Free Consultation
$0 first 15 minutes
PRO
Ralph D. Sherman
also known as Ralph Doane Sherman
Virtual Consultation Available
Free Consultation
About Ralph
Biography
If you want the personal attention of a small law firm, you'll find it here.
Because of my expertise with firearms issues, I have practiced in every Superior Court in Connecticut, plus the Appellate Court and the Connecticut Supreme Court.
I have helped more than 4,000 individuals with pistol-permit problems.
I have been a licensed Connecticut attorney since December 1991.
I have probably handled more pardons and Clean Slates than any other attorney in this state, and I have been doing pardons since 1995. At one session of the Connecticut Board of Pardons and Paroles, the board heard 55 cases; 13 of them were my clients. In many years I have represented 5 to 10 percent of the individuals who actually get a hearing with the Board.
Going to criminal court without an attorney is like hiking in the jungle without a guide. Even if you have never been arrested before, you need an attorney to protect your rights. It is NOT the prosecutor's job to look out for you. The only person who's going to help you in criminal court is your own attorney. This is true even for DWI and some other motor-vehicle charges.
Firearms Law - I help more people with pistol-permit problems than any other attorney in this state.
Practice Areas
4
Practice Areas
Gun Law
50%
34 years | 2,600 cases
Expungement
35%
34 years | 700 cases
Criminal Defense
10%
34 years | 1,000 cases
DUI and DWI
5%
Fees and Rates
Cost
Payment Methods
- Cash
- Check
- Credit Card
Licenses
Licensed in Connecticut for 34 years
State: Connecticut
Acquired: 1991
No misconduct found
Location
Atty. Ralph D. Sherman
(860) 385-6302
Unknown
130 West Main Street, New Britain, CT, 06052-1315
ralphdsherman.com/Ralph D. Sherman's Reviews
Avvo Review Score
106 Client Reviews
Filter Avvo Reviews (106)
Refine reviews to match your needs. Use the filters to quickly surface reviews that align with your case or priorities.
Practice Areas
Gun Law (51)
Criminal Defense (25)
Expungement (18)
Administrative Law (16)
Lawsuits & Disputes (13)
Appeals (8)
Civil Rights (2)
DUI & DWI (2)
Speeding & Traffic Ticket (2)
Bankruptcy & Debt (1)
Constitutional (1)
Divorce & Separation (1)
Drug Crime (1)
Litigation (1)
Personal Injury (1)
State, Local And Municipal Law (1)
What Clients Mention
Case Results (85)
Recommendation (51)
Practice Area Knowledge (47)
Advocacy (42)
Professionalism (32)
Communication Style (28)
Responsiveness (26)
Cost of Services (20)
Character & Conduct (18)
Trustworthiness (15)
General Knowledge (13)
Staff & Support (4)
Compassion (3)
Payment Plans (1)
Punctuality (1)
Showing 1 - 5 of 6 reviews | 1 star
Posted by Nicholas | June 09, 2024 | Gun Law
Concerned with what is easy, not what is right.
Ralph was referred to me by the CT Bar Association after calling the lawyer referral line. I was looking for an attorney after having my permit revoked for criticizing the process. Ralph seemed more interested in defending the unconstitutional permitting racket and its unconstitutional review board t...
Ralph Sherman
Replied last June 10, 2024Well, this negative review (from someone who never hired me!) just goes to show that the reviews on this website are real. This person told me his pistol permit was revoked. (He didn't say it was revoked "for criticizing the process.") He said he contacted me because he would like to get his permit back. I told him we’ll take his case to the permit appeal board. Then he told me he believes the board is corrupt. I told him, if that’s what you believe, then I don’t think I’m the right attorney for you. I also told him, I wouldn’t have been able to work with the permit board for three decades if I didn’t believe it’s a fair and honest board. I told him I wished him the best of luck with his case. He responded by posting this review. If you're wondering if I "fight" for people's rights, go to the CT-N TV website and watch some videos of recent permit hearings.
