Stephen Hayes Carpenter JR's Reviews

My son, a young Marine, was involved with an 8-month legal process involving serious charges with threats of Special Courts Martial, NJP, and, eventually, an Administrative Separation Board. Through it all, Mr. Carpenter displayed the utmost professional demeanor, outstanding legal advice, and a complete grasp of the the pertinent military law. He never "sugar coated" the legal implications, but presented a well documented, well researched, and well reasoned defense the resulted in my son being cleared of all charges and being allowed to serve back in the fleet. God Bless you Stephen.

Our son had gotten into trouble and was facing possible confinement and a dishonorable discharge from the Marine Corps. Mr. Carpenter knew just how to fight for our son and soon the possibility of confinement was no longer on the table. We were then looking at a couple of possibilities ranging from acquittal to a general discharge or other than honorable; with our hope leaning toward general and of course, the dream of an acquittal.
I was impressed by how much Mr. Carpenter put into this case in every area: time, knowledge, compassion and understanding, professionalism and honesty. After all Stephen's hard work; and prayer on our behalf, our son was acquitted on both of his charges and is already putting his mistake behind him. He is already in a leadership position training other Marines and is looking forward to making the most of his second chance at a career in the Marine Corps- something he's wanted since he was a boy. You cannot go wrong hiring Stephen Carpenter. He has an incredible amount of knowledge, will work long hours for you and is affordable, which we also greatly appreciated.
Thank you Stephen!

Allegations of fraternization and travel fraud were made against me by the Reserve Center CO who caused my retirement to be cancelled. After NCIS was unable to substantiate his allegations, he continued to investigate me for a period of almost 12 months. During this period I was never officially informed that I was being investigated. I initiated a Congressional inquiry as to why my retirement was cancelled. The only thing they could tell me was to expect a call from NCIS. Without hesitation I retained Attorney Stephen Carpenter, Jr. Stephen tackled the problems with the utmost precision. Mr. Carpenter's intervention was outstanding as I am now retired. Don't waste your time or effort filing a Congressional, call Mr. Carpenter if you want results.

I would like everyone to know that is looking for a good and honest lawyer for military matters you dont need to go any further. Mr. Carpenter has worked on my husbands cause for a long time now and we finally are over it and its behind us now. He got the best outcome that was possible for this case. My husband was looking at being kicked out with a very bad discharge but this man right here stopped that from happening and got it where my husband is still in the Army, which is a blessing itself considering this matter. Even though the case is over with he is still there for me answering my questions as I'm trying to protect my husband since he cant right now. He is a very intelligent man when it comes to military matters but that goes with his expertise as previously being in the military himself. I have nothing bad to say about him. He will always get back to you as soon as he is free. He was like a friend to my husband and had my husbands back. We came across Mr. Carpenter online and contacted him and he called us the same day he got the email and talked with my husband. My husband was like he is the one. The price you pay for his service is well worth it, it may seem high but when you are face with things that is out of your control you need the best lawyer there is and Mr. Carpenter is that. Thanks Steve for everything that you have done for my husband and everything that you are still doing for me. Keep up the fighting power you have.

I was facing serious trumped up charges from the government and didn't know where to turn. The government is going to come after you relentlessly so you need the experience that Mr. Carpenter has. The military preaches about holding it's members accountable but they seem to overlook that with their Investigative Service and prosecution. Mr. Carpenter held the prosecution and investigators accountable and got the bogus charges dismissed. I don't believe this would have been the scenario had I not had Mr. Carpenter representing me. If you're ever in this situation, hopefully not, I would recommend hiring Mr. Carpenter. Having his experience on your side will help put you at ease during this trying and stressful time.

My son was facing a dishonorable discharge and was at his wits end. I am not a veteran and had no insight on how to assist him. It was clear to me that he needed legal representation. I spoke with several attorneys but none as knowledgeable in military law as Stephen Carpenter. The flat fee was small compared to the lasting results his services delivered. Stephen expressed a sincere interest in my son and
he showed a genuine concern for my son's military career. He was informative, responsive and efficient. His proactive measures saved my son's career. I highly recommend Stephen Carpenter for all military legal matters and would not hesitate to use him again should the need arise.

