Lavinia Criminal Lawyers

Mr. MacNeill graduated with honors from Nashville School of Law.

I have been practicing criminal law for over 26 years in federal and state courts. I am licensed to practice in the states of Tennessee and Georgia, however, I have appeared or consulted in criminal cases in many other states across the United States. I have tried well over 150 jury trials, including approximately 20 murder and/or death penalty cases. I have also been successful in appellate litigation, and have argued cases before federal court of appeals and state supreme courts. In 2011, I successfully argued a constitutional speedy trial violation before the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, which resulted...

Attorney Mark Stapleton has practiced law for more than 25 years and is committed to serving his community as an attorney, father and member of the First United Methodist Church in Morristown, Tennessee. Mark received his law degree from Cumberland School of Law at Stamford University in Birmingham, Alabama. He also has a Masters' degree in health law and an advanced legal degree (LL.M.) in health law. Mark became certified by the N.B.T.A. and the Tennessee Commission on Continuing Legal Education and Specialization in 1995. He is a frequent speaker at continuing legal education events for other lawyers. He...

The Baker Law Firm is the law firm of attorney Lance K. Baker. People living in the East and Middle Tennessee area come to see Lance for honest, no-nonsense legal advice. Lance is conscientious about his work, and he is dedicated to offering legal services to all who seek his help. He works diligently for people who have been injured in accidents, those who have had their civil rights violated and others who face criminal charges. Lance earned his law degree from the Lincoln Memorial University’s Duncan School of Law in 2013, where he was a Dean’s List recipient and was...

Jeffrey Caudill has experience with thousands of criminal cases. Having well over twenty-five (25) years of combined law and law enforcement experience, he has a unique insight into police tactics that he uses to protect the freedom of his clients. Facing criminal charges or injuries from a car wreck is a serious matter. Jeff believes that good people sometimes have a bad day, that everyone deserves a second chance, and thorough preparation and knowledge of the facts is key to preparing a solid defense. Jeff is a retired Captain with the Kentucky State Police. During his career, Jeff investigated...

Our firm's practice is focused upon the effective representation of clients facing criminal charges in both the Tennessee and Federal Court systems. Ms. Sheldon, who herself was previoulsy a State Prosecutor, has handled numerous misdemeanor and felony cases including pleas and jury trials. Additionally, due to extensive training, she is now Death Penalty qualified in the state of Tennessee. Other firm areas of practice involve Family and Juvenile Law. We welcome you to contact our office for a free consultation to properly evaluate your case. Allow us the opportunity to represent your legal needs during...

Josh Hoeppner is a proud graduate from the College of Law at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Prior to that, he completed his Bachelors degree at Tennessee Tech University in Cookeville, Tennessee. Josh currently resides in Kingsport with his family, and he is happy to call the Tri-Cities home.

Josh has been a licensed attorney since 2010. He has the experience and ability to assist you in a wide variety of legal issues, ranging from civil to criminal matters. During his career, he has spent many thousands of hours fighting for his clients' best interests, whether...

Ashley L. Jackson began practicing law in 2015. She received a Bachelor of Business Administration from Belmont University's College of Entertainment and Music Business in 2008. Upon graduation, Ashley began working for Warner Music Group in Nashville, Tennessee. Ashley began her law school career in 2010 at the Nashville School of Law, where she was the recipient of the Faculty and Trustee Scholarship for three consecutive years. Ashley received a Juris Doctor degree from the Nashville School of Law in 2014. She continued to work for Warner Music Group in the Business Affairs department until 2015.

In 2015, Ashley joined the...

Michael Auffinger chose a career in criminal law so that he could be a fierce advocate for constitutional rights. It does not matter what you did or did not do – justice demands that law enforcement treat you fairly and not obtain evidence through illegal means. Even when criminal acts have taken place, the government often overcharges defendants and deals penalties that are much harsher than what the situation warrants. Attorney Auffinger thoroughly investigates every detail of a case to make sure this does not happen. He knows how stressful this situation is for his clients and guides them through...

Cesar Arbelaez is an experienced attorney whose mission is to provide excellent legal representation to underserved and underrepresented individuals. Cesar Arbelaez uses his skills and experiences as a former prosecutor to provide excellent representation to his clients.

Cesar Arbelaez graduated with honors from Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law at the University of Memphis. While in law school, Cesar founded the law school’s Hispanic Student Association and was a member of the school’s Diversity Committee.
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In 2016, Cesar became a licensed attorney in Tennessee. Cesar joined the Davidson County District Attorney’s Office that year as an Assistant District Attorney, the first male...

