Top Domestic Violence Lawyers Near Me in Bellevue Area

The more we do something, the better we get at it. As of 2024, I've been an attorney for 30 years and I know my way around the courtroom.. I've been taking care of hundreds clients in the King County and greater Puget Sound courts over three decades now.. I know how to deal with other attorneys, prosecutors, and how to talk with judges to get decisions that favor my clients.. I work to protect my clients rights and deliver the best results possible. I am confident that I can improve my client's situation significantly.. A  percentage of my practice is devoted to special assault and abuse cases.  I also enjoy representing juveniles and young adults in educational, juvenile court and criminal court cases.. I am  a parent and fully understand the impact a pending criminal charge, protection order or investigation can have on a family whether the case is against a parent or a child. The whole family is affected.. After over 30 years of criminal defense and related proceedings, I can identify and develop strong defenses in cases involving false accusations, retaliatory complaints, misuse of the legal system.  In cases where the allegation may be true, my clients can trust that I offer no judgment, I understand that sometimes things just go wrong and people make mistakes. My job is then to develop mitigation and seek avenues for leniency and best outcomes.. There are many reasons why someone can find themselves accused of wrongdoing. Regardless of those reasons, my goals are always the same -dismissal, reduction and avoiding the loss of job, house, family,education, liberty or good name.. I commit to getting this done expeditiously, with strong leadership and sensitivity.  I make myself available to my clients when they need me.  I use the respect I have earned from the court, prosecutors and other lawyers to my clients benefit.  I treat my clients as I would treat a family member or friend in trouble.  I am care about the professional service I provide and the positive changes I make to legal problems.  I am 100% confident that I can improve my client's situation significantly.

My primary goal is to help my clients move forward in their lives. Divorce is a major event and I provide effective and efficient assistance.  I am as comfortable in the courtroom as I am in a conference room.  Family law is not limited to divorce alone, and my experience is as broad, including custody disputes, child support issues, final order enforcement, protection and restraining orders and domestic violence.

My practice focuses on family law and divorce.  I worked as a prosecutor for a major metropolitan area in southern California before working as a prosecutor in King County Washington.  I have experience with accounting and businesses practices, having prosecuted many financial fraud cases.   I have years of courtroom experience trying complicated high profile criminal cases.  This trial experience and background with complicated financial cases compliment and benefit my family law practice.  My 25 years of experience, combined with my knowledge of family law means you will get the best representation possible.. My criminal background is also provides clients an advantage in  family law matters where there are allegations of domestic violence, criminal behavior or a protection order is being requested.. Although I am more than qualified and competent to present your case in court, I know the value of settling cases out of court.   I have settled hundreds of cases directly with the other party, the other attorney or through the use of mediators and try to reach fair settlements wherever possible.  If we cannot reach a fair agreement or settlement and a court appearance or trial is necessary, my courtroom experience is invaluable.

My legal expertise focusses mostly on Domestic Violence, Assault, No-Contact Orders and DUI defense, stressing negotiation in many cases to obtain discreet outcomes, avoiding trial when in my clients' best interests.  My clients are my top priority.  I am accessible to them and work tirelessly, late hours and weekends too when needed, to fight for their rights and protect them.  In the courtroom, when you are charged with a crime, when I am your criminal defense lawyer I am your best and often your only friend.. In the DUI/criminal defense arena, I at effectively presenting to the prosecutors and the courts the flaws in the police work and reports and the client’s compelling circumstances.  I have absolutely helped my clients avoid a lot of jail time from my various aggressive, tactful and creative approaches, some of which I pioneered.  I am experienced in creating unique and time-proven approaches to criminal defense matters. That is why I have a record of success as a criminal defense litigator and have helped so many people save their jobs, their reputations, their driver’s licenses, etc.  I have been helping people save their driver’s licenses and protecting their freedom for over three decades.  I have been told many times that I saved clients from very tough legal dilemmas, huge prison terms, and did “a stunning job” representing and defending them. I continuously research the latest cases, legal treatises, scientific literature, and articles about drunk driving defense, criminal defense and family law, allowing me to be on the cutting edge always. I take a holistic approach to every client, as each person and their case and history is different and unique, and as every client has different legal goals.  I know how to read and scrutinize a police report to find all the issues of improper, dishonest and weak police work seeing all the ‘angles’ to bolster your defense.  I know how the system works and how to best present you and your case in court and to the prosecutor. I have been practicing law in the King and Snohomish County area since 1986, with over 30 years of experience in criminal, DV and DUI defense.  I am a member in complete good standing with the Washington State Bar Association and belong to several professional associations.  I have also been a member of the Washington State Trial Lawyers Association, Washington Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers the American Trial Lawyers Association, the American Bar Association and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. I hold a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Lake Forest College (1972), where I majored in Chemistry and International Relations, was consistently on the Dean’s List and was nominated Pi Sigma Alpha, the National Political Science Honor Society (the only honor society for college and university students of government in the United States).. I received my law degree (J.D., Juris Doctor) from The John Marshall Law School in Chicago in 1982, graduating “with distinction,” in the top 11% of my graduating class, winning a moot court competition, and was elected by the law school faculty to the esteemed “Order of John Marshall,” an honorary law student scholastic society.  I passed both the Illinois and Washington State Bar exams the first time I took them.  Getting your case dismissed, always my initial goal with every single case, is always my highest priority.  I have gotten innumerable charges and cases dismissed.  Whether you’re facing a DUI, an Assault or DV charge, a felony or a misdemeanor, I know what a tough time this is for you and I'd like to meet with you so we can go over your case.

