Indiana Criminal Defense Attorneys

At DearLegal, we connect you with experienced Indiana criminal defense attorneys who navigate the Level 1-6 felony grading system, habitual offender enhancements, the broadened Second Chance Law (I.C.

Free to use — fees quoted upfront, before you commit
Matched with an Indiana attorney in 24 hours
30,000+ plaintiffs served nationwide

Free Indiana criminal defense case review

A Indiana attorney will take a look. Or call 1-833-WELEGAL.

How we match your Indiana criminal defense case

When you submit a Indiana criminal defense matter, we route it through a national network of independent partner firms and put it in front of the one that fits best — based on the kind of case it is, what it is likely to involve, where it has to be handled, and who has capacity to take it on now.

Case type

A criminal defense matter needs someone who handles criminal defense work day to day, not a generalist. Practice area is the first filter.

Size and complexity

Some firms are built for catastrophic injury and multi-party litigation; others resolve straightforward claims quickly. We weigh what your matter is likely to involve against how each firm actually works.

Jurisdiction and licensing

Your matter is decided under Indiana law, so it goes to an attorney licensed in Indiana who regularly appears where your case would be heard.

Capacity and fit

Availability, conflicts of interest and language all matter. If the best-fit firm cannot take your case, we route it to the next one that can — or tell you plainly when no one in the network is the right answer.

Every partner reviews your case for free. Injury and workers’ compensation matters are handled on contingency — no fee unless you win. Other matters are quoted upfront, before you commit to anything.

Get started How DearLegal works

DearLegal provides marketing and matching services and is not a law firm. Submitting a case does not create an attorney-client relationship. Matches depend on case type, jurisdiction and firm availability.

Exhibit A

What happens with a criminal defense claim in Indiana

Day 0
Arrest or charge.
Say nothing beyond identifying yourself and ask for a lawyer. Do not consent to searches. Everything after this is built on what you did not say.
Within 24 hours
Tell us what happened.
Two minutes on this page. A Indiana criminal defense attorney reviews it for free and, if it’s a fit, you’re matched within 24 hours.
Days 1–14
First appearance and bail.
Your attorney addresses release conditions and gets the charging documents. In Indiana, this is where the tone of the case is set.
Weeks to months
Discovery and motions.
Police reports, video, lab work, witness statements. Motions to suppress or dismiss are filed where the evidence was obtained improperly.
Before trial
Negotiation or trial.
Most cases resolve by dismissal or plea; some go to trial. Your attorney advises on the risk of each with the actual evidence in hand.
Resolution
Outcome and record.
Fees are quoted before you commit — hourly or a retainer, spelled out in writing at the free consultation.

Felony Statute of Limitations: No limit
No limit for murder, rape (with biological evidence), and Level 1/2 sex offenses; 5 years for most other felonies; 7 years for Level 5/6 sex offenses (I.C. § 35-41-4-2)
Misdemeanor Statute of Limitations: 2 years
2 years for most misdemeanors (I.C. § 35-41-4-2(b))
Sentencing Structure: Levels 1-6
Levels 1-6 felony grading under I.C. § 35-50-2 (since 2014); murder separate under § 35-50-2-3; habitual offender enhancement (§ 35-50-2-8); firearm enhancement (§ 35-50-2-11)
Expungement / Record Sealing: 5 years
Indiana Second Chance Law (I.C. § 35-38-9) — petition-based expungement for misdemeanors after 5 years and many Level 5/6 felonies after 8 years; some Level 1-4 felonies eligible after 10 years
Bail / Pretrial Release: Bail
Bail under Indiana Crim. R. 4; constitutional right to bail except for murder/treason (Ind. Const. Art. I, § 17); pretrial risk assessment used in many counties
Typical attorney fee: Hourly
Hourly / Flat Fee

Indiana overhauled its felony grading in 2014 — moving from Classes A-D to Levels 1-6 under I.C. § 35-50-2-4 et seq. Level 1 is the most serious (20-40 years, with murder separate at 45-65 years or life/death), descending to Level 6 (6 months to 2.5 years). The reform aimed to reduce DOC populations by adding Level 6 (formerly Class D, often suspendable). Indiana’s habitual offender enhancement (I.C. § 35-50-2-8) adds 6-20 years for third felony, and the violent offender enhancement adds more for serious priors. The 2014 reforms also created presumptive Community Corrections placement for Level 6 felonies. Indiana legalized hemp-derived cannabinoids but recreational and medical marijuana remain illegal — possession of any amount under 30g is a Class B misdemeanor, escalating from there. Indiana’s Second Chance Law (I.C. § 35-38-9), originally passed in 2013 and expanded multiple times, provides expungement for most misdemeanors after 5 years and many Level 5/6 felonies after 8 years, with limited exclusions. Indiana prosecutors plea-bargain aggressively, and many counties offer Pretrial Diversion, drug court, mental health court, and veterans court alternatives.

