault
  • Federal Crimes

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Damon Chetson - Principal/OwnerActive16 yrs

Raleigh, NC

Expertise.com Rating

Why choose this provider?

Need help contacting a Criminal Defense Attorney in Raleigh? Call our Concierge team at 848-Book-Pro (848-266-5776 from 6 am - 4 pm PT | Mon - Fri). They are standing by to help you get the service you need.

127 W Hargett St Ste 600, Raleigh, NC 27601

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Avvo
5.0 (51)

Why choose this provider?

The Law Office of Dewey P. Brinkley is led by a former Wake County Assistant District Attorney who has tried over 250 cases in the District and Superior Courts. It provides criminal defense to locals of Raleigh, North Carolina accused of assault with a deadly weapon, disorderly conduct and public disturbance, statutory rape, drug trafficking, and kidnapping. The legal practice also accommodates clients who need help with traffic tickets and suspended license and the expungement of criminal records.

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Dewey Brinkley - PrincipalActive23 yrs

2609 Atlantic Ave Ste 207, Raleigh, NC 27604

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
5.0 (144)
Facebook
4.8 (38)
Yelp
5.0 (4)

Why choose this provider?

Founded in 2005, Fay, Grafton, Nunez PLLC is a criminal defense and immigration law firm serving the community of Raleigh that has another office in Asheville. The firm works with clients who have been accused of crimes, such as domestic violence, drug possession, and larceny. It also assists clients with license restoration and expungements of arrest and conviction records. In 2019, Rebekah Grafton was named a Super Lawyers Rising Star by Thomson Reuters.

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Rebekah Grafton - PartnerActive11 yrs
William Fay - PartnerActive20 yrs
Ana Nuñez - PartnerActive11 yrs

827-B N Bloodworth St, Raleigh, NC 27604

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Yelp
5.0 (4)
Facebook
4.3 (3)

Why choose this provider?

Scharff Law Firm is a criminal defense law firm providing the people of Raleigh with legal representation and litigation services. Attorney Amily McCool has over a decade of experience in the legal field, and she represents clients who are being charged with crimes, including drug possession and manufacturing, domestic violence, theft, and driving while intoxicated. She defends her clients in court to protect their records and prevent jail time, fines, and license suspension.

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Amily McCool - Managing PartnerActive17 yrs

530 Hillsborough St Ste 200, Raleigh, NC 27603

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
4.4 (36)
Facebook
4.8 (8)
Yelp
1.0 (2)

Why choose this provider?

Dysart, Willis, PLLC is a criminal defense law firm serving the communities of Raleigh and the surrounding areas. The firm takes cases on behalf of residents who are being charged with serious crimes, such as drug possession and distribution, sexual assault, and driving while intoxicated. Its attorneys provide clients with guidance and litigation services throughout the legal process to protect their records and prevent repercussions, such as jail time and license suspension.

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Christian Dysart - Founding PartnerActive18 yrs
Christian Dysart - Founding PartnerActive18 yrs
Geoffrey Willis - Founding PartnerActive21 yrs
Joseph Houchin - Equity PartnerActive14 yrs
Meredith Hubbard - Equity PartnerActive17 yrs

121 S. Third Street, Smithfield, NC 27577

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
5.0 (1)

Why choose this provider?

Reece & Reece focuses on advocating for the rights of criminal defendants in and around Raleigh. Since 2010, the law firm has been providing sound legal counsel in various criminal matters, such as drug possession, felony, DUI and DWI, probation violations, and misdemeanors. It also helps clients expound on several convictions, including prostitution offenses, toxic vapor dismissal under age 22, and pardon of innocence. Its team of attorneys has over 27 years of collective experience in representing criminal cases before appellate, county, and superior courts.

  • Expungement
  • Drug Crimes
  • Domestic Violence

800 N Arendell Avenue, Zebulon, NC 27597

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Facebook
4.9 (86)
Yelp
1.0 (3)

Why choose this provider?

Turner Law Office was awarded by Martindale-Hubbell with a Distinguished designation in 2017. Representing defendants in Raleigh, the firm's legal team uses its insights about the North Carolina legal system to fight for the rights of clients in the courtroom. Its practice areas cover driving while intoxicated, traffic offenses, license restoration, and felonies and misdemeanors. The law firm practices criminal defense law in both district and superior courts and also represents clients before the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles.

  • Drug Crimes
  • Domestic Violence
  • DWI/DUI

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Everette lee Turner - PrincipalActive34 yrs

120 E Parrish St STE 200, Durham, NC 27701

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
4.7 (19)

Why choose this provider?

The Law Offices of Edward J. Falcone and H. Wood Vann is a Durham-based firm helping individuals in Raleigh. For more than four decades, it has been practicing criminal defense and advocating for those charged with misdemeanors or felonies. The firm negotiates and litigates DUIs, traffic violations, juvenile delinquencies, and white-collar and violent crimes to protect the future prospects of defendants. Two of its three attorneys are members of the North Carolina Advocates for Justice.

  • Juvenile Crimes
  • DWI/DUI

100 E. Parrish Street Suite 450, Durham, NC 27701

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
4.6 (14)

Why choose this provider?

Motta & Muñoz, PLLC offers its legal services to clients in Raleigh and its surrounding communities. Its team handles criminal defense, family law, estate planning, business litigation, and personal injury cases. The firm has experience in providing legal solutions for criminal defense matters such as misdemeanors, felonies, DWIs, speeding, and driving without a license. Its team addresses client concerns in English and Spanish. The firm has been representing and assisting clients for more than 10 years.

