Richard V Stevens III

I am a military officer who was falsely accused of sexual assault by a female military member who had a strong motives to make up the allegations against me. I did not face a court-martial because she elected not to participate in the case after making the allegations, but the military still attempte...d to kick me out through an administrative discharge board hearing. If I had been found responsible in the board hearing, I would have been discharged and I would have likely received an Other Than Honorable Conditions discharge that would have negatively affected my future. Mr. Stevens represented me in this case from the beginning. In the board hearing (which is very similar to a trial), Mr. Stevens gave the opening statement, cross-examined the key government witness, questioned our witnesses and our expert, and he gave the closing argument. Mr. Stevens' performance in the board hearing was phenomenal. His experience and case prep showed immediately, with his opening statement being very effective and highlighting the governments weak case immediately. His questioning of witnesses was also excellent, he knows exactly what questions to ask to draw out the needed information. His cross-examination of the key government witness was very tough, thorough and effective. His closing argument was, likewise, very thorough and persuasive. Ultimately, the board members determined that I did not commit the alleged sexual assault, and there was no basis for discharge. So, they recommended my retention in the military. Mr. Stevens' advice, representation, advocacy in the hearing, and his work on the case was great, and absolutely instrumental in me being retained in the air force. Even when I first hired him, his reputation preceded him, as my assigned ADC told me that he was a great lawyer that some of her colleagues had worked with previously. He was always easy to reach over phone or email, and he was very candid about our chances and our case. His professionalism and presence in the courtroom immediately gave me confidence that we had a fighting chance. I would, without a doubt, recommend Mr. Stevens if you face criminal allegations in the military justice system.

A couple years ago a false sexual assault allegation was made about me. After being handed off 2 times by the Air Force legal system I opted for a civilian attorney that would make it all the way to trail with me. I did a lot of research and interviewed many different attorneys across the U.S. and fo...und Mr. Stevens to be the best fit for me and my situation. He was always 100% upfront and candid with me from the start. He wasn’t one to say something to make you feel good; he told the truth and his thoughts on the matter. Throughout the process I never once felt like just another number, another paycheck. When he was working on my case at that point in time nothing else mattered. Anybody that has or is going through a case such as mine will say it is stressful. However, I believe my team made me feel more at ease than anybody else could. I am extremely grateful to Mr. Stevens for poking holes in her story and getting the truth in front of the panel members. I highly recommend Mr. Stevens for anybody seeking a highly skilled and experienced defense attorney.

I am a military officer who was generally accused of domestic violence by a civilian I was in a past relationship with.  I faced a general court-martial trial, in which the maximum punishment if convicted could have been decades in prison, a dismissal (dishonorable discharge equivalent) and, as a col...lateral affect, I would have lost my military retirement.   Mr. Stevens represented me in this case from the very beginning. Almost two years to be exact.  During the course of the case, there were multiple motion hearings.  Mr. Stevens wrote and filed the motions, questioned the witnesses on the stand during the motion hearings, and argued the motions. The case then proceeded to trial, and there were multiple charges and allegations to defend against.   Mr. Stevens' performance in court was  so much more than I could have asked for, he was like a well oiled machine. There were times where I was convinced he knew more about the law than the judge. His questioning of witnesses was was unbelievably well prepared, professional and always eloquent. His cross-examination of the complaining witness was very thorough and effective.  His closing argument was, likewise, very thorough and impactful, I tell people it was like watching a symphony, it was over two hours long and was what the jury needed to hear in order to find me not guilty.  Ultimately, I was found not guilty of the most serious offenses and the case went into sentencing on what I was convicted of.  In the sentencing hearing, Mr. Stevens questioned the sentencing witnesses and made the sentencing argument.  Again, his sentencing argument was so unbelievably impactful and I believe it was this that secured my retirement.  The trial began as a very serious felony type case.  The sentence I received was like a misdemeanor type sentence, and it did not include a punitive discharge.  Because of that, I was able to retire honorably from the military and most importantly secure my retirement. Mr. Stevens' advice, representation, advocacy in motions and trial, and work on the case was life saving.  I truly believe had I not gone with Mr. Stevens the outcome would have been much different.  One of the more difficult parts of being put under investigation then being told you would be facing a court martial is trying to decide if you should hire a lawyer, then even more difficult is deciding who you should retain.  I started with a list of lawyers but ultimately decided on Mr. Stevens.  My decision stemmed from the overwhelmingly strong recommendations I received from other military members, as well as a Judge who is a friend of the family who asked around and came back with Mr. Steven’s name.  Also, Mr. Stevens is reasonably priced. He started at about half the price of the other attorneys I interviewed.  I believe this is because he does this job not for the money but because he loves his work.  I would, without a doubt, recommend Mr. Stevens if you face criminal allegations in the military justice system.  I can’t stress this enough.  This process is very long and mine specifically took two years to litigate.  During this process I was always able to get ahold of him, day or night if i needed him he was there.  I probably sent hundreds of emails over the course of two years and never once did Mr. Stevens take issue with it.  He was always there to answer questions I had, even in the evening.  If you are reading this because you are currently facing a possible court martial I am sorry, but please trust me in saying that Mr. Steven will represent you to the upmost of his ability and you should feel confident in choosing him.  If I had to go through this whole thing again I would do some things differently but I would without question hire Mr. Steven’s again. 

