CRIMINAL ATTORNEY

Practicing Criminal Defense and Drunk Driving/ DUI/ DWI throughout Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Virginia, including the state and federal courts in Montgomery County (Rockville and Silver Spring), Fairfax County, Northern Virginia, Arlington County, Alexandria, Prince George's County (Upper Marlboro, Hyattsville, Greenbelt, and Andrews Air Force Base), Howard County (Ellicott City), Frederick County, Anne Arundel County (Annapolis, Glen Burnie, Ft. Meade), Baltimore City, Baltimore County (Towson, Catonsville, Essex), Washington County (Hagerstown), Prince William County (Manassas), and Loudoun County (Leesburg).

"Jon Katz is the greatest lawyer on the face of the planet. I say so because he dealt with not only my criminal case, but my rattled emotional state of mind as well. Without his guidance and brilliance I don't know what would've happened. I highly recommend Mr. Katz, and if I ever make the mistake of getting arrested again he will be the first person I call." (From a criminal defense client.)

"Jon, you are the best attorney in the world as far as I'm concerned. Thanks again for your work on my behalf and your optimistic energy." (From a criminal defense client).

See more client testimonials here and AVVO.com reviews here.

By Jon Katz

Quality legal representation should not only be for the rich. Otherwise, we would have an unfair legal system without equal access to justice (alas, the day has not yet arrived where we have truly equal access to justice). The only way to provide equal access to justice is through quality legal services and fair billing by lawyers; extensive philanthropy for individuals and causes who otherwise could not afford quality legal services; extensive pro bono and low bono work by lawyers; and creative financing by clients of modest means. Additionally, it is vital that sufficient government funds continue to be provided, and continue to increase, for indigent criminal defendants and for traditional legal aid services.

For many of our firm's clients, a significant financial burden is involved in retaining our legal services. Criminal defendants do not tend to maintain a fund to fight potential future prosecutions. Startup webmasters frequently are not yet operating in the black.

Most people who hire our firm do so in order to seek a bigger benefit in the end, or to avoid paying a bigger and more harmful price in the future for failing to retain quality legal counsel at the front end. Once a potential client asks, s/he might learn that the cost of our services is not so bad when compared to the benefits that we can provide. Depending on the case, we bill either a flat fee, an hourly rate (sometimes capping the maximum number of hours to be charged), or a blend of flat fee and hourly billing.

Regarding our fees for defending criminal defense clients, prosecutors often can obtain convictions without thorough trial preparation. However, criminal defendants' lives and liberty are on the line and need thorough case preparation from their attorneys, and this is reflected in our fees.

We ordinarily waive our initial consultation fee for felonies, drug possession (but ordinarily bill if the charge is only for drug paraphernalia possession), and drunk driving charges, so long as there is a pending prosecution and no conviction yet. However, we do bill for an initial jail visit. Sometimes we do not know until an initial consultation is underway whether we will opt to reduce or waive our initial consultation fee.

Many of our clients borrow from friends, family and the bank to pay for our services. We accept Visa and MasterCard, while at the same time recommending paying off credit card balances before steep interest charges are incurred. For clients with no experience in financing, we provide them such information.

The harsh reality remains that many people cannot pay for a private lawyer no matter what. Indigent and low income people have several avenues to turn to. For criminal cases, the Supreme Court has mandated that effective legal representation be provided for indigent criminal defendants. The criminal clerk's office of any courthouse is the best place to ask for the procedure for obtaining indigent criminal defense. Unfortunately, too many jurisdictions are pathetically underfunded for indigent criminal defense. The highest funding tends to be provided for federal public defender offices, which provide indigent criminal defense in federal court. Funding levels fluctuate radically in state public defender offices. Court jurisdictions also rely, at least partially, on court-appointed private firm lawyers, who are again paid radically differing compensation levels depending on the jurisdiction; the lower-paying jurisdictions make it hard for a lawyer even to cover overhead, let alone to derive compensation for the attorney's time.

For non-criminal cases, a wide range of government-funded and non-profit organizations provide free and reduced-cost legal services to individuals and organizations who would otherwise be unable to obtain legal services. Most jurisdictions have legal aid offices, providing, at the very least, services for divorce and landlord-tenant cases. Many law schools have free legal clinics. Many non-profit organizations provide free legal services, as well, including the American Civil Liberties Union, the Washington Lawyers' Committee, and numerous other organizations that provide either broad or narrowly-based free legal services. To find such assistance can require diligent and wide-ranging inquiries, which sometimes can start with local voluntary bar associations, United Way-type organizations, and houses of worship.

