I had to hire a lawyer because my girlfriend attacked me, I defended myself and as the cops always say, "Somebody's gotta go to jail." And, yep, it's usually the man. So off I went to the big house for the night. I got bailed out (by my girlfriend), and called around for some referrals. Ms. Prevost's... name came up a few times, so I decided I'd call. She was very clear that she wasn't making any predictions or promises. But that's okay. I just wanted someone with a lot of experience. Well, she has that. She walked into the courtroom and seemed to know everybody - clerks, lawyers, the bailiff. We had to make quite a few appearances but eventually the prosecutor cried "uncle" and my case was dismissed. I really wasn't expecting that. Thanks to Ms. Prevost and her investigator, she was able to present the real picture of what happened with my girlfriend. I'm so glad this chapter of my life is closed.

Last year, I had the privilege of being falsely accused and imprisoned due to a disturbed or disgustingly demented woman and an incompetent detective in San Diego who is better qualified to be serving burgers than the public. Out of several lawyers I spoke to, Ms. Prevost was the only one to thoro...ughly examine the case and care about it as more than just another job or task. She appeared to be very passionate about what she does, was very interpersonal, knowledgeable and her information was very accurate. Although I did not end up needing to retain her, she kept me informed on my case and worked on my behalf for several months ahead free of charge.

Did you know there are only 1300 people who’ve been exonerated since 1989? Only 89 per year in the United States. I am one of those rare individuals—thanks in large measure to Mary Frances Prevost's passion and conviction of the right for everyone accused of a crime to be granted equal access t...o justice—I’ve been able to get my own criminal conviction reviewed AFTER the timeline for doing so expired. Believe me--its been an extraordinarily painful experience. If I could go back in time, had I hired Mary Frances Prevost when I had the chance I have often wondered if my case would have taken the direction it ultimately did. Probably not. Yet, because of her courageous and outspoken legacy of telling it like it is and going on the record, I’ve been able to cobble together a strategy which gave me hope and comfort during the darkest period of my life. Chances are you are past the point of trying to “Google” your way out of the problem as far as your issue is concerned; you need to make a decision in terms of which attorney to select to protect your interests and those of your family. Particularly if you are in a middle or upper class position (and have a graduate degree and/or a professional license to protect)—or ever would like to be—I cannot emphasize how significant the choice you are about to make is for your future and in the future of your loved ones. Two years ago I didn’t hire Mary, I hired another attorney who completely abandoned my case—and as a consequence my life has been a living hell on earth ever since. He’s since been sanctioned for life by the California State Bar; yet the damage has been done. The pain and agony he caused my family and I wasn’t worth $100 million dollars. A solid criminal defense attorney with the skills and character that Mary brings to bear for each of her clients every day would have prevented my kids asking where I was—serving time in custody while I was still entitled to remain out on bond during the pendency of my appeal. Think stories like mine don’t happen? They happen all of the time; they just aren’t publicized. If you think good counsel is expensive, just think about the cost of having to put the pieces of your life back together after a poor attorney leaves you in the lurch. I don’t have to wonder; I know firsthand. If you have the opportunity to hire Mary Frances Prevost, if she’s willing to commit to taking your case and serving as your advocate—count yourself in a highly fortunate position. I would sit down with Mary and go over your goals. Remember, every single case is different. There are no guarantees. But at the same time; there are lawyers out there who will promise the moon and the stars, take as much money as they can get upfront and suddenly tell you to try to “cut a deal” at the very last second. Beware of those attorneys. Unfortunately—you often don’t know you’ve hired a “dump truck” until you hear the “beep, beep, beep” sound of the alarm and the bed of the truck is tilting toward the sky. And your about to be left on top of the pile of garbage – alone. That’s the most lonely feeling in the world. I know because I’ve been there; in retrospect it didn’t have to happen that way. Ask her what the terms “fiduciary duty” and “standard of care” mean as far as her commitment to you—her potential client. Then try asking other lawyers the same questions; chances are you'll scare the hell out of them. Not Mary. She doesn't scare easily. Take it from me—you don’t want to get “dump trucked” – finding your way out of the dump can be almost impossible.

I highly recommend Ms. Prevost. I was referred to her by an attorney at a large civil firm with whom I do business on a regular basis. The referring lawyer told me that Ms. Prevost was a very successul and well known lawyer in the community, and I could do no beter than to retain her services. I hol...d a professional license. If convicted of a felony, I would most assuredly lose that license and, therefore, my ability to maintain employment. I chose to consult with two attorneys prior to my scheduled meeting with Ms. Prevost. I was somewhat shocked and surprised at their bold approaches. Both put the "hard sell" on me, informing me that they needed to get going right away on the case and I should retain them on the spot. I was rather put off at sales push. Ms. Prevost, on the other hand, spend 30 minutes with me discussing options for my case, and ultimately told me to think about it and call her the next day. I retained her the next day. Given that I was charged with a felony, I had to make a personal appearance in court each time with Ms. Prevost. It was clear she was well received in the courthouse. She knew many of the sheriff deputies who greeted her in the hallway. She appeared to know most of the DA's in the courtroom as well as the staff. By the time we resolved this case - and it took some time, finesse and elbow grease - I was offered a misdemeanor. I am most greatful to Mr. Prevost for her hard work on my behalf. I recommend her highly.

I hired Ms. Prevost for a DUI with bodily injury. It was a felony. I have a clean record, and am a paralegal at a firm in Riverside. I was definitely looking at jail time. First, ms. Prevost didn't try to haul me into her office and put the scare on me like other lawyers did. She also didn't make ANY... promises to me, like other lawyers did. When I met with several lawyers, I didn't tell them I was a paralegal because I wanted to assess them without them knowing I worked in the legal profession. I saw several lawyers, and all of them tried to scare me into hiring them on the spot, and several made promises that no lawyer at the time could have made. Ms. Prevost was different. I chose to hire her because of her resume and skills. But also, I hired her because she did not put the hard sell on me. We worked tirelessly on this case for seven months. Ultimately, she was able to get my case resolved for a misdemeanor and 5 days of custody, instead of a felony and substantial custody. I will always be grateful to Ms. Prevost for her competence and diligence in protecting me. Had I hired any of the other "hard sell" lawyers, I don't know what may have become of me. I suspect I would have been pushed into pleading guilty to a felony. Now, I have a misdemeanor. I am forever grateful that I made the correct choice.