Testimonials
See What Our Clients And Others Say About Us
As a former active duty military officer and JAG attorney, civilian defense attorney Richard V. Stevens founded his military defense law practice with the goal of assisting military members and their families as they face very difficult professional and personal circumstances – a court-martial, military disciplinary action, military adverse action or military investigation. Mr. Stevens is, therefore, extremely gratified and humbled to receive recognition and thanks for those efforts on clients’ behalves, because that indicates he was able to help the client and his/her family.
Starting in 2013, when he joined Avvo, attorney Richard V. Stevens received Top Honors and the Avvo Clients’ Choice Award for Military Law. His Avvo testimonials can be seen here:
Below are some compiled additional testimonials, and comments, that predate Mr. Stevens’ affiliation with Avvo, regarding Mr. Stevens’ defense and representation of past military clients. In reviewing these testimonials, it’s important to understand that past successful military trial and military case outcomes, and appreciative past clients, do not guarantee an outcome in any future military case. No civilian defense lawyer or military defense lawyer can guarantee an outcome in any future case.
Testimonials Regarding Attorney Richard V. Stevens
“That was the best closing argument I have ever seen; by a civilian or military attorney.”
– Senior court reporter
“He simply commanded the courtroom, prepared to the teeth, and, most importantly, retained his personal and professional manner that proved so impressive in his advocacy success.”
– Former senior military judge
“His advocacy, compassion, intellect, and demeanor are unsurpassed.”
– Former military staff judge advocate and trial judge
“Your client has no idea how lucky he was to have hired you.”
– Former senior military JAG attorney
“Prior to separating from active duty…I had the great fortune to work with, and learn from, Rich Stevens. He is hands down the best civilian defense attorney that I had the occasion to work with (or against) while on active duty as both a military prosecutor and military defense counsel. Plain and simple, in my opinion you will not find a higher caliber civilian defense counsel that practices in military courts…Rich cares about his clients and takes great time and painstaking effort in all of his cases; examining and reexamining every detail; he simply leaves no stone unturned. His trial preparation is never more apparent than when his cases actually make their way into court, through his intricate direct examinations, blistering cross examinations, spot-on trial theories, and unbelievable arguments. To this day, Rich still holds the title of delivering the most powerful and compelling closing argument that I have ever seen. I literally watched in awe and grew as a litigator simply from having seen it. There are different tiers of trial practice, and Rich is definitely at the top. More importantly, if there are cases that can be won prior to court; Rich knows how to do it! When Rich talks, people listen. In particular, I remember one general court-martial case that was brought to a screeching halt just days after Rich was retained and delivered a policy memorandum to the Convening Authority. On another occasion a serious case was dismissed after the Article 32 hearing. That’s the kind of reputation that he has within the military community and it speaks volumes to the kind of impact that he can have on a case. Rich knows his way around the courtroom, as good as any attorney, but more importantly, through his years of experience he understands the military, its commanders, and the policies that drive their decisions.” If someone I cared about were going through the court-martial process, there is no other defense attorney that I would even consider calling first.”
– Former military defense counsel
“In my opinion, Rich’s performance…held significant sway over the outcomes of the proceedings. His strict attention to detail, his unfailing knowledge of the military judicial system and the UCMJ, and his incredible professionalism exposed holes and pointed out weaknesses in the government’s case and that contributed significantly to the positive outcome of our case…When we were faced with the need to hire an attorney, we were scared. The charges that my husband was facing were overwhelming and terrifying. No one seemed to have a clue as to what to expect or how to help us. We were lost. And then we hired Rich. He immediately took control of the situation, worked seamlessly with our military-provided lawyer, and gave us the reassurance that we so desperately needed. He was the light in an otherwise dark time period in our lives. And I am forever grateful for his knowledge, his expertise, and his help.”
– Officer client and wife
“Rich Stevens was my attorney for almost 2 years. During this entire time, he was extremely responsive to my questions and concerns…his responses to my questions were outstanding. He was extremely thorough and always willing to answer my most simple and trivial questions. He always provided me with the information I was looking for; however, he never sugarcoated the truth. Rich was completely honest and upfront with everything…He was professional and businesslike, but he cared about the well being of my family and I. His relationship with my family was just what I expected and wanted… I can’t even imagine how many hours Rich Stevens put into perfecting my case. And not only did he put in the time, he put in his heart. His preparations were excellent. He was always extremely prepared and at no point did I ever feel he could have prepared more…His closing argument was outstanding. I was very impressed with how he summarized everything and delivered it in an extremely understandable way.”
