Richard V Stevens III

Simply outstanding legal help from beginning to the very successful end! Rich was an amazing counsel for the separation board, and five years later, for the grade determination board. His skill and insight ensured a brief, tight, and laser-focused written package for both boards - and amazing in-per...son action for the board hearing - that made the favorable outcome happen. After Rich's good work, some board members even questioned why there was a board in the first place. Add to this Rich's excellent client relationship skills - personal yet professional, sympathetic yet disciplined - and his ability to impart focus and discipline on his client (me), made for a legal effort spanning years that earned a favorable result - retention and honorable retirement in my current grade. Rich is simply the best there is.

I am a senior military officer who faced an involuntary administrative discharge board hearing in which the military was attempting to separate me before I could make it to retirement. If I had been separated at the board hearing, I would have lost not only my military retirement, but my retirement b...enefits. Mr. Stevens represented me in this case from the point I received the discharge notification. This was my career and future at stake so having the right representation was extremely important to me. I talked to countless attorneys before I hired Mr. Stevens to represent me. After our first consultation I hired him not only because of our discussion about the case, but also because of the reviews I read about his courtroom performance and professional demeanor. Mr. Stevens' performance in the board hearing was remarkable. His preparation for the case was extremely comprehensive. He sent me documents to provide details of my case that helped him develop a defensible position. He was easy to get ahold of and answered my countless questions either instantly, or within 24hrs if he was on another case. I had e-mails responding to questions as late as midnight and as early as 0600. There wasn’t a moment that I felt he wasn’t focused on my case even while balancing other clients. In the board hearing (which is very similar to a trial), Mr. Stevens interviewed the witnesses and gathered supporting memos, he gave the opening statement, cross-examined the key government witness, questioned our witnesses, and he gave the closing argument. He had a commanding courtroom presence…cool, calm, and collected. His years of experience showed through his confidence and demeanor. His questioning of witnesses was thorough and no detail in support of my case was left unspoken. His cross-examination of the key government witness revealed a lot of information that was supportive of my retention. After Mr. Stevens cross examination of the government witness, I personally felt that the government witness was more beneficial to the defense after being cross examined by Mr. Stevens. His closing argument was undoubtedly the best that I could have hoped for and was exceptionally comprehensive. No minor detail of the case was missed, and he referred to all applicable military instructions supporting my retention. I felt extremely confident after hearing Mr. Stevens’ closing argument. Ultimately, the board members determined that I should be retained in the service. Mr. Stevens' advice, representation, advocacy in the hearing, and his work on the case was exceptional. Not only did he focus on the case, but also prepared me for every possible outcome. Even after the favorable outcome he checked in on me to make sure I was doing well. From our countless discussions he knew how stressful the overall experience was for me and that even though the board chose to retain me, the stress of the entire experience still negatively impacted my overall mental health. He offered life advice, and it was clear that his concern for my overall wellbeing was genuine. Going through this process was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to deal with and I could not be happier with my decision to have had Mr. Stevens represent me. I offer my STRONGEST POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATION to hire Mr. Stevens if you face allegations and adverse actions 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 falsely accused of sexual assault. With the allegations being completely false and some very clear motives to fabricate from the accuser, I was sure that the government would quickly recognize these claims were clearly false and let me move on with my career.  I was co...mpletely wrong... As the investigation continued I started to quickly realize that you are ‘guilty until proven innocent’ with respect to sexual assault allegations in the military. I felt as if my branch that I served faithfully for years quickly abandoned me and chose to take the word of an individual with several documented integrity issues.  As I started to realize the severity of the situation and the investigating agencies willingness to conduct a biased investigation in order to collaborate an almost inconceivable narrative, I began my search for legal representation. I had consultations with over a dozen attorneys. I read reviews, case results, bios, strategies, and talked to everyone from high profile costly attorneys with lavish social media accounts, to the newest firms specializing in court martial defense. Ultimately, I stumbled across Mr. Stevens' blog. I decided to give him a call. First impressions are everything and what I can tell you is that my first impression of Mr. Stevens was that he is the guy I can put my trust in. During the consultation, I did not feel rushed like I did with others. I did not feel like I had to cash a check at that moment in order to get some ‘real advice.’ I felt as if I was talking to a friend that was giving just the right amount of guidance for that stage of the game. Mr. Stevens tactfully gave me a ‘reality check’  and  incredibly sound counsel.  His knowledge of the system is unparalleled. From consultation to hiring, I was continuously amazed at his ability to identify the intricacies of the system and how to navigate around or even through them. In my opinion, Rich knows the system better than those who run it. The investigation phase was very long. I was optimistic in terms of timeline and the 'process' that would prove my innocence. However, I was continuously let down. Mr. Stevens was able to answer a lot of the questions for me during our long waits. I can’t count how many times I look back now and can say “wow Rich was right again.” One thing I like about Rich is that he will always give you an answer or advice based on FACTS. He doesn’t tell you what you want to hear. He will tell you what you NEED to hear. When it came to questions with established facts his answers were spot on and almost seem like ‘insider information.' When it came to subjective questions about the case itself, theories, strategy, etc. Rich was always extremely calculated and answered based on the information available. During the investigation phase, Rich conducted his own investigation. I was amazed at his attention to detail and meticulousness. It was incredibly unbiased and in my opinion he conducted a superior investigation compared to the government. As we began to prepare for my defense “new information came to light” and the complainant decided not to participate and dropped their false allegations. One thing that gave me a little peace of mind at night was that Rich was on my side. An acquaintance familiar with the inner circles of the military justice system asked who I decided to have represent me. I told them “Mr. Richard V. Stevens, have you heard of him?” They just smiled and replied “I know Rich… he is the best of the best.”  No matter how early it is in your situation, speak to no one. In today’s culture a single accusation (no matter how ridiculous) will be taken as truth by the government as you find yourself preparing for a GCM. Mr. Stevens WILL prepare you for what you are going to face. He guided me through the most difficult time of my life with the utmost professionalism with the compassion of a friend.

