Derrick Ernest Cruz

PRO

Derrick Ernest Cruz

5.0
30 reviews
This is an aggregated review score of Avvo and Lawyers.com reviews.
Rating: 7.5

Licensed for 2 years

Criminal defense Lawyer at Wilmington, NC
Practice Areas: Criminal Defense, Personal Injury, Litigation

3907 Wrightsville Ave, Suite 200B, Wilmington, NC

Virtual Consultation Available

About Derrick

Biography

Real People. Real Stories. Real Help.

Practice Areas

3

Practice Areas

Criminal Defense 80%

80%
Litigation 10%

10%
Personal Injury 10%

10%

Fees and Rates

Cost

Retainer

Sometimes

Awards

Client's Choice
Client's Choice
2025

Licenses

Licensed in North Carolina for 2 years

State: North Carolina

Acquired: 2023

Active

No misconduct found

Location

Cruz Law, PLLC

3907 Wrightsville Ave, Suite 200B, Wilmington, NC, 28403

dcruzlaw.com

Derrick Ernest Cruz's Reviews

Filter Avvo Reviews (29) Refine reviews to match your needs. Use the filters to quickly surface reviews that align with your case or priorities.

Showing 1 - 5 of 6 reviews | Responsiveness

Posted by Amy | September 26, 2025 | Hired Attorney | Criminal Defense

Outstanding criminal defense lawyer in Brunswick county

Our experience with attorney Derek Cruz for a criminal defense matter in Brunswick County, North Carolina was phenomenal. He was attentive, professional, and always made time for my husband's questions and concerns. He went above and beyond the call of duty for a court-appointed lawyer, demonstrating... a level of commitment that was truly impressive. The fact that he still checks in on my husband shows his genuine care for his clients. We are so grateful for his hard work and highly recommend him.

Posted by Jessica | September 02, 2025 | Hired Attorney | Criminal Defense

10 stars if I could!

EXCELLENT EXPIERIENCE!! He took the time to really understand me and my case. He kept me up to date every step of the way. He is very caring and extremely effective. With his help I was able to go to a treatment center as opposed to jail time and for that I am so grateful. I am now 18 months sober, a...nd I highly recommend!

Derrick Cruz

Replied last September 30, 2025

Thank you, Jessica. It is so nice to hear how well you are doing! Keep up the great work. You are inspiring others.

Posted by Lauryn | August 29, 2025 | Hired Attorney | Lawsuits & Disputes

Excellent!

I had an excellent experience working with Derrick Cruz. He was incredibly thorough, followed up consistently, and kept me updated every step of the way. He took the time to make sure I fully understood everything, and his professionalism and friendliness made the entire process less stressful. Most ...importantly, he got my case dismissed! I’m very grateful for his hard work and highly recommend him to anyone who needs a dedicated attorney.

Derrick Cruz

Replied last September 03, 2025

Thank you for your kind review. It was a pleasure helping you with this matter, Lauryn. Take care.

Posted by Koleman | June 10, 2025 | Hired Attorney | Lawsuits & Disputes

Mr. Cruz was the help I needed mor than anything

During a very tough time in my life, I had failed to completely take care of a very important legal matter that later came back to bite me. I reached out to a few attorneys that responded days later just to tell me they wouldn't take the case. Derrick, on the other hand, called me almost immediately ...after I had sent him an email requesting help. On the phone call he was extremely understanding and listened to everything that I had to say and made it his goal to remind me daily that he was working on the case and to not worry because he will take care of everything. After less than a WEEK, everything with my case was completely cleared. The stress that left my shoulders and the relief I felt was unreal. Now, of course, I do hope I am never put in the position that I would need to use an attorney again. But if I ever was, I would without a doubt contact Mr. Derrick Cruz to make sure that case is taken care of 100%. Thank you again for your amazing help in a very timely manner.

Derrick Cruz

Replied last September 03, 2025

Thank you for your kind review and trusting me to help you during this difficult time. It was an honor.

