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Gonzalez & Waddington – Attorneys at Law
Gonzalez & Waddington – Attorneys at Law
Call Us For Free Consultation
As a Marine, you’ve trained hard and volunteered to defend your country against all enemies, foreign and domestic. But, when you face disciplinary action or a court-martial, it can be a completely different type of battleground you may not be prepared for.
Your hard work as a Marine defending our nation could be tarnished by a permanent mark on your record or even worse when you can’t defend yourself against the charges and accusations made against you. Consulting experienced military defense lawyers can help you get out of your predicament without any hurdles.
Keep your freedom, career, and future safe by becoming aware of how the military justice system works and how you can adequately protect yourself in adverse legal situations.
While the foundation of both civil and military law finds their origins in the same place, they are different in many ways. The quest for justice is the same for both types of law, but the procedures differ.
Depending on how serious the accusation and offense are, the commanding officer can recommend the court-martial procedure to be followed. The types of a court-martial are:
The verdict given at the court-martial or nonjudicial punishment may not be acceptable by you, in which case you can always appeal the decision. For court-martials, it is recommended that you get the help of the best military defense lawyers that you can afford so that you can mount an aggressive and unrelenting defense.
Our Marine Corps criminal defense lawyers have successfully represented and cleared American Marines stationed in the United States and around the world. Compare our court-martial case results with other civilian criminal defense attorneys.
The experienced military criminal defense attorneys at Gonzalez & Waddington have gained a reputation for protecting Marines worldwide. If you are a Marine charged with a military crime, hiring the most aggressive military lawyers can be the difference between having your rights trampled versus winning your case or saving your career.
Our defense attorneys aggressively fight for Marines in both court-martial and administrative matters to include: Sexual assault, Aggravated Assault – Article 128, UCMJ, Murder, Drug Trafficking, Child Porn, Indecent Acts, Abusive Sexual Contact, Fraternization, Adultery, Forcible Pandering, Soliciting Commission of Offenses, General Article 134, UCMJ offense, and others. For many years our court-martial defense lawyers vigorously fought for US Marines charged with sexual offenses, rape, and various Article 120 UCMJ crimes.
Unlike many court-martial defense lawyers or your assigned military defense counsel, accepting a plea is not something we often do. When our court-martial defense law firms take an accused service member, our court-martial counsel compels the military to present the evidence and prove their case. We take almost every charge to a jury trial and fight the allegations in front of a military jury.
Our military defense lawyers keep lighter caseloads than the average appointed defense counsel so that we can concentrate on every client separately. Our Marine Corps criminal defense lawyers will not outsource your case to a random lawyer, and we will not intimidate you into pleading guilty at the eleventh hour. Our criminal defense lawyers have successfully contested trials and administrative separation boards in the United States and worldwide.
Partner Alexandra Gonzбlez-Waddington, has defended hundreds of US Military service members charged with Article 120 crimes and has aggressively worked on some of the most famous war crime cases from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Alexandra co-authored three of the top legal guides on cross-examination, Pattern Cross-Examination for Sexual Assault Cases: A Trial Strategy & Resource Guide, Pattern Cross-Examination for DNA and Biological Evidence, and Pattern Cross-Examination of Expert Witnesses, published by NACDL. These books are used by criminal defense practitioners in the United States and around the world. In addition, Mrs. Waddington was one of the first defense lawyers to serve as a Public Defender for the Augusta Judicial Circuit.
Our firm’s other founding attorney, Michael Waddington, graduated from Temple Law in Philadelphia, PA, and is a current member of the American Board of Criminal Lawyers, one of the most prestigious legal organizations made up of some of the most accomplished defense attorneys in the United States.
Also, a few of Michael Waddington’s cases were made into documentary films, such as “Killings at the Canal,” a CNN documentary special that unveils what caused the murders of Iraqi terrorists by Army soldiers. He also commonly instructs criminal counsel on trial strategy. Marines need hard-hitting civilian defense lawyers to represent them at their court-martial or ADSEP hearing. If you are accused of a military offense, then contact our military criminal defense counsel right away.
Like civilians, Marines also have Constitutional rights available to protect them if they are suspected or accused of a military crime. You should know and exercise your Article 31 rights and your Constitutional rights to the maximum. Do not assume the military command or NCIS investigators are going the right thing. Often, they cut corners and assume the accused is guilty without doing a thorough investigation into the crime and the alleged victim. They believe all victims, even fake victims, and rush to judgment. In the end, the accused suffers. Sometimes, Marine prosecutors push false accusations to a court-martial when there is little to no evidence to support the charges.
You have the right to remain silent. While it may be difficult not to make any statements or respond to questions being asked, it is in your best interests not to say anything unless you have a qualified Marine Corps criminal defense attorney by your side. You also have the right to hire the best civilian military defense attorney possible.
You may feel confused about your next steps, and having an experienced court-martial attorney can make you feel at ease. Find guidance and professional counseling by choosing to hire the best court-martial defense attorneys available.
When you face a court-martial, you can use a skilled military defense lawyer to help you fight the charges. If you have already been convicted at a court-martial, then a civilian-military lawyer can appeal the results. In this case, the appeal would go to the Navy-Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeals. In other cases, the Marine Corps could decide to end your career early and separate you at an Administrative Separation Board.
Marines can be charged with civil and military offenses, but the proceedings are usually only done through court-martials. The most common offenses under UCMJ that Marines can be accused of are:
Whether you stand accused of military sexual assault or theft, or any other offense, a court-martial conviction can permanently tarnish your record and have lasting consequences for you and your family’s future. You can find out more about Military Justice through the Gonzalez & Waddington Youtube Channel.
Many offenses may result in administrative separations, confinement, fines, dishonorable discharge, or even worse. However, when you take action in time and hire a team of expert lawyers to help you through the process, it can take away the stress and uncertainty that comes along with such situations.
Trust the military attorneys at Gonzalez & Waddington to provide you with the best defense possible. We have years of experience winning court-martial cases. So you don’t have to worry about being in the dark when you choose to be represented by our team of experienced Marine Corps Criminal Defense Lawyers.
Call 1-800-921-8607 for a consultation.
We only represent service members facing military offenses and military administrative proceedings. We do not represent service members in State or Local court matters.