Mark Anthony Chmelewski

I hired Marc in May for a minor DUI and I couldn't have made a better decision! At the first meeting, Mark was very willing to listen to what I had to say along with any questions I had concerning what was going to happen in my case as well as being straight forward in a polite and respectful way. Ma...rk was there every step of the way through the initial court date through the final plea bargain and I really appreciated everything he's done for me as he got my DUI down to reckless driving in the second degree which is a huge and amazing deal. I'm forever greatful of Mr. Chmelewski and all he did for me in my case as it brought life changing results. In addition to being professional, Mark is also a good person who will make conversation with you regarding things other than the case after your meeting concludes if you wish to engage in conversation. If you have any hesitations regarding hiring Mr. Chmelewski, put those aside because he is the right man for the job!

Mark was absolutely wonderful to me, explaining things in depth and sensitive to the stressful situation that I had put myself in. He has a comprehensive understanding of the justice system and knows how to navigate what I came to experience as a system of Byzantine complexity. He does not sugarcoa...t or set you up for false expectations in any way, and I would strongly recommend anyone who hires him to follow his instructions to the letter, as that will make a huge difference in the outcome of your case. No one wants to be in a situation where they are hiring a lawyer for a criminal offense, but you couldn't ask for a more professional, caring, and knowledgable individual to be on your side. And if you find yourself needing fantastic representation, you simply can't do better. HIGHLY RECOMMEND.

Fact: My speeding ticket case was lost, and I'm still having to pay a fine. Never sent me any paperwork to sign, just said to send him a check for his fee's and copy of ticket. (I have never had a lawyer do this, should have been my first clue.) In my opinion this is the most unprofessional lawyer ...I've ever dealt with. I was upset with the verdict and called him today, not expecting to get anyone but to leave a voicemail for a call back, he answered. Yes I was upset, yes I could have probably handled it better, but he was also aggressive and did nothing to deescalate it. I told him fine enjoy your AVVO rating, he responded with is that a threat? I said no, it's a fact, I'm going to rate you. Then he comes back with "Does the baby want his money back?" I said sure, then he goes off into a diatribe about criminal blackmail. At no point did I threaten him with the rating in lieu of a refund. In fact I wasn't expecting one. But if someone asks me if I want a refund, I'm going to say yes, he still would have been rated. I'll be asking for transcripts or video of the court proceedings, along with now filing a bar complaint for his ludicrous behavior, and depending on what I see in transcripts or video I'll weigh my next options.

I hired Mark on behalf of my nephew who had been charged with "racing" which elevated the offense from a traffic violation to a criminal offense. This was the first time he had ever been in trouble - a split second lapse in judgement and it could have had lifetime consequences. We knew we needed hel...p navigating this situation. Since none of our family members live in the area (my nephew was in Ellensburg studying at CWU), I did some research and found Mark. From the start he was very responsive, professional and answered all of our questions. He explained the charges, the potential outcomes, and how he would proceed in representing my nephew. Mark kept us informed throughout the process. He was able to get the charges reduced to a traffic matter, eliminating any loss of license, jail time, criminal record, etc. It has been a huge lesson learned for my nephew but, with Mark's expert help, it will not haunt my nephew for the rest of his life. We are very thankful for his assistance and would recommend him highly.

Our 19 year old son, on his way to WSU from Seattle, got into some minor legal trouble and tried to represent himself. He actually didn't understand what he was getting into and made his situation much worse over a 2 year period. At the recommendation of an Ellensburg friend, I contacted Mr. Chmele...wski at the 11th hour and he not only took my son's case on, but he was able to mitigate a potential disaster and argue for his rights and some leniency that would not have happened without his in-depth knowledge of the courts and prosecutors in Kittitas County. His no-nonsense advice and recommendations averted additional legal problems. We are all very grateful and a serious lesson has been learned. We should have hired Mr. Chmelewski from the beginning!