Steven Scott Nolder

If you have a federal case in the Southern District of Ohio then this is your guy. Over the course of 4-5 years I grew to one of the largest Darknet LSD distributors in the country and when I was caught the feds came down hard. Our house was raided, many valuable assets seized, and several agencies w...ere involved. They didn’t arrest me that day but I knew at some point I’d have to go to prison for what I did so the real question quickly became, how long? I live in Maryland but the charges where out of Columbus, OH. So we looked on Avvo for a federal attorney out of southern Ohio and found Mr. Nolder. We called him for a consultation shortly after the raid and he pretty much laid out exactly how everything was going to play out. Once we hired him all the calls/texts from the Feds got re-routed through him. He had more experience then any other attorney I talked to and seemed super knowledgeable regarding big federal drug cases out of Southern Ohio. So we hired him the following week. Federal cases can get extremely expensive and before I talked to him I almost went with a public defender but we thought with such a serious matter it would be best to hire a private attorney. If you can afford it I would definitely recommend going the private attorney route. His rates are really fair, there actually better then most federal attorneys in that area and he’s been an federal attorney in that area for something like 35 years. He’s a straight shooter and super thorough, like super super thorough. The day he gets a notice or update on your case he calls/emails you and walks you through it. He makes sure you understand exactly what’s he’s filing and everything else you need to know. The target letter I got after the raid said the feds were looking at charging me with distribution of LSD, distribution of LSD to persons under 21, tax evasion, and money laundering and there was also possibility of other charges stacking up. The feds were also threatening my fiancée, who had no knowledge of my wrongdoings. After some back and forth Mr. Nolder worked out a plea deal where I would plea guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute LSD and Money Laundering. He talked to the US Attorney and made it to where my fiancée was not charged. Before all the wheeling and dealing, departures, and point reductions, the feds where looking for something absurd, like 150-165 months. At sentencing the prosecutor was asking for at least 96 months but during the sentencing Mr. Nolder was able to successfully motion for downward departures so between that and other agreements that got worked into my plea deal, I was ultimately sentenced to 90 months. That sentence sounds worse then it really is though because Mr. Nolder made sure I was recommended by the Judge and on my PSR for RDAP (drug program) in prison which gets you a year off your sentence. He also made sure the charges that I plead guilty to qualified for the new FSA credits while I’m incarcerated. Those FSA credits are great and they really whack off a bunch of time. Since I didn’t get arrested the day of the raid he also made sure the judge recommended me for self surrender to prison and made sure the judge recommended to a minimum security camp. So I’ll end up serving my time in a camp instead of a prison. The difference is a very low staff to inmate ratio, freedom of movement inside the facility, and little to no fences. Overall he made the whole experience as comfortable as possible given the circumstances. After it is all said and done, between RDAP, FSA Credits, Statutory Good Time, and release to halfway house/home confinement. I’ll serve something like 3 years 2 months to 3 years 6 months in the federal camp before getting released to a halfway house/home confinement. That’s a whole heck of a lot better then where we started (150+ months). Overall he’s a fantastic attorney, with reasonable rates, and we had a great experience with him. Thanks for everything!

I originally contacted Mr. Nolder last year after being arrested as part of a very large conspiracy to traffic charge originating in the U.S. Southern District of Ohio. He was one of perhaps 8-10 attorneys I spoke with for an initial consult. I ended up selecting him based on not only research in...to the various attorneys I consulted with (he has one of the best records over the longest periods of time in his location and area of expertise), but also based on his personality, which I found to be no-nonsense, straightforward, and knowledgeable. Price was also a consideration, and he represented me for slightly less than 1/3 the cost of the most expensive quotes I received, which I found astonishing, given his reputation and obvious legal acumen. In my experience, it is extremely rare to find legal representation that combines top-tier effectiveness without being accompanied by an exorbitant price tag, but that is exactly what I found in Mr. Nolder. Mr. Nolder always had time for me when requested, he responds promptly to both telephone and email inquiries, frequently on the same day, and never any later than the next day after my reaching out to him. He answered any and all questions I had about my proceedings, including many I would not have thought to ask on my own, this being my first contact with the Federal law enforcement apparatus. He developed and executed an aggressive plan to negotiate with the government to bring down my offense level, and made sure I understood each and every proceeding and motion in my case. He also assisted me with Zoom calls in which he would clearly explain what was going to occur in each phase of my case, and also assisted me in role-playing when necessary before each of my contacts with authorities to make sure that I was able to properly focus on articulating the points which would be most effective in promoting my own defense, including providing advice that was specific to the judge who ultimately oversaw my case. Ultimately, I received a sentence of time served (which was only a few days, served at the time of my initial arrest), 6 months home confinement, and 3 years probation on a charge that could easily have seen me serving 3-5+ years in a Federal prison. I could not be happier with the result of my case, or the quality of representation provided by Mr. Nolder, and I wholeheartedly endorse his services to anyone in need of aggressive, competent, and effective criminal defense representation anywhere in Ohio.

I found myself in a major rough patch with drugs and alcohol which led to me being charged with a felony drug charge. Steve was recommended to me through a friend and he immediately saw me the same day to hear my story. Throughout the process he explained things in a way that myself and family could ...understand. He did not sugar coat anything or give false hopes, but rather explain what was happening and how was going to help. He immediately had a plan and kept me in the loop the entire time. He made sure I was aware of everything that was happening and was always willing to meet with me or talk on the phone as soon as possible. When it came to my sentencing I was nervous beyond belief, but the second he stood up in court and started talking he was precise, deliberate, and knowledgeable. He brought home every point he wanted to make and everyone actually listened. I avoided going to prison and received house arrest and probation but only because of Steve. If I had any other lawyer I would be rotting away in prison and not able to help change my life for the better. I am forever indebted to Steve and will always recommend him as the best attorney in the state.

I had a federal case where I was looking at a long jail time sentence and he really helped me out so much to where I can continue to be at home and take care of my kids. Words can not explain how much he is appreciated and the best attorney I know, He put his all in helping me and made sure I underst...ood everything. Thank you so much for literally saving my life.