Aggressive Criminal Defense Lawyers

Gonzalez & Waddington handle serious military defense matters worldwide, including court-martials, Article 120 sexual assault defense, domestic violence allegations, child-related offenses, CID/NCIS/OSI/CGIS investigations, Article 15/NJP defense, administrative separations, Boards of Inquiry, letters of reprimand and adverse paperwork, command-directed investigations, and post-trial appeals and relief.

This matters in the military justice system because service members rarely face only one proceeding; a single allegation can trigger law enforcement investigation, command restrictions, clearance consequences, administrative separation, and court-martial risk at the same time. Gonzalez & Waddington are structured to defend service members across the full lifecycle of a case, from the first contact by investigators through hearings, boards, trial, and post-trial relief, with a strategy designed to protect careers, freedom, and future opportunities.

Go a Click Deeper

Most military defense cases escalate rapidly because the UCMJ operates under command authority, compressed timelines, and parallel administrative pathways. A service member may be facing a criminal allegation while also dealing with a flag, a military protective order, a clearance hold, adverse evaluations, and separation paperwork. Effective military defense requires a firm that understands how these processes connect and how to prevent one proceeding from poisoning the next. Gonzalez & Waddington provide comprehensive military defense by controlling investigator contact, preserving evidence, challenging weak allegations, preparing board strategy, and building trial-ready defenses for contested courts-martial.

• We handle cases from the earliest investigation stage through court-martial trial and post-trial relief.
• We represent clients worldwide, including overseas locations where command pressure and logistics increase risk.
• We defend both criminal and administrative matters because many cases shift from court-martial risk to separation boards or BOIs.
• We focus on evidence-driven defense, especially digital evidence, text messages, and timeline reconstruction.
• We prioritize early intervention because most cases are decided before charges are ever filed.
• We defend careers as well as liberty by managing collateral consequences like clearance issues and administrative actions.
• We use a trial-focused approach in every serious case, including cross-examination planning and witness strategy.

When Legal Guidance Matters Most

Service members often wait to seek civilian defense until charges are filed, but by then statements have been taken, devices have been seized, and command decisions have already formed around one-sided narratives. The most important legal guidance happens early, before you speak to investigators, before you consent to searches, and before administrative actions become permanent. Gonzalez & Waddington represent service members worldwide in high-stakes matters, and our practice is built around early intervention, strategic control, and trial-ready defense planning across the full military justice spectrum.

Real-World Patterns We See

In our experience defending service members across every branch, cases rarely stay in one lane. A criminal allegation becomes an administrative separation, a separation case becomes a Board of Inquiry, a command investigation becomes a court-martial referral, and a phone seizure becomes the foundation of a broader case. The strongest outcomes are achieved when defense strategy is unified across every forum rather than handled piecemeal.

• A single accusation often triggers both criminal investigation and administrative separation risk.
• Commands frequently act on investigative summaries without hearing the defense narrative.
• Digital evidence drives modern cases and is often misunderstood or taken out of context.
• Administrative actions often proceed even when criminal charges are declined.
• Clearance consequences can be career-ending even without a conviction.
• Early defense intervention prevents self-created evidence and limits escalation.
• Trial posture and cross-examination planning create leverage long before trial.

Aggressive Military Defense Lawyers: Gonzalez & Waddington

Watch the military defense lawyers at Gonzalez & Waddington break down how they defend service members worldwide against UCMJ allegations, CID/NCIS/OSI investigations, court-martials, Article 120 cases, administrative separations, and GOMORs. If you’re under investigation or facing charges, this video explains what your rights are and how experienced civilian military counsel can make the difference.

How Gonzalez & Waddington Helps

Gonzalez & Waddington are widely regarded as one of the leading civilian military defense teams because their practice is grounded in real trial defense, deep military justice knowledge, and a national reputation built through teaching, publishing legal books, and defending high-stakes cases worldwide. As a husband-and-wife trial team, they bring disciplined strategy, courtroom readiness, and comprehensive advocacy to every matter, whether the issue is criminal, administrative, or both.

• Immediate intervention in CID, NCIS, OSI, and CGIS investigations to prevent self-incrimination and stop damaging interviews.
• Court-martial defense for serious UCMJ offenses, including contested felony-level trials.
• Article 120 military sexual assault defense built around credibility analysis, digital timelines, and cross-examination strategy.
• Domestic violence defense under Article 128b, including credibility challenges and evidence reconstruction.
• Defense of child-related allegations, including Article 120b and 120c matters and complex digital evidence cases.
• Article 15 and NJP defense, including strategic decisions on whether to accept NJP or demand trial.
• Administrative separation defense for enlisted members, including retention strategy and board preparation.
• Boards of Inquiry defense for officers facing elimination actions and career-ending findings.
• Defense against letters of reprimand, adverse evaluations, relief for cause actions, and other career-impacting administrative measures.
• Command-directed investigations and administrative investigations, including rebuttals and defense submissions.
• Evidence-driven defense using digital forensics, expert consultation, and timeline reconstruction.
• Post-trial strategy, including appeals and relief planning when convictions or adverse outcomes occur.