I am a military NCO who was falsely accused of sexual assault by a civilian who I previously had a relationship with. I faced a general court-martial trial, in which the maximum punishment if convicted was decades in prison, a dishonorable discharge, and I would have had to register as a sex offend...er. Mr. Stevens represented me in this case, and it was ultimately dropped. I entered a plea of not guilty and we were prepared for trial when the complainant backed out and the case was dropped. She did not back out because of luck, there was a lot of work that ended in this result. Mr. Stevens handled all aspects of my case. We had more than one motion hearing, in which Mr. Stevens wrote and filed the motions, questioned the witnesses, and argued the motions in front of the military judge. Several of these motions had to do with discovery we were seeking, and issues regarding the background and credibility of the complainant. Mr. Stevens cross-examined the complainant during the motions hearings. His motions, court performance and arguments during the motion hearing added so much value and pointed out the weak points in the evidence presented by the government. His work during the motion broke down the government's case, and it led to the complainant backing out at the last minute. In preparation for trial, Mr. Stevens wrote and submitted our various filings, and prepared to handle all the major portions of the case - to include voir dire, opening statement, witness questioning, cross-examination of the complainant, and closing argument. I am not a lawyer, and I had a lot of questions about strategy, evidence, procedure, etc. Mr. Stevens always made himself available to answer my questions until I understood his points. He included me in defense discussions and strategy decisions. He made me part of the defense team. I had a lot of anxiety about being falsely accused of something like this, and Mr. Stevens did a lot to work me through what is a very difficult process. My military career had now continued, and the case is behind me. I would definitely recommend Mr. Stevens if you face allegations in the military justice system and/or a court-martial. I believe without the help, guidance and experience that Mr. Steven's brings to the table, my case may not had the positive that I recieved. Although the ADC can be extremely helpful, the addition of an experienced Military Attorney like Mr. Stevens is a necessity.