Criminal Defense Attorneys in Dover, NH
A DUI or other criminal charge filed in Strafford County can affect your job, your license, and your record. A New Hampshire criminal defense attorney serving Dover will review your case for free.
- Free to use — fees quoted upfront, before you commit
- Matched with a New Hampshire attorney in 24 hours
- 30,000+ plaintiffs served nationwide
Free Dover criminal defense case review
A New Hampshire 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 Dover criminal defense case
When you submit a Dover 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 New Hampshire law, so it goes to an attorney licensed in New Hampshire 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 Dover
More about legal help in Dover →As the Strafford County seat, Dover hosts both the county courthouse and the Circuit Court, so charges arising anywhere from Somersworth to Rochester funnel through the city. Local enforcement patterns include DWI stops on the Spaulding Turnpike and Route 16, downtown bar-district disorderly conduct and assault arrests, and drug cases involving students and young workers around the Seacoast. Misdemeanors are handled in the Circuit Court in Dover and felonies in Strafford County Superior Court, with some cases charged federally instead. DearLegal matches you with a New Hampshire-licensed attorney who handles criminal defense cases in Dover, with a free review.
- Misdemeanor charges from Dover start in the Circuit Court, Dover District Division; felonies are prosecuted in Strafford County Superior Court.
- DWI enforcement is concentrated on the Spaulding Turnpike, Route 16, and routes leaving Dover's downtown bar and restaurant district.
- An arrest just across the border in Berwick or Eliot, Maine is prosecuted in Maine courts under Maine penalties, which differ from New Hampshire's.
New Hampshire criminal defense rules at a glance
Dover cases run under New Hampshire law. The full walkthrough — timeline, when to call, case types, and what a recovery can include — is on the New Hampshire page.
Read the full New Hampshire criminal defense guide →- Felony Statute of Limitations
No limit
No limit for murder, sexual assaults against minors (with discovery rule); 6 years for most felonies; 1 year for misdemeanors (RSA 625:8)
- Misdemeanor Statute of Limitations
1 year
1 year for misdemeanors generally (RSA 625:8)
- Sentencing Structure
Class A-B
Class A-B felony / misdemeanor grading under RSA 625:9; extended term under RSA 651:6 for repeat offenders and dangerous offenses; murder mandatory minimums (RSA 630:1-a)
- Expungement / Record Sealing
3 years
Annulment under RSA 651:5 — eligible after 3 years (Class A misdemeanor), 5-10 years (felonies); broad eligibility but specific exclusions; non-conviction annulment immediate
- Bail / Pretrial Release
Bail
Bail under RSA 597; constitutional right to bail with exceptions (N.H. Const. Pt. 1, Art. 33); preventive detention provisions for dangerousness
- Typical attorney fee
Hourly
Hourly / Flat Fee
Exhibit D
How much do Dover criminal defense attorneys cost?
Typical fee schedule
New Hampshire · 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 New Hampshire are usually a flat fee per filing — quoted before you commit, not billed by the hour.
Criminal defense attorneys in New Hampshire work on hourly or flat-fee retainers — contingency fees are prohibited in criminal cases under N.H. 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 New Hampshire Public Defender represents indigent defendants statewide.
A good attorney walks through every number at your free consultation — before you sign anything.
Exhibit F
Dover criminal defense questions, answered
Still unsure? Tell us what happened and a New Hampshire attorney will review it for free.
Criminal Defense attorneys by city in New Hampshire
Same New Hampshire rules and the same attorneys — with what’s local to each city.