Exhibit B

When to call a criminal defense attorney in Indiana

Does any of this sound like you? Tap what applies.

Exhibit C

Criminal Defense cases we take in Indiana

Which one is closest to yours?

OWI / Operating While Intoxicated

Indiana OWI under I.C. § 9-30-5 (.08 BAC). First offense: Class C misdemeanor, up to 60 days jail, $500 fine, 30-180-day license suspension. With BAC .15+: Class A misdemeanor. Second offense within 7 years: Level 6 felony. Third in 10 years: Level 6 felony.

Sound like yours? A Indiana attorney reviews it free — fees are quoted upfront, before you commit.

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Exhibit D

How much do Indiana criminal defense attorneys cost?

Typical fee schedule

Indiana · Criminal Defense

Fee modelHourly / Flat Fee

Feequoted per petition or matter

Filing costsitemized upfront

Case reviewFree

Illustrative only. Your fee terms are set in a written agreement with your attorney and may include costs and expenses regardless of outcome.

Criminal Defense matters in Indiana are usually a flat fee per filing — quoted before you commit, not billed by the hour.

Criminal defense attorneys in Indiana work on hourly or flat-fee retainers — contingency fees are prohibited in criminal cases under Ind. R. Prof. Conduct 1.5(d) and ABA Model Rule 1.5(d). Misdemeanors and most felonies are flat-fee; complex cases use hourly billing. Indiana’s Public Defender Commission oversees county-based public defender services for indigent defendants.

A good attorney walks through every number at your free consultation — before you sign anything.

Get startedTakes about two minutes. No obligation.

Exhibit E

What your Indiana criminal defense compensation can include

A Indiana criminal defense recovery is built from several parts. Tap one to see what it covers.

Charge Dismissal

Outright dismissal through motion to suppress, motion to dismiss, speedy trial under Indiana Crim. R. 4 (Indiana has aggressive 70-day in-custody and 1-year overall speedy trial rules), or prosecutor motion to dismiss.

DearLegal is a legal referral service, not a law firm. We connect individuals with licensed attorneys who can evaluate their case. Nothing on this page constitutes legal advice. Results vary based on individual circumstances.

Exhibit F

Indiana criminal defense questions, answered

Still unsure? Tell us what happened and a Indiana attorney will review it for free.

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No. Politely decline and ask for an attorney. ISP (Indiana State Police), IMPD (Indianapolis Metropolitan Police), and county sheriffs use trained interrogation. Anything you say is admissible. Invoke your Fifth Amendment right to silence and Sixth Amendment right to counsel under Miranda.

Yes. Indiana Class A misdemeanors carry up to 1 year in jail and $5,000 fines under I.C. § 35-50-3. Pretrial Diversion programs through county prosecutors can result in dismissal. Conditional Discharge (I.C. § 35-48-4-12) for first-time drug possession. DV and DUI convictions trigger collateral consequences.

State cases go through Indiana Circuit or Superior Court. Federal cases go to U.S. District Court for the Northern (Hammond, Fort Wayne, South Bend, Lafayette) or Southern (Indianapolis, Terre Haute, Evansville, New Albany) District of Indiana under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines. Federal drug trafficking on I-65/I-70/I-74, § 922(g) firearm cases, and federal fraud common.

Indiana plea agreements under Indiana Crim. R. 11 are negotiated between the County Prosecutor and defense. Pleas can include charge reductions, Conditional Discharge for drugs, drug court entry, problem-solving court entry, and stipulated sentence recommendations. Indiana allows “fixed” plea agreements where the judge must accept the agreed sentence or reject the entire plea.

Yes — the Indiana Second Chance Law (I.C. § 35-38-9) is one of the better expungement frameworks in the Midwest. Misdemeanors after 5 years; Level 6/5 felonies after 8 years; Level 1-4 felonies after 10 years (with prosecutor consent and various exclusions). Sex/violent offenses largely excluded. Petitions must be filed in the convicting court with full criminal history and prosecutor notice.

Indiana handles juveniles under 18 in juvenile court under I.C. § 31-37. Juvenile records are confidential under I.C. § 31-39 and expungeable under I.C. § 31-39-8. Waiver to adult court for juveniles 14+ charged with certain felonies under I.C. § 31-30-3; mandatory waiver for 16+ for the most serious offenses.

Indiana OWI (Operating While Intoxicated) under I.C. § 9-30-5 uses .08 BAC (.04 commercial, .02 under-21). Implied consent under I.C. § 9-30-6 — refusal triggers 1-year administrative license suspension. Ignition interlock required for certain offenses under I.C. § 9-30-8. Third OWI in 10 years is a Level 6 felony.