Criminal Defense Attorneys in Somerville, MA
Arrested in Somerville, whether for OUI, drug possession, or a more serious charge? A Massachusetts-licensed criminal defense attorney familiar with Middlesex County courts will review your case for free and confidentially.
- Free to use — fees quoted upfront, before you commit
- Matched with a Massachusetts attorney in 24 hours
- 30,000+ plaintiffs served nationwide
Free Somerville criminal defense case review
A Massachusetts attorney will take a look. Or call 1-833-WELEGAL.
By submitting, you agree that DearLegal and the attorneys or law firms we connect you with may contact you by phone and email about your inquiry, including by automated technology.
DearLegal is not a law firm and will not provide legal advice. DearLegal connects users to licensed attorneys.
How we match your Somerville criminal defense case
When you submit a Somerville 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 Massachusetts law, so it goes to an attorney licensed in Massachusetts 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.
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.
Criminal Defense cases in Somerville
More about legal help in Somerville →Somerville's nightlife around Davis and Union Squares, a large Tufts-area student population, dense parking and traffic enforcement along Broadway and Somerville Avenue, and the Assembly Row retail district drive a steady stream of OUI, disorderly conduct, assault, shoplifting, and drug charges. Most cases begin in the Somerville District Court, while felonies are indicted and tried in Middlesex County Superior Court in Woburn, and a small number of cases are charged federally in Boston. What you say at the scene and at arraignment shapes everything after. DearLegal matches you with a Massachusetts-licensed attorney who handles criminal defense cases in Somerville, with a free review.
- Somerville arrests are arraigned in the Somerville District Court, with felony matters moving to Middlesex County Superior Court in Woburn.
- Nightlife in Davis and Union Squares and the Tufts student population generate frequent OUI, disorderly conduct, and alcohol-related charges.
- An arrest a few blocks away in Cambridge, Medford, or Everett is heard in that city's district court, and some cases are instead charged in federal court in Boston.
Massachusetts criminal defense rules at a glance
Somerville cases run under Massachusetts law. The full walkthrough — timeline, when to call, case types, and what a recovery can include — is on the Massachusetts page.
Read the full Massachusetts criminal defense guide →- Felony Statute of Limitations
No limit
No limit for murder; 27 years for sex offenses against children; 15 years for first-degree rape; 6 years for most other felonies (M.G.L. c. 277 § 63)
- Misdemeanor Statute of Limitations
6 years
6 years for most misdemeanors (M.G.L. c. 277 § 63)
- Sentencing Structure
Statute-specific maximums
Statute-specific maximums; Sentencing Commission Guidelines (advisory); mandatory minimums for some firearm and drug offenses; felony/misdemeanor distinction
- Expungement / Record Sealing
3 years
M.G.L. c. 276 § 100A (sealing) — broad eligibility, misdemeanors after 3 years, felonies after 7 years; § 100E expungement for certain categories; juvenile and marijuana automatic relief
- Bail / Pretrial Release
Bail
Bail under M.G.L. c. 276 § 57 et seq.; constitutional right to bail with exceptions (Mass. Const. Art. of Amend. Art. 12); dangerousness hearings under § 58A
- Typical attorney fee
Hourly
Hourly / Flat Fee
Exhibit D
How much do Somerville criminal defense attorneys cost?
Typical fee schedule
Massachusetts · Criminal Defense
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 Massachusetts are usually a flat fee per filing — quoted before you commit, not billed by the hour.
Criminal defense attorneys in Massachusetts work on hourly or flat-fee retainers — contingency fees are prohibited in criminal cases under Mass. 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. The Massachusetts Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS) represents indigent defendants — combined public-defender and assigned-counsel system.
A good attorney walks through every number at your free consultation — before you sign anything.
Exhibit F
Somerville criminal defense questions, answered
Still unsure? Tell us what happened and a Massachusetts attorney will review it for free.
Criminal Defense attorneys by city in Massachusetts
Same Massachusetts rules and the same attorneys — with what’s local to each city.
