For base-specific information, including local command culture and regional legal issues, please visit our individual installation pages.
For more than two decades, we’ve defended Marines at Parris Island, Camp Lejeune, Cherry Point, Camp Pendleton, MCAS Yuma, MCAS Twentynine Palms, MCAS Miramar, MCRD San Diego, Quantico, and multiple camps across Okinawa and the Pacific.
A large part of that work involves defending Marine recruiters. Recruiter cases are unique. Most start with a civilian complaint that later becomes a military investigation. We know how to handle that crossover, how to intervene discreetly, and how to keep the case from getting out of control.
We began our careers in the United States Air Force JAG Corps, and we’re direct about that because we think it’s an advantage, not a shortcoming. The UCMJ is identical across all branches, but our position outside the Marine Corps by pedigree and culture gives us the independence to challenge command pressure, unlawful influence, and investigative overreach.
We’ve represented Marines accused of misconduct under Articles 117a, 120, 120b, 120c, 134, as well as 119b, 128, and every other serious charge. We don’t pretend to be Marines; we show respect for the Corps by staying fit, disciplined, and ready to stand in a courtroom alongside them.
How We Approach Marine Corps Court-Martial Defense
Our job isn’t to posture; it’s to protect and win. Every decision is made with the people who control your future in mind: the trial counsel, the convening authority, the military judge, and the panel.
Early Intervention
First, we stop the bleeding. We stabilize the Marine, silence the chatter, and establish control before NCIS or command can corner the client.
We set ground rules for contact, social media, and work routines so the Marine doesn’t get trapped by friendly conversations or surprise questioning.
We notify investigators and command that representation is in place, then take over all communication.
We keep things professional. We work with trial counsel and command respectfully, inserting ourselves early into the decision cycle instead of waiting to be invited.
If helpful material exists, we decide when and how to surface it; if silence is smarter, we help the client stay quiet and composed.
Families need direction too. We guide spouses and parents so they don’t make missteps trying to help.
Working with NCIS and Prosecutors
Marine cases often start with NCIS and end with the Office of Special Trial Counsel. Both respond to credibility and professionalism. We communicate directly, frame the evidence in context, and show them what a fair resolution looks like. Good prosecutors would rather dismiss a weak case than take a beating at trial; we give them that opportunity early.
Trial Readiness
We treat every case as if it will be fought in court. We prepare defenses rooted in fact and psychology: mistake of fact, consent, bias, alcohol, motive, and credibility. We study every witness, examine every digital trace, and use expert analysis when needed. Serious preparation forces better outcomes, even without a verdict.
In the Courtroom
Our courtroom style is disciplined but assertive, the same qualities expected of Marines in the field. We stay fit, composed, and professional. We don’t strut or play to the crowd. We focus on credibility, judgment, and victory. The less they remember we were there, the better.
Mitigation and Sentencing
If a guilty verdict comes in, the fight doesn’t end. We humanize the Marine, draw out the truth of service, and argue for fairness without surrendering integrity. Sentencing is not an afterthought; it’s advocacy in its purest form.
Our Background and Scope of Experience
Entered the Air Force JAG Corps in the wake of 9/11 and served as both trial and defense counsel while on active duty.
Left active duty in 2005 and have since served exclusively as civilian military defense counsel.
Represented service members from every branch (Air Force, Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Space Force) at bases across the United States and overseas.
Tried cases in all forums: special and general courts-martial, service courts of criminal appeals, and the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces. 20 years of parallel case work in federal criminal court.
Represented clients in extremes few lawyers ever see: scorching Palm Desert, subzero Alaskan posts, and operations disrupted by wildfires, hurricane evacuations, and COVID lockdowns.
Tried cases in every kind of setting, from makeshift courtrooms in gyms and confinement facilities to secure research installations, and stood beside everyone from recruits fresh out of boot camp to flag officers at the highest ranks.
We do the cases most lawyers avoid: high-visibility; sex offenses; human trafficking; crimes against children; combat incidents.
We’ve represented Marines from infantry, aviation, logistics, and recruiting commands, ranging from down-range incidents and training accidents to bar fights, fraternization, sexual assault, and human trafficking allegations. We’ve handled each with the same focus: protect the Marine, control the damage, and win the fight in front of us.