Lawyers have a duty to contribute to equal access to justice, preferably through pro bono work, but at the very least through financial contributions to organizations assisting equal access to justice not just to poor people but to causes that rely on donations for legal representation. Even government lawyers and judges -- if otherwise prevented from performing outside legal work -- can do pro bono work through such activities as providing legal information and time to non-profit organizations, and by dispelling the mysteries of the law through public speaking and through publishing in the mass media. From a moral perspective, lawyers' pro bono duties arise because it is the right thing to do. From a practical perspective, the pro bono duty arises because lawyers are economically protected against competition through ethical rules barring non-lawyers from practicing law; lawyers must somehow pay for this privilege, whether or not it is a justifiable privilege. Moreover, from a beneficial perspective for lawyers, pro bono service is an opportunity to gain rewarding practical experience, can make a difference for the pro bono client and for justice, and can make for a better lawyer.

JON KATZ, P.C., has a spirited pro bono practice, which has included advocacy for criminal defendants, demonstrators (including successful representation of anti-globalization defendants, peace activists, and a demonstrator for making the morning-after pill available without a prescription (see www.mapconspiracy.org/kelly.html)), and Constitutional rights. We have provided pro bono work to many individuals, as well as through such groups as the Free Speech Coalition of DC, MD and VA; the Plowshares; PETA; the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education; and ACORN.

As much as people often complain about the price of lawyers, to proceed without one in a legal matter can prove fatal. Lawyers and society at large must help achieve equal access to quality justice.

JON KATZ, P.C. - DEVOTED TO QUALITY LEGAL SERVICE AT A FAIR COST

FIGHTING FOR JUSTICE IS WHAT WE ARE ALL ABOUT:

WE LOOK FORWARD TO HELPING YOU. How We Bill/Contact Us:

- Jon's messages and Blackberry are checked during regular business hours, after hours and on the weekends. Voicemails go directly to his pager.

JON KATZ, P.C., Attorney at Law, 8720 Georgia Avenue, Suite 703

Silver Spring, Montgomery County, Maryland 20910

(301) 495-7755/FAX (301) 585-7733

VIRGINIA BRANCH OFFICE: Jon Katz, P.C., 1420 Spring Hill Road, Suite 600, Tysons Corner/ McLean, Fairfax County, Virginia 22102, (703) 917-6626.

- SHORTENING THE DISTANCE TO YOU BY OFFERING THE OPTION OF PHONE AND IN-PERSON APPOINTMENTS

(Initial discussions may require in-person meetings to quote fees, and to avoid confidentiality and scheduling problems with inmates).

- WE HAVE OFFICES IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD, AND FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA, AND TRAVEL TO COURTS EVERYWHERE IN MARYLAND, DC, AND VIRGINIA FOR JUSTICE

READ OUR ARTICLES AND CRIMINAL DEFENSE BLOG.

Jon Katz takes on Bill O'Reilly.

JONATHAN L. KATZ (Admitted in MD/DC/VA state and federal courts, and the U.S. Supreme Court) Se habla español. On parle français.

NOTE: Jon's former law partner Jay Marks may be reached at 1400 Spring Street, Suite 410, Silver Spring, MD 20910, 301-578-4444, jay[at]marksjustice[dot]com. Jay is an excellent immigration lawyer. Jon's phone number is (301) 495-7755.

BEING IN A LEGAL BIND MAY FEEL DAUNTING; DEALING WITH YOUR LAWYER SHOULD NOT BE.

Fighting for criminal defendants and the Constitution is a calling that Jon Katz relishes. Jon does it not as the most lucrative way to earn a lawyer's living, but because he believes strongly in this path and loves the work and the interaction with his clients.

Our clients are what we are all about. Therefore, we work tirelessly to deliver them the best service we can, using all our experience, skill, caring, and resources to help our clients win. We do our best to help our clients go on with their lives as we work on their behalf. We welcome our clients' ideas, inquiries and teamwork. We work with our clients as a united front against our opponents, and are happy for our opponents to know that we are prepared for battle and fearless to go to battle. We know that honey catches more flies than sandpaper, but also know that nothing beats being fully armed to battle for justice for our clients.

JON KATZ, P.C., Attorney at Law

8720 Georgia Avenue, Suite 703

Silver Spring, Montgomery County, Maryland 20910

(301) 495-7755/FAX (301) 585-7733

jon[at]katzjustice[dot]com

VIRGINIA BRANCH OFFICE: Jon Katz, P.C., 1420 Spring Hill Road, Suite 600, Tysons Corner/ McLean, Fairfax County, Virginia 22102, (703) 917-6626.

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Jon Katz started this website in 1999 when with Marks & Katz. He continues this website with his law firm Jon Katz, P.C., which opened in July 2008.

Visit our homepage at www.katzjustice.com. Copyright by Jon Katz, P.C.