Dukes County Court System & Courthouses

Once you or a loved one has been arrested on Martha's Vineyard in Dukes County, your next move should be finding a criminal attorney best suited to effectively handle your case, and provide you help - FAST!  

The first requirement should be that he or she knows the Cape and the Islands District Attorney's Office, the different law enforcement agencies on the Cape, and the personnel at both the Edgartown District Court and the Dukes Superior Court.

Ask around, and you'll quickly learn that one of the most aggressive criminal defense law firms on the Cape is The Massachusetts Criminal Defense Group.  Our attorneys include former prosecutors from the Cape who understand the criminal filing process of the Dukes County Sherriff's Office, Massachusetts State Police, Aquinnah Police Department, Chilmark Police Department, Edgartown Police, Oak Bluffs Police, Tisbury Police, West Tisbury Police, Gosnold Police Department, and the different prosecuting agencies.  Each attorney at our office focuses on early intervention for his or her clients.

Our office defends people charged with all crimes - from assault and battery to drug charges, OUI's, guns and weapon charges, disorderly conduct, restraining order violations, theft crimes, and even white collar crimes.   Protect yourself by calling us today.

Additionally, our attorneys are familiar with the alternatives available to criminal convictions from the Edgartown District Court and how these programs may allow persons charged with crimes to earn dismissals.  We know the criteria used by the Dukes County Prosecutors to decide whether a case is suitable for an alternative program, and we steer our clients towards the best possible alternatives. Many of these alternative programs are not well known, which makes it extremely important to have an attorney who is familiar with all of these options.

Massachusetts oversees almost 200,000 people who have been convicted of a criminal offense but are allowed to serve at least part of the sentence in the community by being on probation. If you're a first-offender, many cases can be resolved without you having a criminal record, particularly in the District Courts.

At The Massachusetts Criminal Defense Group, we know criminal charges brought before the Superior Court are handled differently than cases brought before District Courts.  These matters tend to require a more aggressive defense strategy, more research and higher levels of written communication.  When you need representation in the Dukes County Superior Court, our attorneys are the ones to call. 

Not an Automatic Jail or Prison Sentence

Sometimes people just need a second chance.  If you've been arrested and charged with a crime in Dukes County, you deserve a lawyer who has handled cases just like yours and who knows what to do to keep you from going to state prison or the Dukes County House of Corrections. 

As former Assistant District Attorneys for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, our attorneys have dealt with countless probation cases and probation officers. They know what the Commonwealth is really interested in, and oftentimes it is simply your money, not your liberty.  If you hire us to represent you, rest assured that we will work with Chief Probation Officer John Mezzetti at the Edgartown District Court (Dukes Superior Court does not have a probation department, but all probation issues are handled by the Barnstable Court's Probation Department) and will fight to keep you on probation.  If he will not agree, we will go over his head to the Cape and Islands District Attorney Michael O'Keefe, and, if necessary, to the Judge.  You have Constitutional rights, and we will protect them.

With So Many Choices, Why Choose Us?

There are many criminal defense attorneys, but few who really understand how prosecutors approach cases.  Fewer still can bring real-world experience as former prosecutors or as Assistant District Attorneys.  We can. 

Our lawyers are available 7 days a week, 24 hours a day - we're armed with Blackberries and state-of-the-art technology.  Call us at (800) 461-6900 or contact us online.