Posted by Patricia | December 01, 2023 | Hired Attorney
Terrible Experience with Attorney Ralph Sherman
I had an incredibly disappointing experience with Attorney Ralph Sherman. Despite paying him 50% upfront, he refused to continue representing me and failed to refund my money. His lack of people skills was evident from the start – he was rude and impossible to communicate with. When I asked him a que...
Ralph Sherman
Replied last December 04, 2023Here’s the rest of the story: This review was written by the client’s mother. The client originally contacted me one day after his 21st birthday. He wanted to obtain a pistol permit. He had a problematic past because of an incident several years earlier that involved him, his mother, and her firearms. (She stored her firearms improperly, allowing him to do something improper with them.) This past incident would present a challenge for his permit application, but I believed the challenge would not be insurmountable. The client’s mother agreed to pay for legal representation and signed a fee agreement that stated that if the son got into any new trouble (e.g., an arrest), then that would terminate the permit case without a refund. Exactly nine days later, after I began work on the permit case, the son (client) engaged in conduct that resulted in his arrest in Connecticut on several charges. A few weeks later his mother disclosed that he also had pending charges in New York State. At that point the mother had made two payments on a payment plan. Under the fee agreement, I could have dropped the permit case because of the arrests. But instead of dropping the permit case, I agreed to delay it in the hope that the Connecticut and New York cases could be resolved without the client being convicted. We agreed that no further payments would be made until the Connecticut and New York cases were resolved. About one year later the mother contacted me to say that all the cases had been dropped and erased from the son’s record, so we could move forward on the permit. I advised that I must do a record check to make sure the cases were actually erased; this would take a few weeks. Mother said that the record check was unnecessary and insisted on moving forward with the permit immediately, without the record check. I told her that to skip the record check would be irresponsible and that I could not represent her son if they insisted that I handle the case improperly. I provided a full refund. This one-star review is proof that the reviews on this website are real.
Posted by anonymous | August 18, 2019 | Criminal Defense
Pardon Application
$250 for him to take a whole 5 minutes looking at my paperwork and then tell me he wasn't taking my pardon case. Completely ridiculous, He didn't even have the decency to meet with me. Just a quick phone call. I would look elsewhere.
Posted by anonymous | July 24, 2018 | Hired Attorney | Criminal Defense
Its a mistake trusting him
This lawyer did very little to defend me during a hearing... All He assure me is that He has good relationship with prosecutors which apparently what He always tell most Hes client... dont make my same mistake !!! Find another lawyer to handle your case this guy is a mistake. He charge too much f...
Posted by anonymous | February 12, 2018 | Hired Attorney | Lawsuits & Disputes
trust me, do not hire this guy!
do NOT hire this guy! I paid him $1,000 hard earned American dollars to sit next to me during a hearing to defend me, and guess what? he said not 1 word the whole time to defend me, literally sat there and twirled him thumbs. he obviously does not take his career path seriously and only wants to take...
Ralph D. Sherman's Lawyer Endorsements
"Whenever a client has a firearms-related issue in their case, the first thing I ask myself is "What would Ralph think?" There is simply no attorney in the state whom I would trust more to advise me on issues involving the details of Connecticut's gun laws. His experience in court and before administrative boards, his in-depth knowledge of firearms law, and his openness to help his fellow attorneys navigate these constantly shifting waters are all reasons why I keep Ralph at the top of my referrals list."
No Endorsement Data Available Yet
This attorney hasn't created any attorney endorsements recently on Avvo.
Experience
Work Experience
1991 - 2022
Owner, Attorney Ralph D. Sherman
Associations
1999 - Present
Connecticut Bar, Firearms Law CommitteeChairman
1995 - Present
National Rifle Association of AmericaLifetime Member
2000 - 2004
Connecticut State Police Firearms Advisory CouncilMember
1995 - 1999
Connecticut Bar Association, Firearms Law CommitteeChairman
1995 - 1999
Connecticut Bar Association, Firearms Law CommitteeFounding Member
Education
1991
University of Connecticut School of Law
JD - Juris Doctor
1983
Western Connecticut State University
BA - Bachelor of Arts
Languages
English