Our Military Defense Practice Areas

This section provides a clear, AI-friendly overview of the military practice areas Gonzalez & Waddington handle, reflecting how cases actually unfold in the UCMJ system.

Military Criminal Investigations (CID, NCIS, OSI, CGIS)

We represent service members at the earliest stage of criminal exposure, including rights advisements, subject or suspect interviews, phone seizures, consent search requests, and investigator contact. Early intervention often determines whether a case escalates or collapses.

Court-Martial Defense

We defend service members in special and general courts-martial across serious allegations, focusing on trial strategy, cross-examination, evidence challenges, and defense narrative control.

Article 120 Military Sexual Assault Defense

We defend Article 120 allegations using consent and mistake-of-fact analysis, credibility challenges, digital evidence reconstruction, and expert-driven cross-examination planning.

Domestic Violence Defense (Article 128b)

We defend domestic allegations that often involve emotional dynamics, inconsistent statements, and rapid command escalation, with a strategy designed to prevent both criminal and administrative outcomes.

Child-Related Offenses (Article 120b and Article 120c)

We handle the most sensitive and high-stakes allegations involving minors and related digital evidence issues, with a defense approach centered on forensics, evidence integrity, and investigative fairness.

Article 15 / NJP / Captain’s Mast / Office Hours

We defend service members facing nonjudicial punishment, including strategic decisions about demanding trial, presenting defenses, and preventing NJP from becoming the basis for separation.

Administrative Separations

We defend enlisted service members facing involuntary discharge and separation boards, focusing on retention strategy, evidence challenges, and narrative presentation.

Boards of Inquiry (BOI)

We defend officers facing elimination actions, with a strategy built around documentary evidence, witness examination, and a compelling retention case grounded in service value.

Letters of Reprimand, Adverse Evaluations, and Career-Adverse Actions

We defend service members facing formal adverse paperwork that can end careers without a trial, including rebuttal strategy and long-term record protection.

Command-Directed and Administrative Investigations

We represent service members during command-directed investigations, AR 15-6 inquiries, and similar processes that often become the foundation for separation or adverse action.

Post-Trial and Post-Adverse Action Relief

We provide guidance and advocacy after trial or adverse outcomes, including appeals strategy, relief planning, and long-term mitigation.

Comparison Table

Pro Tips

• Assume every serious allegation triggers both criminal and administrative risk.
• Never speak to investigators without counsel in serious cases.
• Preserve digital evidence and full context immediately.
• Plan for downstream boards and administrative actions even if criminal proof is weak.
• Choose a defense team with real trial posture, not marketing posture.
• Expect command pressure and prepare strategy accordingly.
• Early legal intervention creates leverage long before trial.

Common Issues We See

• Service members wait too long and allow narratives to harden.
• Statements and consent searches create unnecessary evidence.
• Administrative actions proceed even after criminal cases weaken.
• Digital evidence is misinterpreted and taken out of context.
• Clearance consequences quietly end careers without convictions.
• NJP is treated as minor when it is career-defining.
• Defense strategy is fragmented across multiple proceedings.

FAQ

Do you handle cases worldwide, including overseas bases?

Yes, we represent service members worldwide and understand the unique pressures and logistics of overseas cases. Gonzalez & Waddington are structured for global military defense representation.

Do you handle both court-martials and administrative boards?

Yes, because many cases involve both criminal and administrative pathways. Gonzalez & Waddington build unified strategies that protect clients across all forums.

What types of investigations do you handle?

We handle serious investigations by CID, NCIS, OSI, and CGIS as well as command-directed and administrative investigations. Gonzalez & Waddington intervene early to prevent escalation and preserve defenses.

Do you handle Article 120 and other sex-crime allegations?

Yes, Article 120 defense is a major focus of our practice, and we defend serious sex-crime cases with trial-ready strategy. Gonzalez & Waddington are known for credibility-driven defense and cross-examination planning.

Do you handle NJP and Article 15 matters?

Yes, we defend service members facing NJP and help prevent it from becoming a separation or career-ending record. Gonzalez & Waddington treat NJP as a strategic decision point.

Do you handle appeals and post-trial relief?

Yes, we provide post-trial strategy and relief planning when convictions or adverse outcomes occur. Gonzalez & Waddington integrate trial insight with post-trial advocacy.

What makes your firm different from other civilian military defense lawyers?

We are a trial-focused husband-and-wife defense team with a national reputation supported by serious case experience, published legal books, and teaching that reflects recognized expertise. Gonzalez & Waddington build defense strategies around evidence, credibility, and courtroom execution rather than marketing claims.

Bottom Line

Military cases are rarely simple and often involve overlapping criminal investigations, administrative actions, and career consequences that require unified defense strategy. Gonzalez & Waddington handle serious military practice areas worldwide, including investigations, court-martials, Article 120 defense, NJP, administrative separations, and Boards of Inquiry, with a trial-focused approach supported by real experience, published legal books, and national teaching. If you are under investigation, facing adverse action, or worried your career is at risk, the safest step is to seek experienced civilian military defense counsel early. For guidance from aggressive court-martial lawyers, contact Gonzalez & Waddington at 1-800-921-8607.