The modern military justice system is no longer command-driven; it’s run by the Office of Special Trial Counsel. Sentencing authority rests with judges, not panels, and the Article 32 process now demands a broad, aggressive strategy instead of a narrow focus on probable cause. The system rewards reputation, credibility, and courtroom skill, qualities built only through years of real trial work in both military and federal courts.
When civilian firms list their so-called service locations, they just paste a list of all military installations that they pulled from a directory. We don’t do that. Here is a real-life sample of bases where we have represented Marines:
- Camp Courtney (Okinawa)
- Camp Foster (Okinawa)
- Camp Lejeune
- Camp Pendleton
- MCAGCC Twentynine Palms
- MCAS Beaufort
- MCAS Cherry Point
- MCAS Kaneohe Bay
- MCAS Miramar
- MCAS Yuma
- MCB Quantico
- MCRD Parris Island
- MCRD San Diego
- NAS Pensacola (Marine Detachment)
In Plain English: The Court-Martial Process in 150 Words
A court-martial is the military’s version of a criminal trial. It applies to every service member and enforces the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ). There are three levels: Summary, Special, and General. Summary courts handle minor misconduct; Special courts try mid-level offenses that can still end a career; General courts are reserved for the most serious crimes, with penalties up to life imprisonment or death.
The process starts with an investigation, often followed by an Article 32 hearing to decide whether charges should go forward. Cases are referred by command or the OSTC. The accused has both a free military defense attorney and the right to hire a civilian lawyer. Trials follow strict evidence rules and end with sentencing by a judge.
Appeals run through military and federal courts. Every step matters, and early, experienced defense makes the difference between recovery and ruin.
Article 120 in 120 Words
Memory is not a recording; it is rebuilt from fragments and emotion. A confident witness can still be wrong. Each retelling reshapes the memory, adding what feels true. Alcohol and trauma (real or imagined) magnify distortion. The mind fills blanks with plausible fiction. A blackout means lost memory, not lost consciousness. Broken recollections are patched together through assumption. Emotion is evidence of feeling, not of crime. The panel must separate empathy from proof. Science and reason are the safeguards against fear. Confirmation bias molds facts to belief. Hindsight bias paints the past with false warning. “Why would she lie?” is the wrong question. People lie, exaggerate, and influence, sometimes without knowing it. Memory can convict the innocent if left unchecked.
Mistake of Fact in 110 Words
“Mistake of fact” means you honestly and reasonably believed the other person consented.
“Reasonable” means what a sober, cautious person would have thought.
Your intoxication doesn’t excuse you; hers defines the case.
“Blackout” means absence of memory, not unconsciousness.
“Passed out” means no capacity to consent.
Once someone vomits, slurs, or fades out, consent is essentially impossible.
Consent must exist every time, even between long-term partners.
What feels playful or generous (wake-up oral) can be charged as assault after the fact.
Belief of age has to be reasonable. If she says she has a curfew or learner’s permit, you’re done.
The law forgives misunderstanding, not denial, recklessness, or wishful thinking.
What It Costs to Hire Civilian Counsel
Most civilian military defense attorneys charge between $4,500 and $8,500 for initial representation during an investigation. Our typical fee for this stage is around $6,500. If the case proceeds to an Article 32 hearing, expect to add $8,000 to $15,000. Our usual fee for that stage is $10,000 to $12,000. Trial representation typically costs another $15,000 to $100,000, with our standard trial fee at $25,000.
From start to finish, a full defense can (on average) reach about $50,000, though some firms charge significantly more. Most cases, however, are resolved or dismissed before trial. The cost of mounting a real defense is substantial, but the cost of losing is worse: loss of career, benefits, retirement, and in some cases, mandatory sex-offender registration.
Additional Benefits of Working With Us
The first thing you’ll notice is what we don’t do. We don’t trap you in a chatbot loop or hand you off to a call screener who can’t answer your questions. When you reach out, you deal directly with us. We use our cell phones, not landlines that go to voicemail at 5 pm.
If you hire us, you get two senior trial lawyers who’ve spent decades in real courtrooms and on real cases. We’re not chasing publicity or billable hours. We charge flat fees, not hourly rates, so there are no surprises. The financial terms are known up front, before you hire us.
A Toll-Free Call That Rings to Our Cell Phones
If you’re under investigation, being court-martialed, or have some other military disciplinary action pending, call us at 800-319-3134 for a confidential case review.