Monument Legal criminal defense lawyer meeting with client in Washington DC office

Criminal Defense Lawyer DC

When you’re facing criminal charges in the nation’s capital, your freedom, reputation, and future are on the line. You need more than just legal representation, you need a skilled defender who fights relentlessly to protect your rights.

Every day that passes without proper representation is another day that critical evidence might be lost and another opportunity for prosecutors to build their case against you. Don’t face this alone.

Criminal Defense Case Results

100% Dismissal Rate

Felony Carrying a Pistol Without a License (CPWL) - Out-of-State Licenses

In 2025 alone, Monument Legal proudly represented over 50 clients facing felony Carrying a Pistol Without a License charge in D.C. These individuals lawfully owned and carried firearms in other jurisdictions, with no criminal intent, only to be arrested due to D.C.’s non-recognition of out-of-state licenses. Through relentless negotiations with the government, Monument Legal achieved a 100% dismissal rate for all these cases, encompassing ghost guns, rifles, and handguns, many of which were loaded, protecting our clients from unjust prosecution.

Below Federal Guideline Sentence

DC District Court Federal Felony Drug Conspiracy

Our client was charged with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl in the District of Columbia and faced a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison. We successfully negotiated the safety valve exception, which eliminated the mandatory minimum, but still left him with sentencing guidelines of 57-71 months. The client was sentenced to 48 months, well below the applicable guidelines.

All Charges Dismissed

Felony Rioting

A college student, in Washington, D.C., for a peaceful protest, was swept up in mass arrests, charged with felony rioting. Monument Legal meticulously reviewed hours of video evidence and presented compelling legal arguments to the government. Our persistent advocacy resulted in the dismissal of every charge against our client, allowing him to successfully graduate college the following year without a criminal record.

Top Criminal Defense Attorneys Washington DC

At Monument Legal, our criminal defense attorneys in Washington, DC, have spent years defending clients against charges ranging from DUIs to serious felonies. We know you’re dealing with fear about what comes next, confusion about the legal process, and concerns about how this will affect your job, your family, and your life.

We’ll review your case, explain the charges you’re facing, and lay out a clear defense strategy. You’ll walk away understanding your rights, your options, and what steps to take next.

You shouldn’t have to navigate the DC criminal justice system without an experienced advocate on your side. We handle every aspect of your defense while you focus on your life and family.

Our Washington, DC criminal defense lawyers have successfully defended hundreds of clients throughout the District. We’ve negotiated dismissals, secured acquittals at trial, and helped countless clients avoid the harshest consequences of criminal charges.

When you’re arrested, scared about what happens next, and don’t know who to trust, we’re here to guide you through every step of the criminal justice process.

When should I hire a criminal defense attorney in Washington, DC?

Contact a criminal defense lawyer immediately after arrest or as soon as you learn you’re under investigation.

Early legal representation protects you from making damaging statements, preserves crucial evidence, and ensures police and prosecutors respect your constitutional rights. The sooner we start working on your case, the more options we have to achieve the best possible outcome.

Types of DC Criminal Defense Cases We Handle

Our criminal defense law firm in Washington, DC represents clients charged with virtually every type of offense. Each case type presents distinct legal challenges, and our attorneys have the specialized knowledge to handle them all effectively.

DUI

Driving under the influence charges in DC carry serious consequences including license suspension, substantial fines, and potential jail time. We challenge every aspect of DUI cases, from the legality of the traffic stop to the accuracy of breath and blood tests. Field sobriety tests are subjective and often administered incorrectly. Breathalyzer machines require proper calibration. We identify weaknesses in the prosecution’s case and use them to defend your rights.

Reckless Driving

Reckless driving involves operating a vehicle with willful disregard for safety and carries criminal penalties including potential jail time. Prosecutors must prove you consciously disregarded known risks. We defend by challenging witness testimony, questioning police observations, examining road conditions, and presenting alternative explanations for driving behavior. Many reckless driving charges can be reduced to lesser offenses or dismissed entirely with proper defense.

Hit and Run

Leaving the scene of an accident is a serious criminal offense in DC. The law requires drivers to stop, exchange information, and render aid if anyone is injured. These cases often involve disputes about whether you knew an accident occurred, whether you were actually the driver, or whether you had a valid reason for leaving. We investigate circumstances thoroughly and build defenses based on lack of knowledge, mistaken identity, or emergency situations.

Grand Jury Representation

If you’ve been subpoenaed to testify before a grand jury or believe you’re under investigation, you need immediate legal representation. You have no right to have an attorney present during testimony, but you absolutely need legal advice before appearing. We prepare clients for grand jury testimony, advise on Fifth Amendment rights, negotiate immunity agreements when possible, and protect from perjury traps. If you’re a target, we work to prevent indictment through pre-indictment advocacy.

Domestic Violence

Domestic violence charges cover assault, threats, and property destruction between family members, romantic partners, or household members. These cases often involve mandatory arrest policies and protective orders that immediately impact your living situation. The DC Attorney’s Office prosecutes aggressively, even when alleged victims don’t want to press charges. We defend by challenging witness credibility, presenting self-defense evidence, exposing false allegations, and demonstrating lack of intent to harm.

Protective Orders

Civil Protection Orders restrict contact with alleged victims and can affect custody, housing, and employment. These orders are issued based on a lower standard of proof than criminal convictions but carry serious consequences and create permanent records. We represent clients in CPO hearings by cross-examining petitioners, presenting contrary evidence, calling witnesses who contradict allegations, and demonstrating that the petitioner’s fear isn’t reasonable or allegations are fabricated.

Assault

Assault charges range from simple assault (misdemeanor) to aggravated assault and assault with intent to kill (felonies). Severity depends on weapons used, extent of injuries, and whether the victim belongs to a protected class. We defend through self-defense arguments, defense of others, lack of intent to cause harm, mistaken identity, and challenging witness credibility. Many assault allegations arise from mutual altercations where our client acted defensively, not aggressively.