I found myself at the end of an 8 month 15-6 investigation. I had talked to quite a few lawyers, military included. I decided to go with Mr Carpenter, partly because he seemed no nonsense and hardball. Partly because the fee was flat rate. What I got was a lawyer that fought the fight for me. I never had to answered a single question. Mr Carpenter handled even the simplest of communication requests from the IO for me. And the investigation did not end my career as I feared and was told by other lawyers. I made some mistakes for sure, but Mr Carpenter empowered me to continue in the Army. Worth it for sure!!

Steven was able to successfully guide me through each step of the Army discharge review board process (most that I did not know existed until his consultation) with confidence and efficiency. He treated my case as if it was his only case and invested himself in the complex process deeper than I had imagined. Only because of his assistance was I able to present my case the the Army review board and receive a reinstatement of rank and change in discharge characterization.

This attorney provided aggressive, accurate, sensitive defense. His knowledge of the military system enabled him to provide detailed, easy to understand advice and to keep us informed of what we might expect at each step. There is nothing more painful than being devoted to the military and to the United States, and to end up being taken to court by them, and made to look like a traitor, or a criminal. This attorney understood the pain, and helped keep us focused on our end goals as the trial proceeded. He was loyal, focussed, and unwavering. I only wish that I could have fed him better ... but those days were so long!

As a SGM, I was careful at my selection for attorney services. Upon my interview with Stephen, I immediately knew that I could count on him for his service. He was always prompt and always kept me informed on issues surrounding my legal matter.
I honestly couldn't think of anyone else that I could have entrusted to act on my behalf and interests. A very thought-provoking and seasoned attorney who has the experience. I was always confident that Stephen was capable in handling my needs as his client.

Attorney Stephen Carpenter had to deal with me by long distance since I live in Georgia. He never failed to keep me informed of what needed to be done nor did he fail to follow through with anything we discussed. His knowledge of military law and how to get the most for his clients proved to be nothing short of miraculous. In our attempt at fairness, we consider that we got more than we possibly could have expected. Attorney Carpenter's representation on our behalf proved to be well worth the financial cost--when you are thinking of the future of a grandchild. We believe that he dealt with us in a manner that restored the honor we felt in serving our country. I deeply respect his expertise, and I am humbled by the results. Thanks again. Mary

Our entire family is so thankful that my son, Navy Sailor, was able to have Mr. Carpenter represent him at a Navy hearing. Mr. Carpenter was not given much time at all to resolve my son's legal problem and save his career, but he jumped right in and did save his career. He proved to be very knowledgeable with military law, and knew what to do and who to contact. My son was way over his head and didn't know how to begin to resolve his situation, and didn't really realize how a negative outcome would affect his life. Mr. Carpenter knew and took control, which is what my son needed. Mr. Carpenter kept my son and his family completely informed. He represented my son in a very professional manner and it was nice to know that he believed in my son 100%. My son was very impressed with him and stated that Mr. Carpenter genuinely cared about him personally. I cannot say enough positive things about Mr. Carpenter, but
as a mother, I knew my son was in good hands, and this took a lot of the pressure off. He gives a free 15-minute consultation, which is worth gold. He was the only lawyer that I spoke to that we felt confident with.
After the hearing, I was told that the Navy Officers were impressed with him as well. If you need legal help in the military, you will not go wrong with Mr. Carpenter.

I was very pleased with Steve's work on my case. I had a very good outcome and was very happy with the results. Steve always kept me informed on what was going on with my situation. He answered my phone calls and e-mails in a timely manner, usually within a few hour if not sooner.

I went AWOL for 5 1/2 years and Stephen secured a deal that my Army defense attorney couldn't: no jail time! I would suggest talking with Stephen if you are in a similar situation.

Mr. Carpenter recently represented my son in his military court martial. He was professional, courteous and kept us well informed. After the trial Mr. Carpenter went out of his way to help us arrange visitation and squelch some media misinformation. Mr. Carpenter is highly regarded in the military legal community which was evident by his knowledge of how the system works and all the key players. Most importantly, he was invested in finding the best possible outcome, which, in this case allowed our boy to stay in the military and continue his career. We were grateful to have Mr. Carpenter on our team.

Mr. Carpenter provided superior legal advice and provided quick responses to all my questions regarding my case. His advice was always sound and recommendations were based on specific and relevant information. He was considerate and well informed. Mr. Carpenter conducted thorough research of all aspects of my case. I always felt that I could trust and depend on him. I would highly recommend Mr. Carpenter to any potential client.

