Craig Monroe Greaves

Mr. Greaves did a great job with my case! I highly recommend him to anyone looking for a lawyer. When I first met him, I could tell he has been doing this a while and is very passionate about his work. His office staff were always very helpful and treated me like family. I would definitely hire him a...gain if I got into trouble.

First, he is completely impossible to get in touch with. The only people you will ever be able to speak with are the legal assistants at his office. They are generally uninformed, and will give you the run around. My trial date kept getting pushed back and back with no attempt at a settlement without... going to trial. Finally, at 8 PM the night before my 6th scheduled hearing, he called me with an offer. I was given a whopping 12 hours to decide between options that I didn't understand. On top of this, Mr. Greaves personally lied to me on multiple accounts while representing me. The option he tried to steer me towards turned out to be nothing like how it was presented to me. He told me it would be 6 months in a minimum security facility, and that they would have me there within a week. What he failed to tell me was that my 6 months didn't start until I got there, and it ended up taking almost 4 months to get there. He also flat out lied to me by telling me that state jail(my other option) didn't offer good time, and they actually happen to offer 20% good time. So if I had taken that option, I would have been out in under 5 months, but thanks to his gross negligence I ended up doing closer to 10 months in a treatment facility that I didn't need. Once I was locked up, he stopped returning my family's phone calls, and made no effort to expedite me through the system. I strongly advise against getting this lawyer to represent you unless you want to get your own taste of malpractice and negligence.

I will start by stating that my sister is a lawyer (not criminal) so I understand how things work in the office. I know that I may not be the number one priority, that I'm not the only client, and that sometimes I may have to call and remind them to do something because another more important thing a...s come up. Knowing all this, my experience with Craig was very disappointing. Initially he told me he was going to try to get my charges reduced before I was ever indicted. It took the county about 3 months to indict me and when I found out it was not reduced I called Craig. Turns out he had only emailed the DA twice during that time period and never actually spoke to her or tried further to get a response. When I asked him why, the conversation went something along the lines of: Craig: What, do you want me to? Just go down there and sit in her office and harass her until I get an answer? Me: If that's what it takes, then yes. Craig: Don't be absurd, I'm not going to do that. Me: Then don't make sarcastic remarks. He was eventually able to get my charges reduced (after the indictment though) and got me an acceptable plea bargain. I specifically asked him how long would I have to wait to have my records sealed after I completed my deferred adjudication and he said there would be no wait time. After I completed my deferred I found out that I did in fact have to wait two years. I was also trying to get released early from my deferred adjudication which was a nightmare. I was in contact with his office for about two months before the date I could petition and had all the information they needed. This was information they were supposed to get on their own but were incapable of actually doing so I did it myself. Not a big deal since I had gotten everything they needed by the date I could apply for early termination. It took them almost three months the finally fill my petition. I would call every week to ask what was happening and would be given some general answer of we are working on it, or we need to pull your file still, etc. After speaking with them eleven times on the issue I finally called Craig personally to see what the situation was. (This was after the assistant had told me it was on his desk for review.) Here is somewhat how the conversation went: Me: Hi, I was wondering where we were at with filing my petition. Craig: So you are trying to get early release? Me: Yes, do you not have any idea what I am talking about? I have been speaking with your office for over two months now to get this done. Craig: No I do not. That does seem like a long time though. Me: So when can I expect this to happen? Craig: Don't call and bust my balls about it. I'm in court right now. Me: I will call and "bust your balls" if that is what it takes to get this done. It is completely unacceptable to speak to me that way and to ignore the job I hired you for. After this conversation I sent a very detailed email to him and his assistant outlining all the times I had communicated with them about the issue and what was discussed. I had to threaten to file a grievance against him to get a simple petition that is basically fill-in-the-blank done. Unfortunately the inabilities of this office did not end there. The office said that they were just waiting to hear back from the court to set my date. The assistant called me thirty minutes before I was supposed to meet with my PO and said they were still waiting on the court. Hearing this I went to my scheduled meeting. After waiting an hour at the PO, they finally paged her. When the PO came out she asked "What are you doing here, you were released. I got a call from so-and-so yesterday saying to close your file." When I called the lawyers office back they were completely oblivious. While they were able to get me what I thought was a decent plea, I question if I would have been able to get a better deal with another lawyer after this horrible experience.

I spoke with Mr. Greaves regarding my legal issue years ago up front and came to the understanding that he was the right lawyer for my case. Before getting started he explained what I should expect from the State, the length of time things would take place, and the potential cost involved. He was ope...n and honest and left little to the imagination to sit and worry about. As my case was processed over a lengthy amount of time, Craig was sure to keep me up to date on the procedures taking place, and the items that he planned to point out. He was approachable at all times and even compassionate towards my concerns. Craig spoke to me as a human being and as a friend that he was trying to help, not another "criminal" to be looked down upon. When we finally arrived at my trial date, as he had been in all the other meetings, he was prompt, prepared, and well organized. The trial itself was an unpleasant experience that I brought upon myself, but Craig was able to secure the correct verdict and I would recommend any one , and have, to meet with Craig before deciding on any trial lawyer in the area. His staff is thoughtful and efficient, his billing is flexible and accurate, and his knowledge of the law and trial demeanor are 1st rate. Craig will explain what to expect, not always sugar coat it, and will be honest and forthcoming with all information. Remember that you're likely hiring a lawyer for a reason and not everything is going to be "sunshine and rainbows". Why not speak with a professional that will prepare you for that and do so with compassion, honesty, and integrity? Those three words are the epitome of Craig's practice.