Richard V Stevens III

I am a military officer who faced an involuntary administrative discharge board in which the military was attempting to end my career based on alleged misconduct. Mr. Stevens represented me in this case. Mr. Stevens assisted with all aspects of defending this case. He reviewed the evidence, he int...erviewed witnesses, he gathered evidence and statements, and he assisted me in preparing my rebuttal, and he prepared and submitted a rebuttal of his own. In Mr. Stevens' rebuttal, he attacked the claims of misconduct, arguing forcefully that I did not commit the alleged offense. He attacked the procedural errors and the government's incorrect legal interpretation of the situation. Ultimately, the board hearing recommended that I be retained, and the command concurred. Throughout the process, Mr. Stevens was highly responsive, professional, and reassuring during an extremely stressful period. He explained each step clearly, answered questions promptly, and provided candid, sound advice that allowed me to make informed decisions. His preparation and advocacy gave me confidence that my case was being handled with the highest level of care and competence. I would absolutely recommend Mr. Stevens to any service member facing adverse administrative or disciplinary action. His expertise, dedication, and professionalism made a decisive difference in my case.

I am a senior military noncommissioned officer who was falsely accused of sexual assault by another service member. As a result, I faced a general court-martial. Had I been convicted, I would have faced years of confinement and mandatory registration as a sex offender. Mr. Stevens represented me thro...ughout this process. Mr. Stevens handled every major aspect of my case. He drafted and argued multiple complex motions grounded in current and evolving military law. He prepared evidence and personally questioned all witnesses during the motion hearings, including my accuser. As a direct result of his preparation and advocacy during those hearings, significant and critical evidence was uncovered that became essential to the defense at trial. During the court-martial, Mr. Stevens delivered the opening statement, conducted direct examination of defense witnesses, and cross-examined the accuser, government witnesses, and the government’s expert. His questioning was precise, disciplined, and strategic. In particular, his cross-examination of the government’s expert demonstrated a deep understanding of both the subject matter and the weaknesses in the government’s theory of the case. Mr. Stevens’ cross-examination of the accuser was especially effective. He methodically exposed inconsistencies, credibility issues, and motives to fabricate, doing so in a professional manner that maintained credibility with the panel while clearly undermining the government’s case. His closing argument was thorough, well-organized, and compelling. He tied together the evidence, testimony, and credibility issues in a way that clearly demonstrated reasonable doubt and highlighted the government’s failure to meet its burden of proof. Ultimately, I was found not guilty of the alleged sexual assault. Mr. Stevens’ advice, preparation, courtroom advocacy, and strategic decision-making were critical to this outcome. Throughout the case, he was consistently available to answer questions, provided clear and honest advice, and ensured I understood the process and potential outcomes at every stage. His preparation was meticulous, his strategy was sound, and his courtroom presence was confident and effective. I would, without hesitation, recommend Mr. Stevens to anyone facing allegations or adverse actions within the military justice system, particularly cases involving sexual assault allegations. The stakes in these cases are extraordinarily high, and Mr. Stevens demonstrated the experience, judgment, and dedication necessary to defend them effectively.

I am a senior military NCO who was falsely accused of sexual assault by another military member. I faced a general court-martial trial. If I had been convicted of sexual assault, I could have been confined for years and I would have had to register as a sex offender. Mr. Stevens represented me in thi...s case. Before the trial, Mr. Stevens drafted and argued multiple motions. This required updated understanding of the latest military law. He prepared the witnesses and evidence and questioned all of the witnesses in the motion hearings, including experts. The result of the motion hearings was that we discovered crucial evidence to use in trial. In trial, Mr. Stevens gave the opening statement, questioned the witnesses, cross-examined the complainant and government witnesses, questioned our witnesses and our expert, and he gave the closing argument. Mr. Stevens' performance in the trial was unlike anything I’d ever seen. His knowledge of the law was impressive, it rolled off his tongue as if he had tried those cases himself. His questioning of witnesses was on a strategic level that most could not fathom. His questioning of our expert was intriguing. His cross-examination of the complainant seemed effortless; his level of preparation was evident. He exposed all her credibility issues and motives to lie. The way he pieced everything together was mind-blowing. The angles he takes are carefully detailed and strategically calculated. His closing argument was extremely thorough. He made sure to address any and all angles that could have been presented by the prosecution. It was impressive! Ultimately, I was found not guilty of the alleged sexual assault. Mr. Stevens' advice, representation, advocacy in the trial, and his work on the case is what saved my career! His attention to detail and ability to think through every aspect of the case is extremely relieving. I absolutely would recommend Mr. Stevens to anyone facing adverse actions, especially sexual assault allegations. His representation is more than I could have imagined. I never doubted if he had my best interest in mind, even if it came to hearing hard truths. He was available when I needed him and even ensured my family understood the process along the way. He answered any questions I had. He is honest, he is thorough, he comes prepared, and he will fight for you!

I am a field grade military officer who faced an Officer Grade Determination (OGD) based on a prior disciplinary action I received. Mr. Stevens did not represent me back when I received the disciplinary action, but I hired him to provide me with guidance and assistance in preparing my OGD response. ... Mr. Stevens' military law experience was one of the reasons I hired him. He provided me with valuable advice and guidance in how to prepare my submission, what to include, what the reviewing authorities would be looking for, and what the process entailed. We went back and forth with drafts of the OGD submission before it was finalized and sent in. Based on Mr. Stevens' advice and representation, I felt that I submitted a very strong OGD package that covered the period of military service at issue, and showed that I should be retired at my highest rank. His advice was invaluable, as a negative board outcome can impact me for life. His availability was excellent, he responded to emails in a timely manner and always was on time for scheduled appointments and process milestones. His was very involved throughout the process, first by explaining the overall OGD process, then by providing templates and examples on how to organize my career history to complete my overall package. Based on my work with Mr. Stevens over an extended period of time, I would highly recommend his services to other military member that needs an attorney in a military law issue.

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.