  • DWI/DUI

728 S Main St, Lillington, NC 27546

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
4.7 (86)
Facebook
5.0 (3)
Yelp
1.0 (1)

Why choose this provider?

Led by Robert Buzzard, who has been part of the National Trial Lawyers' Top 100, Buzzard Law Firm offers criminal defense services to residents in North Carolina, such as Raleigh. It provides legal assistance to clients with charges that include driving while intoxicated, serious felonies, drug offenses, and federal crimes. The firm helps defendants with minor traffic infractions avoid costly penalties imposed by the law through dedicated representation. It handles cases in both federal and state courts.

  • DWI/DUI

421 Fayetteville Street, Suite 1101, Raleigh, NC 27601

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
5.0 (3277)
Facebook
5.0 (663)
Avvo
5.0 (342)

Why choose this provider?

Cotten Law Firm, PLLC, assists individuals in Raleigh who have been accused of criminal charges, including carrying a concealed weapon, communicating threats, resisting a police officer, and possessing marijuana. It also represents clients charged with assault, city code and restraining order violations, DUI, and sexual battery. Jeremy Cotten, the attorney, has been in practice since 2012. Before establishing his private practice, he had worked in the banking and wealth management industry for three years and earned the Certified Financial Planner designation.

  • DWI/DUI

1027 U.S. Hwy 70 West, Suite 203, Garner, NC 27529

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
5.0 (16)

Why choose this provider?

Tim Fowler Law Firm, P.A. provides comprehensive criminal defense representation to clients in Raleigh and the surrounding areas. Serving defendants throughout North Carolina, the firm addresses a wide spectrum of criminal cases, ranging from misdemeanors to serious felonies. It is characterized by a personalized approach, prioritizing direct and transparent communication throughout every stage of the legal process. With over 25 years of experience, the firm's established reputation highlights a consistent dedication to protecting clients' rights and achieving favorable resolutions in criminal law matters.

  • Theft & Burglary
  • Drug Crimes
  • Domestic Violence

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Timothy Fowler - PrincipalActive26 yrs

401 N Mangum St, Durham, NC 27701

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Facebook
4.6 (10)
Google
5.0 (5)

Why choose this provider?

Minick Law advocates for the individual rights of Raleigh residents charged with crimes. It handles criminal defense proceedings for drug possession, underage drinking, assault, and theft. Its legal team conducts investigations, develops goal-oriented plans, and counsels defendants in each process step. The team also assists clients in expungement proceedings. One of the team members, Gintaras Kazys Krulikas, has been practicing law for over six years and is trained in NHTSA's DUI Detection and Standardized Field Sobriety Testing course.

  • Expungement
  • Drug Crimes
  • DWI/DUI

421 Fayetteville St. Ste. 1100, Raleigh, NC 27601

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
4.9 (33)
Facebook
4.9 (31)
Avvo
5.0 (7)

Why choose this provider?

Pruden Feldmann Law, PLLC provides criminal defense solutions to locals in Raleigh and across North Carolina who have been falsely accused of a crime. He represents those arrested for carrying a concealed weapon and drug crimes. It also protects the rights of those charged with white-collar crimes like fraud, embezzlement, and money laundering. The legal practice is led by an attorney who previously served as a member of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Executive Protection Detail.

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
William Pruden - PrincipalActive8 yrs
William Pruden - PrincipalActive8 yrs

555 Fayetteville St, Suite 201, Raleigh, NC 27601

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
4.9 (59)
Avvo
5.0 (19)
Facebook
4.6 (11)

Why choose this provider?

The Law Office of Christopher R. Detwiler, PLLC, provides criminal defense to clients in the Raleigh metro and the surrounding areas. The firm handles misdemeanor, traffic and DWI cases; and serious offenses such as possession of controlled substances, assault with a deadly weapon, and obtaining property by false pretenses. It reviews all potential outcomes and employs a results-oriented approach to every case. Detwiler established his own legal practice in 2012. He draws from previous experience as an intern for a federal district court judge.

  • DWI/DUI

5 W Hargett St #904, Raleigh, NC 27601

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Avvo
5.0 (69)
Google
5.0 (30)
Facebook
4.0 (9)

Why choose this provider?

Hiltzheimer Law Office is a criminal defense law firm that helps clients throughout the Durham metropolitan area. The firm has been operating for more than 13 years and is experienced at handling a broad range of cases, including those where the defendant has been charged with larceny, drug trafficking, or sex crimes. It also provides representation to clients who've been accused of driving while intoxicated or who are facing other traffic offenses.

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Benjamin Hiltzheimer - Owner/Managing PartnerActive14 yrs

127 West Hargett Street, Suite 100, Raleigh, NC 27601

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
4.9 (133)
Facebook
5.0 (34)
Avvo
4.9 (18)

Why choose this provider?

Matheson & Associates PLLC is a full-service law firm that has been serving the citizens of North Carolina since 2010. It represents individuals in Raleigh and nearby areas seeking assistance with criminal defense cases. Its attorneys build defense strategies for people dealing with DUI and drug charges. They also seek favorable outcomes for parties accused of breaking and entering, sexual battery, domestic violence, and embezzlement. Additionally, the team assists clients in getting their criminal records expunged.

  • Expungement
  • Drug Crimes
  • Domestic Violence

Compare our Top Criminal Defense Lawyers

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The Chetson Firm