John Michael Totten

PRO

John Michael Totten

4.9
Rating: 10.0

Licensed for 26 years

Divorce and separation Lawyer at Athens, AL
Practice Areas: Divorce & Separation, Criminal Defense, Personal Injury ... +2 more

105 South Marion St., Athens, AL

About John

Biography

Recognized as a premier attorney by the National Trial Lawyers.

Practice Areas

5

Practice Areas

Divorce and Separation 35%

Divorce, Child Custody, Child Support, Modification of Divorce,

35%
Criminal Defense 25%

DUI, drug cases, murder, all felony and misdemeanor case

25%
Personal Injury 20%

Auto/Truck/Motorcycle/Boat Accidents, On-the-Job Accidents, Slip and Fall All personal injury work is done on contingency basis, meaning that we do not charge anything until we win money for our clients.

20%
Domestic Violence 10%

10%
Family 10%

10%

Fees and Rates

We have not found any cost information for this lawyer

Awards

Client's Choice
Client's Choice
2024 2023 2019
...
+ 3
AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating

Licenses

Licensed in Alabama for 26 years

State: Alabama

Acquired: 1999

Occupational License - Authorized to Practice

No misconduct found

Location

John M. Totten, PC

105 South Marion St., Athens, AL, 35611-2552

johntottenlaw.com/

Online Presence

Other places you can find John online.

John Michael Totten's Reviews

Avvo Review Score

4.9 /5.0

71 Client Reviews

Showing 1 - 5 of 15 reviews | General Knowledge

Posted by anonymous | January 28, 2026 | Hired Attorney | Family

excellent family law attorney

John Totten is an excellent family law attorney. From the start, he was knowledgeable, straightforward, and professional. He took the time to explain the legal process clearly and made sure I understood my options every step of the way. His responsiveness and attention to detail made a difficult and ...emotional situation much easier to navigate. I'm very grateful for his guidance and would highly recommend him to anyone in need of a family law attorney. I want to also specifically recognize Sarah at the front desk. She is professional, friendly, and extremely organized. She was always responsive, helpful, and made communication with the office seamless. Her positive attitude and willingness to help stood out and made the entire experience much smoother.

Posted by Bradley | August 11, 2024 | Hired Attorney | Lawsuits & Disputes

Last minute savior

Mr. Totten was suggested by another attorney, he took my case in a rush, with only two weeks to prepare. He asked me what I wanted. and let me know upfront what he believed I could get, he was very attentive to the case. Every time I called, I got to speak with him or someone knowledgeable of the cas...e.( if you have questions, he can answer them ) in the quart room. Mr. Totten has a sporadic disposition, almost seems unprepared, but as I watched him work, I think it was intentional. as I sat on my emotional roller coaster, he took the time to ask me how I felt about the case and how I thought we were doing. mr. Totten is very professional and I recommend him 100% Ps. he got me everything I said I would be happy with …

Posted by Chris | February 29, 2024 | Hired Attorney | Lawsuits & Disputes

Exceptional lawyer

John is an extremely knowledgeable lawyer. Not only does he understand the law, he is able to explain it in a way that even I could understand. His legal staff is top notch. Bridgett Jackson has a unique ability to be able to explain both sides of an argument. She can show understanding about how yo...u feel you were wronged while at the same time, explaining to you how the court will likely perceive the situation. This is not something all law firms do. Many firms will only tell clients what they want to hear, costing the clients a lot of time and money, and the outcome being the same. With this firms knowledge and personal relationships in the community, they are able to find solutions for difficult situations that are in the clients best interest.

Posted by Angelo | March 23, 2023 | Hired Attorney | Child Custody

Best in the business!!

I came to Mr. Totten through high recommendation in what felt like my darkest hour. My character was being assassinated, I was removed (temporarily) from my children and felt like my world was being turned upside down! Mr. Totten and his staff Bridgett and Shelbie came to my rescue like the Avengers!... They had such a calming spirit and reassurance that not only did they have my back, but that they were prepared to go to battle on my behalf! In moments of uncertainty and frustration it was Bridget’s calming spirit who would tell me “take a deep breath, you know who you are and know that you’re a great father, we’ve got you” Mr. Totten was always punctual for our appearances, organized and a true battle tested expert at his profession. Watching him in the court room was like watching Ken Griffey Jr. At the plate execute the “perfect swing.” When it was all said and done, I was awarded joint custody of my babies and just about every single thing we fought for we were able to lay claim too. I would not recommend any other law office for your legal needs! This group is certainly the best in the business and made what felt like the worst time of my life, truly a smooth transition into a brand new and rewarding beginning.