– Officer client
“Thank you so much for everything you did for us. It has been a long road but you were instrumental in securing the outcome. I appreciate your hard work, your insight, your honesty, and your dedication. If it weren’t for your skill and expertise, things would not have worked out as wonderfully as they have. I cannot begin to thank you enough for that. It saved us. Truly…I am forever grateful.”
– Wife of officer client
“The content of your [Richard V. Stevens] responses in my son’s case were a Godsend! You kept me very informed without hindering my son’s right to client confidentiality… It is clear that you are passionate about the law and the rights of those you protect. I will always be grateful for the kindness you showed towards me in every phone call and every email. My son will always be grateful for the fact that you believed in him… I hope you continue to practice law associated with the UCMJ for many years to come. Our service men and women need a strong but caring voice to help them speak in times of trouble, whether they are innocent or guilty… You’re the best, wouldn’t change a thing.”
– Mother of junior enlisted client
“Can I just say, you went beyond any expectations any of us had, and I stand by my statement that you are worth your weight in gold for many reasons. Thank you so much for all you have done to guide us through what was probably the hardest challenge our family has faced…All of your advice and strategy was brilliant! The verdict (full acquittal) speaks to your outstanding performance in all areas.”
– Non-Commissioned Officer client and wife
“At all times, you [Richard V. Stevens] were professional and made me feel at ease. You took more of an interest in my well being rather my wallet. Thanks!… The other fact I appreciate is the fact that you helped me keep my bearing. Oh so often I was on the verge of losing [it]. One e-mail/phone call to you gave me hope. My appreciation for you as a professional and caring individual further solidifies my decision to recommend you any military member who is seeking civilian representation.”
– Non-Commissioned Officer client
“Mr. Stevens did an excellent job. I oftentimes felt very lost and out of control in this process and he would take time and explain things and make me feel better. I lived on an emotional level throughout this and Mr. Stevens would keep me grounded in the reality of the situation and not let my emotions [allow me to] make bad decisions. [Regarding Richard V. Stevens’ trial performance] I will say it all in one word: Excellent!
…your knowledge of the military justice system was apparent and I think it helped tremendously because you were clearly more versed then the apposing attorneys. I would also like to add that you made this very painful process much easier…I would recommend you to anyone that finds them self being investigated or accused.”
– Officer client
“Your [Richard V. Stevens] demeanor, tone, and attitude project confidence and competence. That’s the only hope we have that we’re not alone, and all is not lost. You make it clear that you can’t guarantee the outcome, but we’re confident that you’re going to do everything in your power to ensure justice prevails… In my opinion, your written motions and questioning of witnesses leading up to [trial] were the main reason my case didn’t make it to trial… Richard Stevens is truly dedicated to the defense of his clients. He will aggressively seek justice for the wrongfully accused. More importantly, he realizes that there are human beings (innocent until proven guilty) facing every allegation, a concept forgotten by today’s military machine. His investigation, attention-to-detail, and dedication resulted in dismissal of charges in my case.”
– Non-Commissioned Officer client
“Your [Richard V. Stevens] timeliness was very impressive. Whenever a question would come up, I would normally have a response by the end of the day. I have trouble making the people down the hall from me answer my questions this quickly. This simple gesture provided me with a sense of the concern you had for my case in the early stages before knowing you very well… Your attitude was always very calm and collected. You were always focusing on prior preparations and entering into all portions of the trial with a plan of action… I felt going into the trial that you were very well prepared with a strategic plan that was ready for implementation. You took all evidence and investigated it as far as it needed to be. Your advice was always sound and fair, and you always listened to the decisions that I made based on that advice… Words cannot express how impressed I was with your performance at trial you were always very professional as well as calm and collected… You were able to keep good tabs on the aspects of this very complex case at all times which provide an innate ability to decipher when something was wrong. You had an excellent knowledge of the rules and procedures of the court. I was very impressed with all aspects of your conduct at trial, and would highly recommend your services to anyone that needed your services… Your demeanor, knowledge, work ethic, and personality are many of the reasons that I have made it through this ordeal as well as I have… Through the expert use of skill, knowledge, and experience, in addition to the personality, charisma, and professionalism that Mr. Stevens has shown and exhibited, one person has been shown that justice can prevail, against all odds, when the truth is finally shown to the reasonable person. Mr. Stevens greatly impacted my life and my family’s life by saving a free man from injustice. I would highly recommend his services to any brother or sister solider that has come into dark times in their lives.”
– Officer client
“[Y]ou [Richard V. Stevens] are the best of all [the] lawyers involved in my case. Your pretrial preparation is [the] best I [have] ever seen and your post-trial assistance is beyond what a client can ask for. I would strongly recommend you to anyone in the military with legal issues.”