Posted by Chad | May 30, 2025 | Hired Attorney | Lawsuits & Disputes

Great Attorney

I've been in court through my lifetime more than I should have been. Mr Cruz is one of the best attorney I've ever had he stayed on the case he called me back promptly he did exactly what I asked him to do and he did exactly what he said he would do and my case was dismissed. I would recommend ...him to anybody he's very professional and respectful he listens to what you have to say and fights for you and gives you good advice, that's hard to get from attorneys general experiences they try to tell you what's best for you and in practice I think they should advise you what's best and then let you determine how to proceed. Can't say enough about our experience with him as my attorney. If I ever wire another attorney I will hire him and I will recommend them to all my friends.

Derrick Cruz

Replied last July 17, 2025

Thank you for your kind words, Chad. I greatly appreciate the detailed feedback. It helps me get better. I hope you are doing well.

See All Client Reviews

Derrick Ernest Cruz's Lawyer Endorsements

Endorse Derrick
Gintaras Kazys Krulikas headshot
Gintaras Krulikas

Criminal defense lawyer | Jan 23

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Derrick is a consummate professional who zealously advocates for his Clients in and out of Court. Using his prior experience as a Public Defender, where he handled a variety of cases ranging from traffic matters up to serious felonies, Derrick navigates the Courtroom with ease. I would recommend Derrick to anyone in need of an experienced Criminal Defense attorney."

View All Endorsements
Gordon Zasha Langer headshot
Gordon Langer

Speeding and traffic ticket lawyer

Tara M Gore headshot
Tara Gore

Criminal defense lawyer

Ryan Maxwell Stowe headshot
Ryan Stowe

Criminal defense lawyer

Thomas C. Goolsby headshot
Thomas Goolsby

DUI and DWI lawyer

Gintaras Kazys Krulikas headshot
Gintaras Krulikas

Criminal defense lawyer

Experience

Rating:  7.5 (Very Good)

Honors

2025

Client's Choice, Avvo

Work Experience

2025 - Present

Managing Partner, Cruz Law PLLC

2024 - 2025

Assistant Public Defender, Brunswick County Public Defenders Office

Associations

2025 - Present

Veteran Business Collective

Member

North Carolina Bar Association

North Carolina Advocates for Justice, Criminal Defense Section

North Carolina Advocates for Justice, Auto Torts Section

Education

2023

South Texas College of Law Houston

Juris Doctorate

2018

Norwich University

Master of Arts

2009

Texas A&M University

BS - Bachelor of Science

Speaking Engagements

2025

North Carolina Bar Association

Recover Courts: An Overview for Defenders

2025

North Carolina Bar Association

2025 Winter Criminal Law Webinar

2025

North Carolina Bar Association

Learn from the Personal Injury Pros

2025

North Carolina Bar Association

Online Attorney State Invoice System (OASIS) for Defender Districts 14, 15 & Moore and Randolph Cos.

2025

North Carolina Bar Association

Digital Forensics Litigation

2025

North Carolina Bar Association

Freedom Fighters Summit

2024

North Carolina Bar Association

Portal

2024

North Carolina Bar Association

Defense Challenges to Firearms Evidence

2024

North Carolina Bar Association

File & Serve - Morning

2024

North Carolina Bar Association

Felony Defender Training

2024

North Carolina Bar Association

Tips on Using Evidence.com Efficiently to Organize and Digest Your Discovery

2024

North Carolina Bar Association

Intensive Juvenile Defender Training

2024

North Carolina Bar Association

Defender Trial School

2024

North Carolina Bar Association

Juvenile Defender Conference 2024

2024

North Carolina Bar Association

The Rise of Conflicts of Interest in the Realm of Criminal Representation

2024

North Carolina Bar Association

Celebrating Professionalism - Brunswick County

2024

North Carolina Bar Association

Mental Health and Stress Resilience for Attorneys

2024

North Carolina Bar Association

Introduction to Defense Experts and Rule 702 Challenges

Avvo Rating

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