Posted by BB | September 18, 2019 | Hired Attorney

Very personable

Mr. Totten and Bridgett was very helpful. They were very prompt at answering my questions and helped me with my concerns/worries with my case. They both went above and beyond. They both know their stuff. Mr. Totten was upfront with my initial consultation. I would highly recommend Mr. Totten and I wo...uld use him again if need be. I couldn't thank them enough.

See All Client Reviews

John Michael Totten's Lawyer Endorsements

Endorse John
Homer Perry Jordan IV headshot
Homer Jordan

Divorce and separation lawyer | May 21

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer."

Elliott Albert Wilcox headshot
Elliott Wilcox

Criminal defense lawyer | Jul 22

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I'm proud to endorse John M. Totten as a lawyer who is serious about DUI defense. As a member of The National College for DUI Defense, John is committed to DUI defense, and will work hard to help you through this stressful situation. If you've been charged with a Athens DUI, call John and ask for help."

Susan C. Conlon headshot
Susan Conlon

Divorce and separation lawyer | May 12

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer. John is always a worthy opponent as he is prepared, professional, courteous and well-versed in the law. He has a well-earned reputation as an excellent lawyer."

Thomas John Jarvinen headshot
Thomas Jarvinen

Criminal defense lawyer | Feb 26

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer. John is a very knowledgeable attorney who always works hard to get the best results for his clients."

Rebeca Ellen Salmon headshot
Rebeca Salmon

Family lawyer | Feb 07

Relationship: Worked together on matter

"Mr. Totten is a wonderful person and a great lawyer to have on your side. He is not afraid to learn new areas of the law in an effort to represent vulnerable children. He's got a great heart and I endorse this lawyer."

James Leighton Nation headshot
James Nation

Divorce and separation lawyer | Jan 31

Relationship: Worked together on matter

"John is a talented lawyer. I have seen John in action and know that he will work hard to get the best outcome for his clients. I endorse John Totten."

View All Endorsements
Susan C. Conlon headshot
Susan Conlon

Divorce and separation lawyer

Thomas John Jarvinen headshot
Thomas Jarvinen

Criminal defense lawyer

James Leighton Nation headshot
James Nation

Social Security & Disability lawyer

Rebeca Ellen Salmon headshot
Rebeca Salmon

Immigration lawyer

Experience

Rating:  10.0 (Superb)

Honors

2025

AV Preeminent Rated, Martindale-Hubbell

2024

AV Preeminent Rated, Martindale-Hubbell

2023

AV Preeminent Rated, Martindale-Hubbell

2022

AV Preeminent Rated, Martindale-Hubbell

2021

AV Preeminent Rated, Martindale-Hubbell

2018

Client's Choice, Avvo

2017

Top 100 Trial Lawyer, National Trial Lawyers Association

2017

Client's Choice, Avvo

2016

Top 100 Litigation Lawyer, The American Society of Legal Advocates

2015

AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell

2015

Top 100 Trial Lawyers, National Trial Lawyers Association

2015

Top 100 Litigation Lawyers, American Society of Legal Advocates

2015

Client's Choice, Avvo

2014

Top 100 Trial Lawyers, National Trial Lawyers Association

2014

AV Preeminent, Martindale-Hubbell

Work Experience

2005 - Present

Attorney, John M. Totten, P.C.

2002 - 2005

Attorney, Burgess & Hale, LLC

1999 - 2002

Attorney, Luker, Cole and Associates

Associations

2015 - Present

American Society of Legal Advocates

Member

2015 - Present

National College of DUI Defense

General Member

2014 - Present

National Trial Lawyers Association

Member

2014 - Present

American Bar Association

Member

2012 - Present

National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers

Member

2007 - Present

Boys & Girls Club of Athens

Board Member

2005 - Present

Limestone County Bar Association

Member

1999 - Present

Alabama State Bar

Member

2005 - 2010

Athens Rotary Club

Member

Sample of Legal Cases

Smoak v. State of Alabama

Conviction overturned

Blasdale v Blasdale, 65 So3d 428, Alabama Court of Civil Appeals

Appeal victory as Wife was awarded a significant monetary award in the business held by the parties during the marriage. This case is landmark in valuing a corporate asset held during a divorce action.

See More Legal Cases

Education

1999

Birmingham School of Law (Birmingham, AL)

JD - Juris Doctor, with Honors

1996

University of North Alabama

BS - Bachelor of Science

Languages

English

Activity

Avvo Rating

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Avvo Rating Levels
10.0 - 9.0 Superb8.9 - 8.0 Excellent7.9 - 7.0 Very Good6.9 - 6.0 Good5.9 - 5.0 Average4.9 - 4.0 Concern3.9 - 3.0 Caution2.9 - 2.0 Strong Caution1.9 - 1.0 Extreme Caution