Stephen won two seperate cases on my behalf. He is knowledgable and caring and has the best communication. He respected and took in to consideration my opinion on my case. He is the best.

“Steve was great to work with. Steve was more than a lawyer—he was my friend. He gave me advice on what to do if I have problems in the future.” I have already recommended Steve Carpenter to my coworkers. Everything worked out well and I liked how the entire process was handled smoothly! I was facing NJP after i missed my flight for deployment. The next day i contacted Steve and told him about my situation. He didn’t hurry me along and made sure I understood what my options were and his plan to get my life back to normal. Within two days of Steve contacting my CO...my CO reconsidered his options and gave me a second chance and re-deployed me. Simply the best...he restored my career within a couple of days!! What more can I say..."Steve saved me!"

Mr Carpenter was excellent finding out the details of the case and keeping me informed about any developments that came up. I recommend Mr.Carpenter for anyone that needs help with their case.
Thank you again Mr. Carpenter.

Stephen Carpenter was recommended to me by a JAG criminal defense attorney, based on his performance, knowledge, and experience. He is highly respected in the military law community. Mr.Carpenter is very understanding, trustworthy, and genuinely cares about his clients. I made the best decision of my life by having him represent me as my counsel. My case went on for over a year; I had to wait more than a year for my court-martial. I turned down an article 15 because I have not committed the offense, and I had so much to lose. I had a Green to Gold ROTC scholarship and accepting the article 15 meant losing everything I worked for. I had so much at stake. I felt helpless with my leadership wanting to take everything I worked for away and punish me for something I didn't do. I wanted truth, fairness, and justice. Mr.Carpenter was compassionate and listened to everything I had to say, and truthfully answered all my questions. He kept me informed and updated on everything, and understood the importance of the matter to my military career and my life. Thanks to Mr.Carpenter, I was fully aquitted by military panel, and everything worked out perfectly. The only thing is that I had to wait for over a year, because it was hard to get an earlier court martial date. The wait was depressing and painful, but it was worth the wait to get the result that freed me. I am currently updating my green to gold packet to go to Vanderbilt University. He believed in me and gave it all he got. He passionately fought for me and I am forever grateful. He changed my life; I will always remember what he did for me. Now I can move on with my life.

I had a great experience with Stephen as my counsel and would absolutely recommend him to anyone needing an expert in military law.

Stephen represented me during the process of resigning from the Army Reserves. Somehow he cut through the red-tape and talked to the right people to move my paperwork and get me my Honorable Discharge. My leadership had tried, my unit administrator had tried, but after 10 months I still had no joy, the big Army machine seemed to have eaten my paperwork and the risk of being redeployed was growing and causing me significant stress. That's when I searched for a military lawyer and found Stephen. I spoke to him on the phone and determined that he was a subject matter expert and fully capable - then emailed him the background of my situation and the result I wanted. He confirmed some details and produced a very simple agreement and started representing me for a very reasonable fee. I really liked his flat fee method of charging. I knew exactly what it would cost upfront - and didn't have to worry about any unexpected bills.

He started representing me and immediately got results. In one day he reached echelons of leaders that none of my chain of command had been able to access - and was able to explain to me exactly what was happening and what I could expect. He fielded all the administrative headaches that otherwise would have taken up a lot of my time, and kept me advised of the status of my paperwork. This was a huge relief and let me get on with my life and relieved a lot of my constant worry. He responded to my emails promptly, kept me advised of progress every few days, and called me on my cellphone if there was something to discuss.

Overall and most importantly - he got me exactly what he promised and what I wanted.

Stephen represented me recently in a case where I was being accused of what could have amounted to a Class-A Felony. I was investigated by both state and military law enforcement, and could have faced a state grand jury, as well as a General Courts Martial. Upon my initial consultation with Steve over the phone, I was immediately impressed with his knowledge and experience level, not to mention the sincerely personal level of care he had in seeing to my best interests.

This man genuinely cared about what happened to me, and worked vigorously on my case. He protected me from the cunning and deceiving tactics of investigators, and took immediate action on my behalf when necessary. Being a former Army officer and JAG attorney, Stephen is very well versed in the military culture, which only adds to the plethora of amazing skills he possesses by relieving his military clients of time-consuming explanations of military verbage, lexicon, policies, and procedures.

