WHO DO YOU WANT TO ANSWER THE CALL YOU NEVER THOUGHT YOU’D HAVE TO MAKE?
No one expects that they or a loved one will be charged with a crime, but if the unexpected happens, turn to experience, to reputation and to excellence. The Law Offices of Joseph A. Simon is a full-service law firm handling only criminal defense matters, misdemeanor and felony, from traffic offenses to homicide cases. For some lawyers, criminal defense is a mere add-on to their practice. For Joseph A. Simon, it’s been a lifelong passion; it’s been a craft he has seasoned over a 37-plus-year career. Mr. Simon has vigorously defended thousands of cases throughout southeast Michigan with an established history of proven results.
Mr. Simon’s concentrated experience and intimate knowledge of criminal law have combined to earn him numerous professional accolades and recognitions: Listed in The Best Lawyers in America® since 2001 under the specialty of Criminal Defense, having four times been selected as Ann Arbor’s “Lawyer of the Year” for Criminal Defense: General Practice (2013 and 2023) and Criminal Defense: White Collar (2015 and 2024); Achieving Martindale-Hubbell's AV-Preeminent* peer-reviewed rating for the highest standards in ethics and legal ability; Achieving AVVO's highest “10.0” rating; Selected as a Michigan Super Lawyer in the specialty of criminal defense since 2007; Named a criminal defense Leading Lawyer since 2014; and Selected as one of America’s Top 100 Criminal Defense Attorneys® since 2019.**
PERSONAL ATTENTION
Our clients can rest assured that the attorneys at the Law Offices of Joseph A. Simon understand that the criminal justice system is an intimidating process, and we, therefore, strive to provide compassionate guidance and counsel. Calls to our office are answered by a member of our staff and forwarded directly to one of our attorneys. Our clients receive our personal attention, with our understanding that this is an intimidating and frightening time. Our clients can be comforted with the knowledge that our attorneys have practiced criminal law their entire careers, have an unwavering commitment to the importance of excellence in criminal defense and have the ability to withstand the resources of the government. Our passion and commitment to help, along with a tireless work ethic, combine to achieve our results, our accolades and our excellent client reviews.
LOCATION MATTERS
The Law Offices of Joseph A. Simon is truly local to Washtenaw County, located in the heart of Ann Arbor, directly across the street from the University of Michigan Football Stadium. Knowledge of the local courts and participants can truly be a difference-maker. Knowing the practices and policies of the local prosecuting agencies, the available alternative and reformation programs and how to employ them, and the preferences and practices of the local judges are all essential components to successful defenses. Which judge will be handling the case? How is that determined? What should be done before court? Are there alternatives to prosecution, such as diversion programs? Do we qualify for those programs? The answers to these important questions are well known to the attorneys of The Law Offices of Joseph A. Simon, and that knowledge, combined with our legal ability and standing in the local community, contribute to our established history of excellent case results.
BEST PRACTICES
While lawyers ethically should not make claims comparing their services with other lawyers’ services that can’t be factually substantiated, such as being the "Top DUI/OWI Attorney," "Best Domestic Violence Attorney" or “#1 Criminal Defense Attorney,” they often do. Instead of boasts, attorneys should be vetted on their credentials, years of experience, case results, reputation in the legal community, peer and client reviews and if they are truly located in the jurisdiction in which they say they practice. Trust and reliability are the heart of the attorney-client relationship.
The best practices for criminal defense include a thorough, confidential client interview; obtaining all case discovery, including in-car and body-cam police video, audio dispatch recordings and 9-1-1 audio recordings; interviewing potential witnesses; independent investigation; preparing a client for the courtroom; and the ability to present a case in court in pretrial motion hearings and at trial.
PRACTICE AREAS
The Law Offices of Joseph A. Simon handles all criminal defense cases, from police investigations to charged misdemeanor and felony cases. There are no cases too small or too large. Our specializations include OWI/DUI (Drunk Driving), Domestic Violence, Criminal Sexual Conduct, Computer Crimes, Assault Crimes, College Campus Crimes, Home Invasion, Robbery, Theft Offenses, Drug Crimes, Homicide offenses, Traffic offenses and Expungements.
*Martindale-Hubbell® is the facilitator of a peer review rating process. Ratings reflect the anonymous opinions of members of the bar and the judiciary. Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings™ fall into two categories - legal ability and general ethical standards. ** Only the top 100 qualifying attorneys in each state receive this honor and are selected for membership among America’s Top 100 Criminal Defense Attorneys®. Less than one-half percent (0.5%) of active attorneys in the United States receive this honor.
