Why These Columbus Criminal Lawyers?
We help connect consumers with top-rated criminal defense attorneys in Columbus. To determine which are the best of the best, we scored each criminal defense attorney or law firm across a half-dozen metrics covering three categories. Each firm or attorney’s results were analyzed to bring you a handpicked list of the very best criminal defense lawyers in Columbus.
- Attorneys reviewed: 22
- Top picks: 5
If you or a loved one have been arrested, do not delay seeking the assistance of an attorney. The sooner an attorney can get involved in your case, the better your chances of having a strong defense.
The attorney you hire may start right away, studying the authorities’ against you, doing legal research, and preparing legal motions. That’s why the sooner they begin, the better, as they work to chip away at the prosecution’s case against you.
Skilled criminal defense attorneys in Columbus handle everything from DUIs to simple misdemeanors to white-collar crimes to violent felonies. Get the best legal defense in Columbus by choosing from this list of best criminal defense attorneys.
Read the profiles below and choose the attorney or law firm that best aligns with your needs.
Best Columbus Criminal Defense Lawyers
Here are the best criminal defense law firms and attorneys in Columbus:
- Riddell Law
- Sabol Mallory
- Burke, Meis & Associates
- Dennis C. Belli
- Brandon E. Shroy
Best Columbus Criminal Defense Lawyers for 2021
If you or a loved one are looking for an outstanding criminal defense attorney in Columbus, these lawyers are the best of the best.
Riddell Law
1335 Dublin Road, Suite 220 a
Columbus, OH 43215
Phone: (614) 361-2804
The two attorneys on staff at Riddell Law focus on taking cases in which their clients have been accused of misdemeanor crimes, DUIs, and other traffic offenses. Their flat-fee payment structure also helps ensure there are no unpleasant surprises down the road.
In addition to assisting those accused of misdemeanor offenses, Riddell Law attorneys specialize in expungement, which is the legal process involved in getting convictions removed from a criminal record. Both partners have been honored by SuperLawyers while founder Douglas Riddell has also received awards from Martindale-Hubbell.
Visit law firm website: https://www.riddelllaw.com/
Visit law firm Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/RiddellLawLLC/services
Sabol Mallory
743 S Front St
Columbus, OH 43206
Phone: (614) 300-5088
Partners Dan Sabol and Chase Mallory take a boutique approach to criminal defense, limiting the number of cases they take on so that every client receives the personal attention they deserve. Sabol has been designated a “lawyer scientist” by the American Chemical Society due to his experience with forensic science, while Mallory has completed the training required to be considered an expert in field sobriety tests.
In addition to general criminal defense, Sabol Mallory focuses heavily on drunken-driving cases. They take a proactive approach in these cases and have had great success at getting charges reduced and helping defendants avoid jail time.
Visit law firm website: https://sabolmallory.com/
Visit law firm Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/sabolmallory
Burke, Meis & Associates
625 City Park Ave, Suite 200A
Columbus, Ohio 43206
Phone: (614) 280-9122
The two attorneys of Burke, Meis & Associates have spent most of their respective careers focused solely on criminal defense. That means aggressively defending clients charged with a range of offenses, from minor misdemeanors to serious felonies.
They also practice in state courts as well as federal courts, which makes them unique among most Columbus law firms. Their federal court practice includes drug trafficking and white-collar crime, and their state court criminal defense includes felonies, juvenile crimes, DUI, and more.
Visit law firm website: https://attorneyadamburke.com/
Visit law firm Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Burke-Meis-Associates-110327205688932/
Dennis C. Belli
536 South High Street, Floor 2
Columbus, OH 43215
Phone: (614) 300-2911
Attorney Dennis C. Belli has been representing the people of central Ohio for more than three decades, first as a criminal prosecutor and now as a defense attorney. Having experience on both sides of a case gives him a unique insight into how to craft a successful defense for his clients.
Belli’s practice areas include misdemeanor cases in the municipal court system, as well as serious felonies in both state and federal court. Additionally, he is an expert in criminal appeals and expungement/sealing of criminal records so people can get back to full participation in society.
Visit law firm website: https://www.bellicriminaldefense.com/
Brandon E. Shroy
772 South Front Street, Suite 200
Columbus Ohio 43206
Phone: (614) 601-1456
Brandon E. Shroy is a former Franklin County prosecutor whose aggressive litigation style makes him an ideal defense attorney. Because he has extensive prosecutorial experience, he’s an expert at diagnosing the weaknesses in a case and ensuring his client’s arguments are solid.
Shroy exclusively practices criminal defense, and his portfolio is vast, representing those accused of DUI, traffic violations, domestic violence, assault, drug possession, sex crimes, and more, and he has assisted clients with getting their records sealed or expunged.
Visit law firm website: https://www.shroylaw.com/
Visit law firm Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/shroylaw/
What Types of Crimes Are Most Common in Columbus?
Like most other areas of the United States, property crimes like theft and burglary are far more common in Columbus than violent incidents like murder or assault. In 2019, the most recent year for federal crime data in the U.S., about 30,000 property crimes were reported in Columbus compared to about 4,500 violent crimes. Among all types of crimes reported in Columbus, nearly 60 percent were larceny-theft.
The population-adjusted property crime rate in Columbus for 2019 is 3,308 per 100,000 people, which is considerably higher than the overall property crime rate in the U.S. of about 2,100 per 100,000. When compared with other major American cities, Columbus has a lower property crime rate than many cities of similar size, including Austin and Las Vegas, but its rate is higher than comparable cities like Sacramento and Cincinnati.
Crimes in Columbus, by number and per 100,000 people
| Crime | Number | Per 100,000 people |
| All violent crimes | 4,561 | 503 |
| Murder | 81 | 9 |
| Rape | 882 | 97 |
| Robbery | 1,810 | 200 |
| Aggravated assault | 1,788 | 197 |
| All property crimes | 29,974 | 3,308 |
| Burglary | 5,809 | 641 |
| Larceny-theft | 20,606 | 2,274 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 3,559 | 393 |
Among the 10 biggest cities in Ohio, Columbus ranks in the top half for just two types of crime, rape, where the city has the fourth-highest rate, and motor vehicle theft, where the city ranks fifth. Its population-adjusted murder rate is seventh, with Cleveland, Canton, and Dayton taking the top three spots. Columbus also ranks seventh for overall property crimes, with its population adjusted rate almost 2,000 points behind Canton’s.
Columbus, like many other American communities, saw an increase in crime in 2020, with many observers linking rising rates to the pandemic and racial justice protests in the wake of the Minneapolis murder of George Floyd. And so far in 2021, Columbus looks to continue producing rising crime rates, with city police reporting nearly double the number of homicides for the first part of 2021 as they did in 2020.
It’s important to note that police- and FBI-reported data does not cover closed cases or incidents for which a person was convicted.