Steve made my case personal to him, which was clear through and through. The costs for services of this attorney are in-line with the outstanding product he delivers, and he was very flexible on payment for his service. I was almost always to get a hold of him via cell phone or email, but if not, he returned correspondence in a timely manner.

As a result of having such a skilled and tried attorney on my side, both the state DA and military prosecutor declined to even file charges against me, and at no point was I arrested or even questioned by investigators. I have faced no repercussions of this allegation, and remain on active duty. This was achieved by getting Steve on board IMMEDIATELY upon realizing that I was being investigated. If you are in any military criminal situation, do realize that this is THE MOST CRITICAL time of the entire process, and it is IMPERATIVE that you hire an attorney of Steve’s caliber immediately, and definitely before you decide to speak to anyone regarding your case. Should I not have done so, it is relatively apparent that I would have been arrested and charged by doing what I thought was “right.”

The associated defense costs ARE worth your career, reputation, and freedom. Steve is a world class Military Defense Attorney, and you want him to represent you.

-Active Duty E5

I retained Mr. Carpenter's services in the fall '09 for criminal defense matters. . My case was recommended for special courts-martial. Mr. Carpenter did everything he could to try to get the convening authority to handle it through a captain's mast or summary courts-martial. The effort he put in for this was beyond what I expected, even considering he had other clients and was traveling around the country. I still felt that I was his only case.

In the weeks before my court-martial his preparation work was amazing and he filed several motions to dismiss my case with court. At the hearing before my trial Mr. Carpenter clearly outclassed the prosecution and debunked any argument they had to move forward on. His knowledge of military law and how the system works is second to none and it showed in the results he was able to get me. He was able to get my case dismissed prior to trial, obviously the best result possible. Mr. Carpenter's hard work and dedication to his clients is superb, and he receives my full recommendation to any one in need of a world class attorney. He puts forth the effort and is well worth the more than fair price he charges. You will get your moneys worth and more.

Stephen was exactly what I needed - an experienced practitioner who knows the system and could guide me through a difficult process, obtaining an outstanding result. He kept my stress level low, kept me well informed, and provided excellent advice.

I retained Stephen Carpenter in July of 2009 to represent me for a Coast Guard administrative separation. I was not entitled to an admin separation hearing so Stephen was left battling my case through superb legal briefs and arguments on the basis of the issue as well as the policy and procedures. From the moment I met Stephen he made me feel confident in my case. I was extremely impressed with his knowledge of the military justice system and the adverse administrative military policy. My mind was further at ease when he immediately made contact with my Command to find out exactly how they were proceeding.

My case moved quickly through the Coast Guard system and I was ultimately issued General Separation orders. At the time this happened Stephen was overseas defending another military member. Even though at this time we only had e-mail contact he worked hours every day from overseas issuing rebuttal statements on my behalf, pleading my case to very high ranking officials, and arranging several legal reviews of my case. Anytime that I needed any updates, had questions or concerns or just needed to be reassured that everything in his power was being done he made sure that he contacted me immediately. Because of his tireless efforts my administrative separation was overturned and I was retained in the US Coast Guard.

Stephen is the best lawyer there is when it comes to military cases. Even when he has multiple cases he is representing at the same time, he makes you feel like yours is the only case that he has. I think that if I had hired anyone else the outcome would have been different. There were several times during my case that I felt defeated and thought there was no way that I would be retained. He never gave up on me or my case and never made me feel like I was not going to win. I highly recommend him to anyone who is dealing with military justice or adverse administrative actions. He is definitely the best lawyer in the Northwest and possibly that you will find anywhere in the country.

