Top Best Criminal Defense Lawyers | 14974 Available

Salt Lake City criminal defense attorney Darwin Overson is dedicated to aggressively representing the rights of clients in criminal defense matters.  Contact him today for a free consultation.

Staci Visser is an experienced criminal defense and family law attorney. Staci is a creative problem solver and is skilled at persuading judges and commissioners both in the courtroom and through her legal writing. Evidencing all of these skills, she drafted the legal "briefs" and then argued her client's case to the Utah Supreme Court and won (Ralphs v. McClellan). Staci is passionate about helping good people going through tough times.. Staci previously practiced divorce/family law and criminal law at Open Legal Services.  During law school, Staci honed her legal skills as an appellate law clerk for the Salt Lake Legal Defender’s Association and was editor-in-chief of the Journal of Law and Family Studies (now the Utah Law Review) at the University of Utah’s S.J. Quinney School of Law.

Ann Taliaferro is an associate attorney at Brown, Bradshaw & Moffat and has practiced law since 2000. Her practice includes criminal defense and criminal appeals. Ann received her Juris Doctorate from the S.J. Quinney College of Law at the University of Utah and was a William H. Leary Scholar. Ann was a staff writer and editor of the Utah Law Review for two years. She was also a member of the National Trial Team and a semi-finalist at the Traynor Moot Court Competition. Prior to joining Brown, Bradshaw & Moffat, Ann was a law clerk for the Utah Attorney General's Office - Criminal Appeals Division and the United States Attorney's Office. She also completed an internship at the Supreme Court of the United States, Office of the Curator. Ann is a member of the Utah State Bar and is licensed to practice before all Utah state and federal courts and the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals. Ann is also a member of the Utah Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and has served on the Amicus Committee since 2005. Ann also served on the UACDL CLE Committee from 2005 to 2008. Ann has been a CJA Appellate Panel Attorney for the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals since 2007 and is currently serving as a member of the CJA Standing Committee. In addition, Ann is member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. Utah Business Magazine named Ann as an "Up and Coming Legal Elite" in 2009 and 2010, and she has also been designated as a "Mountain States Rising Star" in 2009 and 2010 by Super Lawyers.

I always knew I wanted to go to law school with the idealistic view that I wanted to make a difference.  After eight years of practice, I still take pride in making a difference one individual at a time.  My practice started out focusing on criminal defense work because of the constitutional law implications and I believe that everyone deserves an advocate when their opponent is the heavily resourced government.  Innocent people face criminal charges all of the time.  I had the advantage of working in appeals and was able to brief matters to the appellate courts of Utah and participate in oral arguments.  That experience better enabled me to write motions and argue motions based on constitutional violations when I started trial work.  I have conducted hundreds of jury trials with a high level of success.  I sincerely care about the outcome and fairness of each criminal proceeding for my clients.  I have handled misdemeanor, felony, state and federal matters.  My practice ranges from traffic cases to murder.  I started handling more family law matters as I saw instances of injustice and found I had the same passion for those clients who needed an advocate in protective order hearings, divorce, custody, modifications, termination of parental rights and adoptions.  I am a lawyer capable of fighting in and out of the courtroom, both on paper and in front of the judge.  I have the pleasure of working with two exceptional lawyers with whom I graduated law school.  We love our work and our clients and we take pride in advocating and making a difference in our client's lives.

After leaving a career as a Merchant Marine officer, Mr. Bautista has practiced criminal defense exclusively since 1999.  Since then, he has  represented over 6,000 clients and has obtained dismissals or not guilty verdicts in all types of criminal cases, including white collar crimes, criminal homicide, all sex crimes including rape and aggravated sex abuse of a child, aggravated burglary, robbery, thefts, forgeries, aggravated assaults, drug and alcohol charges including DUI, and domestic violence allegations.  When unable to secure a dismissal, Mr. Bautista has helped obtain a favorable resolution, or tried the case before a jury.  As of December 1, 2014, he has tackled over 196 jury trials as lead counsel with 139 acquittals, and of the guilty verdicts, three have been reversed on appeal and two were to a lesser misdemeanor charge. Of note is he has obtained acquittals in 5 murder trials in a row!. Mr. Bautista believes that each case must be handled from the onset for trial.  While most criminal cases are dismissed or resolved prior to trial, diligent and aggressive representation from the onset is fundamental to obtaining the best results.. At Bautista,Booth & Parkinson, Mr. Bautista focuses on representing individuals and companies in white collar criminal cases, and individuals in all criminal cases.  By habitually exceeding the continuing education requirements established by the Utah Bar, Mr. Bautista keeps abreast of all major developments in frequently litigated areas, such as securities fraud, health care fraud, environmental crime, computer crime, and sex crimes.  Mr. Bautista has represented many high profile clients and he prides himself in being one of less than 15 criminal defense attorneys in private practice qualified to represent clients charged with capital murder in Utah.  Thanks to his extensive experience as a trial and appellate attorney, he has successfully helped two clients avoid the death penalty.. Whether you, your company, or your loved ones are under investigation, or have been formally charged, Mr. Bautista has the experience, dedication, and a proven history of success to help avoid the most serious consequences.