John graduated number one in his class from the Nashville School of Law in May of 2020. The primary focus of John’s practice is Personal injury litigation and Criminal Defense. In the criminal arena, he handles both misdemeanors (DUI, possession, assault, etc.) and felonies. In personal injury, John has worked on a wide spectrum of cases involving wrongful death caused by semi-trucks (tractor-trailer), wrongful death caused by drunk drivers, severe injuries caused by vicious dog attacks (dog bites), pedestrians riding bicycles that are hit by motor vehicles, slip and fall cases (ranging from cleaning chemicals being left on the...

I grew up in Nashville, attending Eakin Elementary, Caldwell Middle, and Hillsboro High Schools.

In my life, I have been a stepchild and a stepfather; I endured a divorce, but am now married again with children of my own.

While at Hillsboro, I received the Ed Hessey award (ask me). After spending five great years in college during the Payton Manning years, I graduated from U.T. (Knoxville) in 1997, and went to work in Nashville and Charleston, South Carolina for the U.S. trucking division of one of the world’s largest international shipping companies.

After three years in the real world, I...

A graduate of the Nashville School of Law and Middle Tennessee State University, Ryan is committed to helping individuals in Nashville and Middle Tennessee when the going gets tough. No one wants to need a criminal defense, DUI, or divorce attorney. But sometimes good people find themselves in bad situations. In those times, you want someone in your corner who is empathetic, passionate, and can vigorously advocate on your behalf. Ryan embodies these characteristics, and strives not only for favorable outcomes, but also to make the entire legal process as painless as possible.

Edwards & Edwards is a small, family owned firm run by two attorneys, Michael Edwards and son Russell Edwards. Edwards & Edwards are skilled, experienced attorneys who handle a myriad of cases ranging from basic legal matters to complex situations. Edwards & Edwards has represented clients in Sumner, Robertson, and Davidson counties, as well as the surrounding Middle Tennessee area, for over 42 years. With the solid capability and proven track record of Edwards & Edwards, you are assured that your legal rights will be represented by top professionals. Russell Edwards has been with the Edwards & Edwards since...

Mr. Bragg has been working in the legal field off and on since the age of 16 and exclusively the last four (4) years. Starting off as an office assistant at Bragg, Mansfield, and Stegall, there Mr. Bragg got his first exposure to the legal system. During his employment at BMS he helped mainly in the area of real estate law. Mr. Bragg has also worked for the Honorable J. Mark Rogers during the Summer of 2006. After attending the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and graduating in 2006, Mr. Bragg enrolled at the Nashville School of...

John David Drake is an experienced trial attorney. John is a graduate of the University of Tennessee Law School. He served 5 years in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General's Corps. There he gained significant general legal and trial practice. Since 1992 he has provided litigation services to the people of Murfreesboro, Rutherford and surrounding counties. His areas of practice include: DUI, Criminal Law, Divorce and Child Custody, Workers' Compensation and Personal Injury.

Blake Kelley is heavily experienced in Civil & Criminal negotiations, litigation, trial and appeals on all levels up to the TN Supreme Court (DUI, drug, assault, fraud, theft cases as well as Personal Injury, auto accident, big trucking company to slip & fall cases).

His extreme competitiveness and desire to win has been unchanged since his high school & college football playing and coaching days before becoming an attorney/lawyer in 2005. Mr. Kelley has a passion for taking on the 6 trillion dollar GDP Insurance industry (TN Supreme Court case Action Chiropractic v Erie Insurance & Prentice Hyler).

Blake attended the Nashville...

Arthur Bass graduated from the University of Tennessee law school, receiving his Doctor of Jurisprudence degree in 1975. He has practiced law for 41 years, providing quality legal services for reasonable fees to the people of Bradley County and the surrounding counties of southeast Tennessee. He has handled cases in all the local state courts as well as the Tennessee Court of Appeals and the Tennessee Supreme Court. Arthur Bass is also licensed in federal court and has handled cases before the Eastern District of TN and in the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals.

Michael D. Watson, originally from Columbus, Ohio, is a graduate of The Ohio State University and earned his Juris Doctor from Lincoln Memorial Duncan School of Law. After graduation, he founded The Watson Law Firm, P.C., where he focuses exclusively on criminal defense. Over the years, Mr. Watson has defended hundreds of clients, handling a wide range of cases from minor misdemeanors to serious felonies. Outside the courtroom, he enjoys spending time outdoors, particularly playing golf and traveling. In 2024, Mr. Watson was recognized as a Top 40 Under 40 Criminal Defense Attorney. He is a member of the Knoxville...