– Officer client
“You [Richard V. Stevens] were very on the ball with motions, objections, procedures, questioning and strategy decisions… Your opening and closing statements knocked everyone’s socks off, you were very incisive, strategic, thorough and convincing… Great job getting out of the normal defense attorney box and addressing my unique needs.”
– Officer client
“Your [Richard V. Stevens] demeanor, tone and attitude were all just EXCELLENT in all our dealings… I must say that I was very impressed that in a relatively short time period, you appeared (from your actions and writings) to be completely and totally knowledgeable of the facts of the case and also well informed of the various legal issues involved. Your thorough and complete knowledge of the facts, the legal issues, the law and the procedures, in such a short time period, was not only a blessing for the accused and an outstanding personal quality that should be rewarded, but also to be cherished by our legal system… All aspects [of your trial performance] were outstanding and you were in control and knew exactly what you were doing… I was present at the closing arguments and sentencing and again I must say here that I was very impressed in your style, demeanor, presentation and command and control. In short, you are great on your feet… Keep up the good work; I’m proud to have met you and have seen you in action. You are definitely a credit to [your] profession… our young men and women in the military are truly entitled to your type of representation, it’s only fair and right… In conclusion, I think your best trait is that you actually care and are concerned about your client and his/her welfare, that this client should be treated fairly and just, and that you have a strong and earnest desire to achieve these equities. This is honorable!!”
– Officer client & family
“Mr. Stevens’ responses were very prompt, despite his busy schedule. He always took the time to answer all of my questions and explained the answers I didn’t understand. He also answered all my wife’s questions while keeping the attorney client privilege in mind. He was very caring, concerned and up front. Mr. Stevens is a genuine man and a credit to his profession; very professional and charismatic. He followed all leads and was meticulous with case investigation. Thanks to Mr. Stevens’ preparation and legal skills, the charges were dismissed.”
– Non-Commissioned Officer client
“Mr. Stevens was very caring and understanding about my case. He knew how to handle everything in an appropriate manner. He always gave sound advice and despite his busy schedule took the time to ease my fears and doubts. I felt that he genuinely cared about me and my family and made it his personal mission to see that I was acquitted for the crimes I allegedly committed. His outstanding legal knowledge, trial preparation and strong pre-trial motions resulted in the charges being dismissed! What else can I say, other than Thank you for being a dedicated professional!”
– Non-Commissioned Officer client
“I was very impressed with Mr. Stevens’ overall stance; his demeanor expressed a vast experience with court proceedings. Every interface with Mr. Stevens, whether via phone or the computer, was a pleasant and helpful one. The advice that was given to me by Mr. Stevens was strategic in every move to better prepare ourselves in the case. His interviews with witnesses were flawless; even winning over the assigned JAG officer that was provided to me.”
– Non-Commissioned Officer client
“Your [Richard V. Stevens] responses were always professional and informative. They were not always what I wanted to hear, because Rich was always frank and honest about what my expectations should be from a legal standpoint. While at times this may have been personally unpleasant, it was what I needed to hear, and what I was looking for in a lawyer, so that I could have realistic expectations, make informed decisions and be satisfied with my choices. Throughout the case, I felt that Rich always provided me with all of the necessary information and alternatives, along with recommendations backed by experience and sound legal advice, which enabled me to make choices that I believed to be the best option in every situation.”
– Officer client
“I felt Rich’s demeanor was excellent; would recommend Rich to anyone as a defense attorney. His pretrial preparation was dedicated down to the last minuscule detail. It could not have been better. I always knew what to expect with respect to the trial plan. His trial performance was excellent. I believe that I truly had one of the best trial lawyers I could get. He was always on top of every issue, and I was well prepared for my part in the trial…[H]e was always cordial and I felt like I had a friend to whom I could turn and vent at a time when I was pretty short on friends.”
– Officer client
“Rich [Richard V. Stevens] was meticulous in his preparation of the case for trial. I honestly have no idea how he compartmentalizes all of the information into a clear and concise plan of action. Even more amazing is his [ability to] retain this data and organize it into an articulate argument in the courtroom…I was much more confident knowing Rich was my attorney, as opposed to a lesser experience military attorney…I am completely convinced Mr. Stevens’ meticulous preparation and performance in and out the courtroom directly led to the success of my case. His reputation as a skilled litigator and the respect he has gained through years of successful legal practice were evident and effective in his interactions with other attorneys. Mr. Stevens’ vast experience and expert knowledge of the military legal system are unsurpassed and cannot be underestimated when careers and lives are at stake.”
– Officer client