Why These Indianapolis Criminal Lawyers?
We help connect consumers with top-rated criminal defense attorneys in Indianapolis. 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 Indianapolis.
- Attorneys reviewed: 23
- 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 Indianapolis handle everything from DUIs to simple misdemeanors to white-collar crimes to violent felonies. Get the best legal defense in Indianapolis 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 Indianapolis Criminal Defense Lawyers
Here are the best criminal defense law firms and attorneys in Indianapolis:
- Banks & Brower
- Marc Lopez Law Firm
- B.D. Williams
- David E. Deal
- Rigney Law
Best Indianapolis Criminal Defense Lawyers for 2021
If you or a loved one are looking for an outstanding criminal defense attorney in Indianapolis, these lawyers are the best of the best.
Banks & Brower
8770 Purdue Road
Indianapolis IN 46268
Phone: (317) 526-4630
Banks & Brower is a firm composed of six attorneys who handle criminal defense and family law. Lead partners Adam Brower and Brad Banks are both former prosecuting attorneys, which gives them unique insight into what it takes to successfully beat criminal charges. Combined, Banks & Brower’s attorneys have more than six decades of legal experience.
They handle a range of criminal cases, including DUI, fraud, robbery, battery, assault, fraud, theft, and juvenile crimes, as well as working with defendants facing federal charges. The attorneys are also experts at successfully getting their clients’ criminal records expunged, which helps them live more freely in society.
Visit law firm website: https://banksbrower.com/
Visit law firm Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/BanksBrower/
Marc Lopez Law Firm
120 E. Market St, Suite 710
Indianapolis iN 46204
Phone: (317) 632-3642
Five attorneys make up the Marc Lopez Law Firm, and lead attorney Marc Lopez is a former Marion County deputy prosecutor. The firm’s attorneys have a combined 25-plus years of experience in a diverse range of cases, including inside the courtroom. The firm has a top rating on Avvo.
Primary criminal defense practice areas include DUI, battery, drug charges, domestic violence, and protective orders. They are also experts in defending those accused of being habitual traffic violators as well as those seeking to have their records expunged.
Visit law firm website: https://marclopezlaw.com/
Visit law firm Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MarcLopezLaw/
B.D. Williams
1512 N. Delaware St., Ste 100
Indianapolis IN 46202
Phone: (317) 500-4857
Attorney B.D. Williams’ practice focuses on representing individuals accused by the state of a variety of crimes, and he offers a uniquely efficient service backed by technology that keeps the process flowing smoothly. Williams boasts more than 20 years of criminal defense expertise in Indiana.
In addition to defending clients accused of crimes like DUI, assault, drug possession, and more, Williams is an expert in Indiana’s so-called Second Chance Law, which is aimed to give those who have served their time a chance to have their records expunged so they can more fully participate in society.
Visit law firm website: https://indycriminallawyer.com/
Visit law firm Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/bdwilliamslaw/
David E. Deal
22 E. Washington Street
Suite 600,
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Phone: (317) 207-6540
Attorney David E. Deal is a former prosecutor who has an in-depth knowledge of what it takes to win a criminal case. Deal was named to SuperLawyers in 2021, and has been listed by National Trial Lawyers as a Top 40 Under 40 since 2012.
His primary criminal defense practice areas include DUI, drug charges, violent crimes, and white-collar crimes, and he also represents clients in personal injury cases. His white-collar defense practice has helped individuals secure their professional reputation in the face of allegations.
Visit law firm website: https://www.daviddeallaw.com/
Visit law firm Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/davideallaw/
Rigney Law
303 North Alabama St., Suite 310
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Phone: (317) 430-7370
The two attorneys at Rigney Law are a husband-and-wife duo who also both happen to be former prosecutors. Their experience on both sides of the criminal justice process helps them provide better defense for their clients today.
They have a combined 20-plus years of experience in criminal defense, and they take on a range of cases, including assault, murder, domestic violence, drug charges, fraud, gun crimes, and juvenile law. Additionally, they have helped formerly incarcerated people have their records expunged.
Visit law firm website: https://rigneylawindy.com/
Visit law firm Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/rigneylawindy/
What Types of Crimes Are Most Common in Indianapolis?
Just over 47,000 crimes were reported in Indianapolis in 2018, the most recent year for which the city and federal government have reported full crime statistics. Of those incidents, the vast majority are property crimes like theft and burglary. In fact, about 76 percent of all crimes in Indianapolis in 2018 were property crimes.
Those figures equate to a population-adjusted property crime rate in Indianapolis of 4,129 per 100,000 people and a violent crime rate of 1,273 per 100,000 people. In both cases, those rates are far higher than overall U.S. rates. That means Indianapolis is much more crime-prone than the nation as a whole. For 2018, the U.S. had a population-adjusted property crime rate of about 2,200 per 100,000 people and a violent crime rate of about 369 per 100,000.
Crimes in Indianapolis, by number and per 100,000 people
| Crime | Number | Per 100,000 people |
| All violent crimes | 11,170 | 1,273 |
| Murder | 162 | 18 |
| Rape | 677 | 77 |
| Robbery | 3,081 | 351 |
| Aggravated assault | 7,250 | 826 |
| All property crimes | 36,237 | 4,129 |
| Burglary | 7,842 | 894 |
| Larceny-theft | 23,448 | 2,672 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 4,947 | 564 |
| Arson | 229 | 26 |
Compared to other cities in the U.S. and across Indiana, Indianapolis has crime rates that tend to be among the top two or three. Indiana’s largest city, Indianapolis ranks no lower than fourth among the biggest cities in the state in every crime category, and it tops the list in overall rates of violent crimes, rapes, robberies, and aggravated assaults. And among the 60 or so biggest U.S. cities, Indianapolis ranks no lower than fifth, tying Chicago and Memphis for the highest population-adjusted murder rate.
Like many other major U.S. cities, Indianapolis has seen many types of crime increase over the course of the pandemic and after widespread civil unrest following the May 2020 murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis. In 2020, Indianapolis recorded 245 homicides, far higher than the 171 recorded in 2019. And so far, 2021 is on pace for another increase in the number of murders in the city, though preliminary statistics indicate that robberies are on the decline.
It’s important to note that police- and FBI-reported data does not cover closed cases or incidents for which a person was convicted.