I am a military officer who was falsely accused of sexual assault by a civilian. I faced a general court-martial trial, which, if convicted, would have resulted in decades in prison and registration as a sex offender. With my future and livelihood on the line, I sought out the best representation p...ossible, and came across Rich Stevens. Mr. Stevens represented me in this case from the Article 32 hearing onward, and his tenacity resulted in the case ultimately being dropped after a lengthy investigation and legal process. From the very beginning, the complaining witness's motivation to lie was obvious, and their credibility issues were considerable. Mr. Steven’s efforts resulted in a positive recommendation from the Article 32 Preliminary Hearing Officer, but the case proceeded forward to trial anyway. During the course of the proceedings, Mr. Stevens represented me through multiple motions hearings. This included his writing, filing, and arguing of said motions, as well as his questioning of witnesses and experts on the stand, including the cross-examination of the complaining witness on numerous occasions. Mr. Stevens' performance on my behalf was nothing short of strategic and overwhelmingly compelling. His preparation was thorough, and he took into account all aspects and angles of the available evidence. In the courtroom, his questioning of witnesses cut straight to point, and clearly demonstrated the inherent weaknesses of the government’s case. His arguments eventually led the government to conclude that continuing was not in its best interest, resulting in the case’s dismissal. After the case concluded, Mr. Stevens continued to advise me and assist with issues that needed to be addressed to fully clear my name, which in itself was a lengthy process. Mr. Stevens' representation, advocacy, and work on the case was crucial in demonstrating my innocence and in combating the idea that all sexual assault allegations must be believed. If you find yourself facing a similar situation, please understand that the system is going to be heavily weighted against you, regardless of how false and unbelievable the allegations may be. You are going to want the best representation available, I would, without a doubt, recommend Mr. Stevens to defend against criminal allegations in the military justice system.

I am a military SNCO who was falsely accused of sexual assault by another military member. I was wrongfully convicted, my case was overturned on appeals, but the Convening Authority preferred charges AGAIN!! I faced a general court-martial trial and, if I was convicted, not only would I have had to f...ace a sentence for something I did not do, but I would also have been required to register as a sex offender. I knew deep down that it was something I did not want to risk so I did my research. Mr. Stevens' name was at the top of every list/person I spoke with, but I didn't think he could live up to the hype. I was so happy to be WRONG about that...he's a BULLDOG in the courtroom! Mr. Stevens represented me in this case, and I was found not guilty at trial. He walked me through the process and was available to answer any questions I may have had. He also provided great advice, wasn't pushy with his recommendations, and reminded me that decisions were ultimately mine. I pled not guilty in front of a military panel ("jury") Mr. Stevens handled all aspects of my court-martial trial. In separate motion hearings, he filed and argued many motions to help us present my defense and obtain discovery. His written motions were very detailed and organized. Likewise, his motion arguments during the motion hearing were a sight to see. When my case went to trial, Mr. Stevens presented both the opening statement and closing argument, and he questioned all major witnesses, to include cross-examining the complaining witness and government expert. Mr. Stevens' opening statement was like something out of a movie. He painted a picture for the jury and did an even better job presenting evidence to back it up. His questioning of the witnesses was even more impressive. Particularly with regard to his questioning of the complaining witness, and exposing her lies and her motive to make false allegations against me. His cross-examination of her was noteworthy. He asked direct questions and impeached her on statements she made at the previous trial. Finally, Mr. Stevens delivered his closing argument, to wrap up the case, and to show the truth of my innocence. His closing argument was very thorough. He walked the jury through everything that he previously laid out. He re-attacked key points, her lies and inconsistencies, and reaffirmed to the jury that anything other than NOT GUILTY was inconceivable! After a long investigation and intense trial, I was found not guilty of the allegation. Mr. Stevens' representation, advocacy, and work on the case was crucial to show my innocence and to combat the idea that all sexual assault allegations must be believed. I would, without a doubt, recommend Mr. Stevens if you face criminal allegations in the military justice system. He is definitely someone that you want on YOUR team.