Attorney Richard V. Stevens
Attorney Richard V. Stevens is the founder of his law firm – The Law Offices of Richard V. Stevens, P.C. The firm exclusively represents military members facing adverse military actions. Mr. Stevens has extensive experience in the most complex, serious military trials, and all types of adverse military administrative actions, discipline and investigations. He has served as an active duty base military defense counsel, active duty regional military defense counsel, civilian state and federal trial attorney and civilian criminal defense and military defense attorney.
Mr. Stevens has been handling military cases since 1995. He has defended military cases dealing with the most serious military offenses, including allegations of “war crimes,” national security cases, murder, manslaughter, homicide, rape, sexual assault, other sex related offenses, drug offenses, computer crimes (pornography), larceny, fraud, AWOL/desertion, conduct unbecoming, military academy offenses, offenses within combat zones, senior officer cases and other military specific offenses around the world.
A majority of the cases defended by Mr. Stevens have involved the use of expert witnesses and consultants and many have received regional, national and international press coverage, requiring experience in dealing with the press and how this can impact a client’s defense.
While serving in the military as an active duty defense attorney, Mr. Stevens became a military defense legal expert in the area of false confessions, refuting client confessions or incriminating statements, and attacking police interrogation methods. Since that time, and as a civilian criminal defense attorney, he has given countless presentations on this issue to military defense attorneys around the world and has consulted with civilian and military defense lawyers.
In addition to cases he has defended, Mr. Stevens has acted as a trial preparation consultant for defense attorneys – military and civilian – in several high profile trials, including several military murder cases. Many of these cases have had successful outcomes not expected by the prosecution.
Mr. Stevens has repeatedly been invited to speak at military defense attorney conferences regarding military trial defense issues. He has lectured and instructed at these conferences since 1997. His presentation topics have included: defending high profile/media cases, defending complex criminal trials, utilizing and working with expert consultants and expert witnesses, attacking police interrogation tactics and false confessions, preparing trial strategy and defense case file, defending against military rape and sex offense allegations and military defense counsel working with civilian defense counsel. Mr. Stevens has also served as a military law expert for media outlets, including the Associated Press.