Gun Crimes

DC has some of the nation’s strictest gun laws. Charges include carrying a pistol without a license, possession of an unregistered firearm, ammunition possession, and weapons possession during other crimes. Even lawful gun owners from other states can face serious felony charges. We challenge cases by questioning whether police had legal grounds for searches, whether you had actual possession of the weapon, whether the weapon was operable, and whether you knew about its presence.

Sexual Assault

Sexual assault charges range from misdemeanor sexual abuse to first-degree felonies. These cases often involve consent disputes, credibility battles, and highly emotional testimony. Convictions carry lengthy prison sentences and sex offender registration requirements. We handle these sensitive cases by thoroughly investigating allegations, obtaining records that contradict the accuser’s timeline, interviewing witnesses, hiring experts on memory and false allegations, and preparing clients for defending their reputation and freedom.

Solicitation

Solicitation of prostitution involves offering money for sexual acts. Both those offering money and those accepting it face criminal charges. DC police conduct undercover operations targeting both buyers and sellers through online ads and stings. We defend by challenging entrapment, questioning whether illegal agreements were actually made, examining police procedures during stings, and in appropriate cases arguing for diversion programs that allow clients to avoid convictions through community service.

Drug Crimes

Drug charges range from simple possession of marijuana to distribution of heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, and other controlled substances. Federal charges may also apply for offenses on federal property throughout the District. We defend by challenging illegal searches and seizures, questioning whether prosecutors can prove knowing possession, examining whether substances were actually illegal drugs, disputing quantity measurements that determine charge severity, and presenting evidence that drugs were for personal use rather than distribution.

Juvenile Defense

When minors face criminal charges in DC, cases are handled in Family Court with different procedures and goals than adult court. The focus is theoretically on rehabilitation, but juveniles still face serious consequences including detention, probation, and records that can affect their future. We protect young clients by advocating for diversion programs, presenting evidence of positive school and community involvement, working with families to address underlying issues, and ensuring youthful mistakes don’t derail futures.

Robbery

Robbery involves taking property from another person by force or threat of force. This felony carries substantial prison time, with enhanced penalties for armed robbery or injuries to victims. Prosecutors must prove both theft and use of force or intimidation. We defend through mistaken identity challenges, questioning the level of force used, presenting evidence that force wasn’t used to obtain property, and challenging victim and witness identification procedures that are often unreliable.

Kidnapping

Kidnapping involves unlawfully seizing, confining, or carrying away another person. This serious felony applies even to relatively brief detentions and doesn’t require physically moving someone a significant distance. Domestic disputes, child custody situations, and false imprisonment scenarios often result in kidnapping charges. We defend by demonstrating consent to accompaniment, showing that detention was brief and for lawful purposes, or proving that the alleged victim wasn’t actually restrained or threatened.

Strangulation

Strangulation is a separate, serious felony in DC due to the strong correlation between strangulation in domestic violence incidents and later homicides. The offense involves knowingly or intentionally impeding another person’s breathing or blood circulation by applying pressure to their throat or neck. These cases often involve limited physical evidence and rely heavily on victim testimony and small injuries. We defend by challenging credibility of allegations, presenting medical evidence that contradicts strangulation claims, and demonstrating alternative explanations for injuries.

Carjacking

Carjacking is a federal offense in DC punishable by up to 15 years in prison, or life imprisonment if death results. The offense involves taking a motor vehicle from another person by force, violence, or intimidation. DC has experienced a significant increase in carjacking cases in recent years, particularly involving juveniles. We defend through misidentification arguments, challenging witness reliability, examining the strength of force or threat evidence, and in appropriate cases negotiating for charges to be reduced.

Murder

Homicide charges include first-degree murder (premeditated), second-degree murder (unpremeditated but intentional), and voluntary manslaughter (heat of passion killings). These cases demand the most thorough investigation and aggressive defense. We defend through self-defense arguments, challenging forensic evidence, presenting alternative suspects and theories, hiring expert witnesses in pathology and forensics, and in appropriate cases pursuing manslaughter verdicts rather than murder convictions. Every detail matters when life imprisonment is at stake.

Theft

Theft offenses range from petit larceny to first-degree theft. Charges can involve shoplifting, employee theft, pickpocketing, or more sophisticated schemes. The value of property taken determines whether charges are misdemeanors or felonies. We defend by challenging evidence of intent to permanently deprive owners of property, questioning identification evidence, demonstrating consent or authority to take property, and negotiating restitution agreements that may lead to reduced charges.

Expungement

DC’s expungement laws allow certain criminal records to be sealed from public view. Actual innocence motions, interest of justice motions for certain offenses, and second-chance provisions for old convictions may provide opportunities to clear your record. We help clients navigate the expungement process by determining eligibility, gathering supporting documentation, preparing compelling legal arguments, and presenting cases to judges that demonstrate why sealing records serves justice and rehabilitation.

Unlawful Entry

Unlawful entry involves entering private property without permission or authority. This misdemeanor offense commonly arises from trespassing allegations, disputes over property rights, or situations where defendants claim they believed they had permission to be on the property. We defend by demonstrating consent to entry, showing defendants had lawful business on the property, challenging identification evidence, and presenting circumstances that negate criminal intent.

Fraud

Fraud charges cover various schemes to obtain money or property through false pretenses, including credit card fraud, identity theft, forgery, and financial scams. These cases often involve complex paper trails and financial records that require careful analysis. We defend by challenging evidence of intent to defraud, demonstrating that defendants believed representations were truthful, showing that alleged victims weren’t actually deceived, and negotiating restitution agreements that may reduce penalties.