The Criminal Defense Lawyers: an independent guide to recommended criminal defense lawyers across the United States.

Criminal defense is a branch of law that focuses on defending those who have been accused of committing a crime. The goal of a criminal defense attorney is to protect the rights of their clients and to ensure that they receive a fair trial.

Each year one leading criminal defense attorney per state is invited to appear in the directory. The in-depth nomination, research and selection process is completely independent. Every June, more than 70,000 nomination forms are distributed to criminal defense attorneys across the USA. An initial shortlist for each state is formed based on the results of the peer nominations and our own independent research. The team then assess the shortlisted lawyers based on 8 key performance indicators, before a final selection is made for each city and state.

To assist potential clients, we provide a detailed profile of each lawyer in the guide, highlighting their expertise and experience, key cases, an overview of their firm, its criminal defense practice and full contact information.

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Latest News & Legal Insights

Jimmie “Chris” Duncan Is Released After 27 Years On Louisiana’s Death Row

Jimmie “Chris” Duncan was released on bail today after 27 years on death row at Louisiana’s Angola prison following a wrongful conviction for a crime that never occurred.  In May 2025, Judge Alvin Sharp of the 4th Judicial District in Ouachita Parish ruled that clear and convincing evidence proves Mr. Duncan is factually innocent in the alleged murder of Haley Oliveaux, a charge that was based entirely on junk science proffered by discredited forensic...