With a passion for the law – and a unique perspective, Skye brings years of legal experience to the table. Thanks to her extensive trial experience, paired with a strong knowledge and understanding of the law, Skye is able to advocate decisively for her clients. Her ability to connect with people deeply allows her to not only communicate effectively, but produces the best possible outcome for clients. Skye has been recognized as a 2018 Utah Legal Elite by Utah Business Magazine, 2018 and 2019 Top 40 under 40 trial lawyer by the National Trial Lawyers Association and an "Attorney to Watch in 2017" by Attorney at Law magazine.  Utah Business magazine surveyed thousands of Utah State Bar members who were asked to vote for the lawyers whose work they observed firsthand as the best and whose services they would recommend to others.. Skye is a tireless supporter of her son's hockey and lacrosse leagues, as well as the local non-profit communities, including the VOA Homeless Youth Resource Center and Geraldine E. King Women's Resource Center.

“I grew up on the West Side, fought hard to be able to afford to attend law school, and am proud to now have the skills and knowlege to help people – it’s a hard system, nobody should get trapped in it without a good advocate on their side.”. I've been practicing criminal law for over 16 years – As a former Felony Prosecutor with the DA’s office I expanded my knowledge of criminal law practice and litigation skills while on the Screening, Misdemeanor/Domestic Violence, General Felony/Securities Fraud, Felony Drug and specialty Felony DUI Units.. I spend over a year on the Misdemeanor team in Justice Court prosecuting a wide-range of cases from Drugs/DUI’s to Domestic Violence/Disorderly Conduct. For 3 years I focused solely on and prosecuted hundreds of FELONY DUI cases while on a the Felony DUI Unit.. After eight years at the DA’s office I was proud and excited to start my own law practice putting my skills to work to protect my clients rights and liberties.  Call my office to set up a free consultaiton call

Jennie Wingad is a dedicated attorney with expertise in a broad spectrum of criminal cases, including assault, DUI, fraud, drug offenses, and attempted murder. She manages a high-volume caseload, utilizing her investigative skills to develop client defenses, conduct depositions, and prepare for trial. Licensed to practice in Utah and Florida, Ms. Wingad is also admitted to the United States District Courts for the District of Utah and the Southern District of Florida. Beginning her legal career as an Assistant Public Defender in Miami-Dade County, she defended both adult and juvenile clients facing misdemeanor and felony charges. During her time there, she was selected to supervise the early representation unit, making her the youngest attorney to hold a supervisory position within the felony division. In this role, she trained and supervised approximately 15 attorneys managing an average of 1,600 cases monthly, implementing streamlined processes that enhanced effectiveness and client service.. Ms. Wingad earned her J.D. from Suffolk University in Boston, receiving Dean’s List honors and recognition for Best Oral Argument. She holds a B.A. in Business Administration from Rhodes College, where she was inducted into the Athletics Hall of Fame in 2015.

I aggressively defend my clients.  I have over 25 years of experience in the state and federal courts and developed an extensive criminal defense practice.  I worked with the Western Trial Advocacy Institute and has tried numerous federal and state felony and misdemeanor cases. I have also been active in the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals and the Utah Appellate Courts.. I attended the University of Wyoming College of Law after obtaining bachelor degrees in Physics, Materials Science and Engineering and Political Science at the University of Utah. While at the University of Wyoming I was active in the Potter Law Club and became director of the Prosecution Assistance Program.. Following law school, I clerked for the Ninth Judicial District Court for the State of Wyoming. He then became a deputy prosecuting attorney in Fremont County, Wyoming. He handled cases involving felonies, misdemeanors, juvenile court and competency hearings, taking a fair number of them to trial.. I have conducted hundreds of trails in my carrier, including cases where my clients have been accused of: Muder, RICO, White Collar, Fraud, Forgery, Possession and Ditribution of Controlled Substances, DUI, Child Abuse, Illegal Possession of Firearms, Bank Robbery, Aggravated Kidnaping, Aggravated Assault, and much more.. I like the challenge that comes with defendant someone accused of an offense.  I like to think of my clients as Federal Three-Percenters or State Five-Percenters.  Righly 97% of the people charged federally get convicted and face possible prision and only 3% go home.  Roughly 95% of the people charged in the state system get convicted and face possible prision and only 5% go home.  There is no guarnatee as to how any case will come out, but I fight hard to protect my clients and want every one of them to get the change to go home, be with their families and enjoy their life.

