Essex County Court System

The Massachusetts Criminal Defense Group is one of the most experienced and aggressive criminal defense law firms in Essex County.  Our attorneys include former prosecutors, and our legal team has more than 30 years of combined legal experience.

Unlike many of the other counties in Massachusetts, Essex is particular in the way it handles criminal cases.   Therefore, it is important to find a lawyer that is familiar with your type of case, and who has experience on how that case will be handled in the Newburyport District Court, Haverhill District Court, Gloucester District Court, Ipswich District Court, Lynn District Court, Salem District Court, or in Peabody District.  To learn more about each of the courthouses in Essex County, go here.

If you have a pending criminal matter in Essex County, call our office and speak to any of our attorneys who have extensive experience in the Essex County criminal courts.

• For charges in the Gloucester District Court, you'll be before Judge Jennings.

• When charges are pending in Haverhill District Court, the matter will likely be heard by Judge Abany or Judge Dowling.

• In Ipswich, criminal matters are usually before Judge Swan.

• OUI  and other criminal matters in the Lynn District Court are heard by Judge Lauranzano, Judge Conlon, Judge Flatley, or Judge Wexler.

• Judge Doyle and Judge Uhlarik hear drunk driving and other criminal cases in the Newburyport District Court.

• Criminal matters in the Peabody District Court are normally heard by Judge Brennan or Judge O'Leary.

• If you've been arrested and are facing charges in the Salem District Court, Judge Mori or Judge Paratore will likely hear your matter.

Attorney Andy P. Miller and his team are often in these courts, or in one of the Essex County Superior Courts in Salem, Lawrence, and Newburyport, where the more severe criminal matters are heard.  Our Essex County Criminal Attorneys can handle any matter and advocate toward getting your charges dropped or reduced. 

Essex County is also where Colonel Mark F. Delaney, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police, often announces DUI Checkpoints.  While law enforcement claims to be educating the motoring public, our Sobriety Checkpoint Attorneys hold police officers and the prosecutors accountable to operating roadblocks during varied hours, randomly selecting vehicles, and providing advanced notice to motorists in order to reduce fear and anxiety.  Learn more about DUI/OUI cases in Essex County by going to our sister firm, the North Shore DUI Defense Group.

We Win Some Cases Other Lawyers Said Were Impossible

Three things point to why our team can help you more than any other attorney, and how our team can specifically help YOU:

1.  By having former Massachusetts prosecutors on our legal defense team, our attorneys know the ins and outs of the criminal justice system, including prosecutorial guidelines and how to most effectively negotiate with the other side.
2. In many cases, we have the insight on how to have your case dropped before charges are even filed.  Contrary to common belief, in certain criminal cases, it is the District Attorney's Office - not the police officer - who decides whether or not to file charges.  So, once the prosecutor receives the report, we make contact with them and present your side of the story.  This is the advantage of having former prosecutors defending you - we've been there, we know what evidence they are looking for, and we know what evidence doesn't help them.
3. We can negotiate with the D.A. for drastically reduced charges.  For example, an OUI can be minimized to a motor vehicle offense, a larceny to shoplifting, an assault & battery continued without a finding for a period of six months, etc.  These charges will likely be reduced dependent on various factors such as prior offenses, actual evidence, and other specifics related to your case.

No matter what the charge is - domestic abuse, harassment and stalking, assault & battery, drunk driving, narcotics charges, theft crimes, or a simple motor vehicle offense - you can rely on our team's experience and knowledge of the prosecutors and Judges to help you with your criminal case. 

We Make Our Motions Count!

Success or failure in a Massachusetts criminal law matter is directly related to the quality and aggressiveness of a law firm's motion practice.  This is particularly true in Essex County.  The quantity of motions filed does not always equal a quality motion practice.  We have heard some judges comment about the same "six pack" of stock motions filed by some lawyers in every case. 

While there are always some motions that can be filed regardless of the particulars of a case, the plain fact is that no two cases are the same, no two sets of facts are the same, and for the most part, "form" motions filed with no regard for the facts of the case lack merit.   Whether it's a Motion to Compel Discovery (forcing the prosecution to expose more of their case than they initially wanted), Motion to Remove Default Judgment, or a Motion to Extend or Vacate an Abuse Prevention Order, our attorneys file motions that are specifically tailored to each case.  In our opinion, clients do not benefit if an Essex County judge, prior to even hearing our oral argument, has a pre-conceived idea that the motion lacks merit.  

Our attorneys have also represented students arrested and charged with college crimes who attend Merrimack College, North Shore Community College, Endicott College, or even Salem State College.

Get a Free Case Evaluation With One Of Our
Experienced Massachusetts Criminal Defense Attorneys

For a case evaluation, call (800) 461-6900 or contact us online.  We listen to what did and didn't happen, ask pertinent questions, and assess the potential strengths and weaknesses of the case against you.

Once retained, we'll obtain and review police reports, compile a list of all possible witnesses and statements concerning your case, possibly view the scene of the arrest or alleged crime, conduct a thorough background check of all potential witnesses and involved parties (to look for discrediting and checkered pasts which may compromise their credibility), and evaluate the chain of events leading up to and resulting in your arrest.

We represent clients in each of the towns and cities in Essex County - Amesbury, Beverly, Danvers, Gloucester, Hamilton, Lawrence, Methuen, Saugus, Topsfield, Wenham, and West Newbury - and appear in each of the District and Superior Courts listed above.