Obviously, if you find you are in a situation which requires the services of an attorney, you are under a great deal of stress. You do not need to further inflame the situation by forking over an enormous sum of money to an attorney who can't seem to find time to return your calls or hasn't quite gotten around to addressing your case.
You will not find this with Mr. Carpenter.
When I first spoke with him, he was returning my call while working on the east coast. I am located on the west coast and was concerned that the distance would be problamatic in his ability to address my issue promptly. I then interviewed another attorney who was local to my area (as my case involved both military and civil issues, this one claimed he could handle both arenas. However, during our second conversaton, it became apparant that this fellow really had no idea how military law actually works.)
I phoned Mr. Carpenter back about twelve hours after our initial conversation and asked him to represent me. He was still out of town, but began acting on my behalf immediately. In fact, in a matter of just a few days, my case had been resolved to my complete satisfaction...I believe it was even before Mr. Carpenter had returned from his business trip.
Stephen kept me informed throught the process, treated me courteously and always returned my calls. He achieved best case results for my matter quicker than I could expect humanly possible. My only disappointment is that I could not retain his services for the civil side of this matter.
Thank You, Mr. Carpenterr

Steve did an exceptional job in representing us in the case. He was thorough and diligent in pursuing this case with the JAG officers involved. He was truly interested in getting a resolution on both a personal and professional level.

His is a one person practice and I think it worked well as compared to having an attorney from some monolithic law firm. Steve knows military law (UCMJ) and is not an attorney who dabbles in this and that and merely goes through the motions.

He is not egocentric and will involve others who have more expertise in a particular area than he does. He seems to have a excellent reource pool of ex JAG officers in private practice who can and will provide answers he may not have. In other words he will admit when he has reached an area where he lacks expertise and will involve others who can provide answers in both the private and government sectors as it may pertain to a case.

Bottom-line... if you need a civilian attorney who knows military law, contact Steve. If your case is serious, avoid a JAG attorney because they have to answer to the military and at the end of the day they have careers to think about.

I would highly recommend Stephen to represent anyone in need of legal assistance. He successfully coached and counseled me through the difficult process of an investigation with the utmost professionalism.

Understanding that an investigation is a common method used to research a situation, in no way mitigates the stress caused to the individual in question. As with many life situations, the fear of the unknown can often have a profoundly negative impact on an individual. I personally had no previous experience being investigated. My decision to gain his services when advised of the investigation was instrumental in our success. By not hesitating to gain the expertise of his sound counsel, I was in the best position possible. Stephen’s calm demeanor and diligent follow up greatly aided in my ability to regain my bearings and feel protected. I believe that this was one of the most positive results of choosing him as my representative.

During an investigation there is the strong possibility that the well intended person may inadvertently say or do something that could greatly compromise or complicate the situation. Stephen carefully kept me advised of my rights and ensured that I didn’t. I simply could not have navigated the challenges of how to protect myself and career without his leadership.

In the end we were able to build a successful response and defense to the allegation that prevented any type of Court-martial proceeding. I am highly satisfied and believe that he was clearly the right choice among the many lawyers that I considered.

I contacted Mr. Carpenter on a reference from an associate. Mr. Carpenter was extremely knowledgeable with everything concerning this case and was more than willing to work with me through out the entire process to ensure that there was not on thing missed. I would recommend Mr. Carpenter to anybody who needs a GREAT attorney for a wide scope of legal matters, especially if you are a service member. Mr. Carpenter takes great pride in his work, his appearance and overall care and concern of his clients. Thanks again Mr. Carpenter GREAT JOB!

To have Mr. Carpenter handle the case for me was the best decision.
He was very supportive highly responsive and always took the time I needed. I was able to call him any time with any concern and he would return calls on short notice.
The work atmosphere was professional and positive. He always gave me updates and was very informative.
Thanks to Mr. Carpenter the case turned out in my favor and I could not be happier. I can highly recommend him as a lawyer

To have Mr. Carpenter handle the case for me was the best decision.
He was very supportive highly responsive and always took the time I needed. I was able to call him any time with any concern and he would return calls on short notice.
The work atmosphere was professional and positive. He always gave me updates and was very informative.
Thanks to Mr. Carpenter the case turned out in my favor and I could not be happier. I can highly recommend him as a lawyer

To have Mr. Carpenter handle the case for me was the best decision.
He was very supportive, highly responsive and always took the time I needed. I was able to call him any time, with any concern and he would return calls on short notice.
The work atmosphere was professional and positive. He always gave me updates and was very informative.
Thanks to Mr. Carpenter the case turned out in my favor and I could not be happier.
I can highly recommend him as a lawyer.

Mr. Carpenter helped me with a business/civil matter recently. I called him in a panic and he helped me to remain calm by explaining the facts and setting a course to defend my case. I was really impressed with how responsive he was, and how he genuinely cared about what I was going through. His assistance resulted in the plaintiffs lawyer dropping her clients case.