Misdemeanors

Traffic and misdemeanor charges are brought in District Court. In District Court, a criminal defendant does not have the option of a jury trial. The judge, and the judge alone, decides your guilt or innocence.

All defendants have an absolute right to appeal to Circuit Court within thirty days if convicted, where you are entitled to a jury. District Court is an opportunity to resolve your case with limited attorney fees.

Lion Legal attorneys are often able to obtain favorable results in District Court and fully resolve the issue for clients.

You should treat District Court as seriously as you would Circuit Court, so as to prevent the need, time and stress of an appeal.

How much does misdemeanor defense cost?

Most of our clients spend between $2,500+ and $5,000+ on their criminal-related legal issues — which is less than half the average cost of a criminal defense lawyer in Arkansas. Misdemeanor cases start at $2,500+ and felonies start at $3,500+. An exact fee will be determined before you hire us, and that fee includes everything – communication with client, negotiations with the state prosecutor, evidence gathering and review, preparing ourselves and our client for trial, and attending trial. 

If you are found or plead guilty in District Court, you have thirty days to file an appeal to Circuit Court, no questions asked. You do not have to state a basis for your appeal or otherwise justify why you think you should be able to get another chance at defending yourself.

Once appealed, the case starts all over again with a different judge, different prosecutor, and a jury. It’s a complicated process to appeal, and you must follow the rules strictly. If you want to appeal, contact us immediately.

Circuit Court Appeal

When appealing to the Circuit Court from a District Court conviction, our fee range is $2,000-$3,500, including the jury trial. This depends on if we handled your case at the District Court level. Our fee to appeal a misdemeanor conviction from Circuit Court to the Arkansas Court of Appeals (again, depending on if we handled the matter in the lower courts) is $3,500-$5,000.