I am an attorney based out of West Jordan, Utah.  I serve all along the Wasatch Front.  I handle lots of different types of cases and devote attention to all areas of the law.  My goal is to be a sull service attorney who can meet all my clients needs, no matter what they are.  I focus on my clients needs and being attentive to those needs is important to me in my work.

William L. Melton is the founding attorney of Melton Law. William has taken pride in serving his clients and his community for many years. After experiencing his own encounters with the legal system he decided to dedicate his career to the pursuit of law. William has been involved in proactively changing to improve the community in multiple ways throughout his career. In addition to fighting for his clients in the courtroom William is also actively involved in making changes at the legislative level. In 2015, William helped lobby and successfully pass the alternative aarent-time schedule. This new law substantially increased the amount of time that non-custodial parents receive with their children. Additionally, William is an appointed member by the governor to a state Child Support Guidelines Committee. The committee is responsible for making recommendations to the legislature for changes to the child support guidelines.. William has worked on hundreds of different cases from minor traffic infractions to major sex crimes and white collar crimes. William is an experienced trial attorney with experience on all sides of a criminal case. During law school William clerked for the Hon. Judge Parker in the Third Judicial District Court, he assisted clients in the Idaho Street Law Clinic, and worked in the Utah County Attorney's Office prosecuting cases in both their misdemeanor and major crimes divisions. William loves working with his clients and doing everything in his power to help them resolve their case with the absolute best possible outcome.

Before becoming an  attorney, I worked as an investigative journalist and then as a licensed private investigator. Today, I use many of the same skills to fight for my clients.. Research and writing are my passions, and I won't give up before my clients do. I've taken criminal, civil rights, and civil tort cases to trial in local, state, and federal courts, and I've argued before the Utah Court of Appeals and the Utah Supreme Court.

I am a former felony and misdemeanor prosecutor who now focuses exclusively on criminal defense. I have prosecuted all types of crimes from the smallest of infractions to homicide. I have extensive experience in the areas of DUI and domestic violence, among others.. I've taught law related classes (criminal procedure, criminal law, civil procedure, criminal profiling) to bachelor level college students. I've consulted with and trained law enforcement in a number of areas of law, including DUI investigations, searches and seizures, and other investigatory issues.. My experience as a prosecutor and as an adjunct professor is a valuable tool to shaping an aggressive defense for my clients. I know how the government will approach the case against you and will explain everything in easy to understand terms so that we may shape a robust defense strategy. I know how and where to look for areas to poke holes because I used to be on the other side building these very cases against individuals.. I've spent countless hours in courtrooms for pretrial conferences, motion hearings, and trials. I'm extremely comfortable in that environment and am an experienced trial attorney with dozens of jury trials and hundreds of bench trials in my six years of practice. I routinely receive praise from jurors for my advocacy during trials.. I offer free consultations and flexible payment plans. Your attorney should be approachable and available to answer your questions. Contact me anytime for help with your criminal case. I'm available 24/7 by email at and most hours by phone. Call or email without any hesitation as I am here to help.

Tara studied as an undergraduate at Brigham Young University, where she received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Piano Performance.  She then went on to attend law school at Brigham Young University while working as a clerk for the Criminal Appeals Division of the Office of the Utah Attorney General.  Following her graduation from law school, Ms. Haynes immediately began her practice as a private attorney, specializing in jury trials and criminal defense.. In 2005, Tara founded The Haynes Law Office, which ultimately merged in 2009 with the practice of her partner, Mr. Fuelling, into The Law Office of Haynes & Fuelling.

I understand that having to hire a lawyer usually means that a person is in a tough situation.  Thus, I know that when a person hires me, they are relying upon me to give them the best opportunity to try and bring a positive outcome to the tough situation.  Accordingly, I'm aware of the trust and reliance that a client is placing in me and that motivates me to ensure that I am doing everything I possibly can to provide them the best possible representation.. I am not the cheapest lawyer out there, but I'm not the most expensive.  However, I firmly believe that when you hire me, you are getting quality assistance and giving yourself the best possible chance to get a positive result of your case.  Overall, I am confident in my ability to provide excellent representation to any client.

Mark Flores is a respected criminal defense, civil rights, and sports lawyer with an excellent reputation throughout the state of Utah. He offers an effective combination of aggressive representation and patient counsel, and as such, is a great resource to turn to as you strive to resolve complex legal matters.