Monique Gilson-Moreau has been practicing law for over 30 years, primarily in private practice.  Monique has been a litigator, mediator, and guardian ad litem for the courts. She currently focuses her practice on family law, with particular experience in relocation and interstate custody issues (“UCCJEA” Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction Enforcement Act ) and the Indian Child Welfare Act “ICWA.”  Monique has dealt with various tribal courts in this and other states and has appeared and/or been admitted to practice in various local tribal courts. Early in her career Monique gained experience in various areas of law as indicated in her Professional Experience below.. Attorney.   Monique was born in Verviers, Belgium and immigrated to the United States with her parents at a young age.  Monique earned her Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Puget Sound School of Law (now known as Seattle University School of Law) in 1985.  She continued her legal training through McGeorge University School of Law at their Salzburg, Austria Campus, earning a Diploma in Transnational Legal Practice.  She then moved to Paris, France where she completed an internship with an international French law firm.  She was sworn in as an Attorney licensed to practice in Washington State at the U.S. Embassy in Paris.  She remained in Paris for over 2 years where she continued to work for various private French law firms and eventually met and married her husband.  Monique returned to Seattle, WA with her husband in December of 1987.  Monique and her husband, Frederic, are the proud parents of three grown daughters, two of whom work with Monique as her paralegals.  Upon her return to Washington, Monique did contract work for various Seattle law firms until she began her private solo practice, which included immigration and family law.  Because Monique speaks French fluently, she has received referrals for Immigration, Adoption and Family Law cases from the French Consulate in San Francisco as well as the Honorary French Consulate in Seattle.  Monique successfully obtained asylum for a client who fled persecution in Zaire and adjusted the status of several French Nationals enabling them to work or become permanent residents of the United States.   Her empathy and compassion for others led her to volunteer to represent a financially disadvantaged victim of domestic violence through the Family Law Mentor program.  This and similar experiences eventually led her to focus her practice on domestic law, child support, custody, including interstate UCCJEA cases, adoptions, Guardian ad litem and mediation.  She particularly enjoys using her family law experience to help parties resolve their disputes.  Finally, she has supported our U.S. military by volunteering her time to provide Washington Family Law training to the JAGs at the Whidbey Island Naval Base.. Guardian ad Litem.  Monique has been appointed by the King County Superior Court as a guardian ad litem in Title ll cases.  She later completed training as a Title 26 guardian ad litem for children in family law cases.. Tribal Courts and the Indian Child Welfare Act.   Monique has represented clients in matters that either were brought in Tribal Court or in which a party invoked the Indian Child Welfare Act in Washington Tribes and as far away as South Dakota. Monique is currently admitted to practice in the Lummi Tribal Court.. Mediator.  Monique has successfully mediated settlement conferences between private parties as well as parties represented by attorneys in compliance with the settlement conference requirements mandated in several Washington Counties.. About Monique.  Monique met and married her husband, Frederic, in Paris, France in 1986.  They moved to Seattle at the end of 1987 and had three beautiful daughters, who are now young adults and on their own.  Monique is bi-lingual, French being her first language.  She enjoys cooking, gardening, traveling, spending time in the outdoors and at their property in Chelan, WA.  Monique loves animals and passed on to her children that love and compassion for animals.  Monique and her husband currently share their home with 3 dogs and 3 cats.  Sometimes she brings her Maltese “Tucker” to the office to hang out.

John is a criminal defense attorney, professor of law, Navy veteran and third generation Washingtonian. John has worked on thousands of criminal cases and is a member of the Washington Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.. Honored by Avvo as a 10.0 rated attorney, John has received the Avvo “Clients Choice” award for the last five consecutive years. Additionally, he has received the preeminent AV rating from Martindale Hubbell for being peer rated for the highest level of professional excellence. Prior to law school he served as an officer in the United States Navy and as a staff member in the United State House of Representatives. He is a graduate of the Seattle University School of Law and began his legal career at the city of Everett prosecuting attorney's office. Shortly thereafter, he became an Associate Attorney at a high-profile private criminal defense law firm before founding John T Law, PLLC. John's practice is dedicated to criminal defense, including: DUI, theft, domestic violence, sexual assault, sex crimes, rape, prostitution crimes, assault, domestic violence assault, vehicular assault, driving crimes, protection order defense and Title IX defense.. John's office is centrally located in downtown Bellevue in the Columbia West Building. Underground validated parking is available.. You can contact John at

Experienced Domestic Violence attorney serving clients in Bellevue and surrounding areas.