Andrew S. Roskind came to Knoxville from San Diego, California after serving six years in the United States Navy. While on active duty, Andy received several awards including the Navy Achievement Medal, Letters of Commendation, Honorable Discharge, and the Southwest Asia Service Medal for service during Desert Shield/Desert Storm. After settling in East Tennessee with his wife, Jodi, Andy attended the University of Tennessee where he received his Bachelor of Arts and Doctor of Jurisprudence Degrees. In addition to practicing law, Mr. Roskind has also served as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Tennessee College of Law teaching Negotiations...

Lifelong Knoxville resident T. Scott Jones believes in taking risks, but only when they benefit his clients. Active with the Shriners, he emphasizes the importance of community service to each member of the firm. Attorney Jones demonstrates this by undertaking numerous pro bono cases each year. In addition to being a fierce trial attorney, he is also a Rule 31 Mediator in the Tennessee Supreme Court.

I graduated college from the University of Missouri, summa cum laude, and earned my law degree from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. I am admitted to practice law before all Tennessee courts, as well as the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee, and the United States Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. Kelly S. Johnson graduado de la Universidad de Missouri, summa cum laude, y gano su grado en leyes de la Universidad de Tennessee en Knoxville. Esta permitido de practicar ley ante todas las Cortes de Tennessee, asi como en las Cortes Distritales de...

Mary J. Newton began Newton Law, a solo legal practice located in Downtown Knoxville, TN, in 2019. Mary graduated from Emory University in May 2019 with her Juris Doctorate and Master of Theological Studies. She has spent time in the Knoxville legal community as a Visiting Student at UT's College of Law and as a student intern at the Community Law Office. She is passionate about providing quality legal services to people of all backgrounds and walks of life. She strives to uphold the constitutional and human rights of all persons in her practice of Criminal Defense. Email: Mary@MJNewtonLaw.com Phone: 865-224-6591

Daniel A. Gillespie is an accomplished attorney who counsels clients in avoiding litigation and guides them through litigation. He is able to hear and connect with his clients to help them develop their goals. He coaches business owners who desire growth in their business. Through a unique combination of developing pre-litigation strategies and helping you develop your unique selling proposition, he is able to make you more efficient and profitable. Your goals become his goals.

Former prosecutor for the State of Tennessee for 11 years. I have appeared in Juvenile, General sessions Court, and Criminal/Circuit courts of east Tennessee. Let my experience from being a Prosecutor help you navigate the criminal charges you are facing. After a personal experience with the probate process, I also focus my practice on Wills, Estate Planning, Trusts, and Probate. We also cover Elder Law topics such as Life planning, Power of Attorneys, Conservatorships and Guardianships. Besides holding a law degree from the Nashville School of Law, I received my Masters degree from MTSU in Aeronautical Science in 2022. I handle...

Estes has been practicing law since 1974. He started in Memphis, TN where he worked for the best criminal and personal injury lawyers in that City. He moved to Chattanooga in 1976 where he again worked under the tutelage of one of Chattanooga's premier criminal attorneys. In 1999 he joined ERMC and eventually became the Chief Legal Officer and Sr. Vice-President of that company. In that capacity he oversaw civil personal injury litigation in over 40 states and supervised up to 100 outside top-notch personal injury lawyers around the country, attending numerous trials and mediations regarding...

I am a sole practitioner with 15 years experience practicing law in Tennessee. I am known for going the extra mile with my clients and for fighting for the very best possible outcome. I spend time on each case and respect the fact that there is a person behind every case. Because it impacts your life, it is of the utmost importance to me to do the best job I can for you - Your life and my reputation depend on it.

Sais Phillips Finney attended both The University of Tennessee, Knoxville and The University of Memphis. Prior to attending law school, she worked in the United States Senate and in higher education. While a law student, she interned in the Memphis District Attorney's office assisting with violent felony prosecutions. After admission to the bar, Sais practiced criminal defense in Memphis before moving to Atlanta to work in white collar criminal defense and government investigations at an Atlanta law firm. She currently resides in Nashville and practices throughout middle and western Tennessee.

Trial Attorney

Jerry H. Summers is a lifelong resident of Chattanooga and Hamilton County, Tennessee. Following his graduation from law school, he initially worked for two years as a prosecutor in the Hamilton County District Attorney's Office. Entering private practice in 1969, he became the founding member of what is now Summers, Rufolo & Rodgers. An experienced trial lawyer, Mr. Summers is one of a small number of attorneys who has been included in every yearly volume of "Best Lawyers in America" in both personal injury and criminal law. He is also only one of approximately five attorneys in the State of...