Arrested, charged, or under investigation
Understand your case. Know your options.
If you are facing a charge or a police investigation, I can explain the decisions ahead and how to get you the best outcome possible.
Free initial consultation. Discuss the fee with me before you hire me.
At Salwin Law Group, you work directly with me, Stewart Salwin. I am a former Maricopa County prosecutor and Harvard Law graduate, and I handle your defense personally.
Talk through what you are facing
When you contact Salwin Law Group, you speak with me, Stewart Salwin, about the charge or investigation affecting your life. As a Scottsdale criminal defense lawyer, I represent people facing misdemeanor and felony accusations, including those who need advice before charges are filed.
I keep my caseload limited so I can handle your case personally. My experience as a prosecutor helps me assess the State’s evidence and explain the issues that matter to your defense. I want to understand what you need to protect and what you need to decide next.
Your initial consultation is free. We can discuss your circumstances, what I need to review, and my fees before you decide whether to hire me.
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You can ask for advice before charges are filed. Tell me what investigators have requested. I can discuss how to respond and, if you hire me, communicate with investigators on your behalf.
How pre-charge representation works →Have your citation or court notice ready. I can review the accusation with you and explain the decisions ahead. Tell me the court and date on your paperwork when you call.
What an arraignment involves →Tell me whether you have an outstanding warrant, a conviction, or both. What happened in that case matters to the options available. Bring any court records you have so I can assess the issue.
See past warrant and conviction cases →Have the charge or police request, any court paperwork, and your main questions ready. You can call even if you do not have all of that yet.
Previous case results
These cases began at different stages: an investigation, a pending charge, or an existing conviction.
Before charges were filed
A client was under investigation for sexual assault and had not been charged.
The work and resultI persuaded the investigating detective not to file charges.
An outstanding warrant
My client had an outstanding warrant in a dangerous-drug possession case.
The work and resultI had the warrant quashed and the drug case dismissed.
After a conviction
My client had a gun conviction and was concerned about his security clearance.
The work and resultI successfully petitioned to have the conviction set aside.
My client was offered a plea to aggravated assault with probation. After he hired me, the case was dismissed.
My client faced charges after recklessly discharging a firearm in an apartment. The charges were dismissed.
My client faced an extreme DUI charge in Phoenix Municipal Court. The case was dismissed, with no jail time or DUI conviction in that case.
Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Every case is different and is judged on its own merits. See more case results.
How I can help
As a Scottsdale criminal defense lawyer, I represent people throughout the Phoenix metro area. These are some of the charges and investigations I can discuss with you.
I defend assault and aggravated-assault cases. My years prosecuting serious felonies inform how I assess the evidence and the State’s charging decisions.
I investigate the allegations, the available evidence, and your account of what happened. I will discuss your goals and the options supported by those facts.
I defend drug-possession, possession-for-sale, and manufacturing charges. I review the evidence and the legal issues behind the accusation.
If you are facing a false accusation or felony investigation, you can speak with me before charges are filed. I also defend felony charges, including sex-crime allegations.
I handle first-offense, extreme, and aggravated DUI cases. If you were arrested in Phoenix, see my Phoenix DUI lawyer page.
I defend criminal speeding and criminal traffic charges across Arizona, including cases involving out-of-state drivers. My criminal speeding page explains the charge, court process, and defense options.
What you can expect
I limit my caseload so I can give your case personal attention. Here is how I approach the work.
I ask what you want to protect and what concerns you most. Then I explain the strengths and weaknesses I see in the State’s case, so you can weigh the available options.
I review the legal and factual issues in your case. I present my findings to the prosecutor when they support a request to reduce or dismiss charges.
You can text or email me with questions. I keep you informed about developments and return communications as quickly as I can.
If negotiations do not produce an acceptable resolution, I am prepared to defend you in court. I have personally tried more than 70 criminal cases.
Before you decide on a plea
A plea offer needs to be considered alongside the evidence, the proposed sentence, and your goals.
I will discuss the strengths and weaknesses I see in the State’s case and the options those facts support. That conversation includes the realistic range of possible outcomes. Bring me any offer you have received so we can discuss what it would mean in your case.
Before you hire me
Your initial consultation is free. I will discuss my fees and billing methods with you during that conversation, so you can consider the cost before deciding whether to hire me.
When you speak with a criminal defense lawyer, ask what work the quoted fee covers and what could change that cost. Bring those questions to me. I want you to understand both the representation and the fee arrangement.
I spent five years at the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, most of that time in the Major Crimes Division. As a prosecutor, I handled thousands of criminal cases, from misdemeanors to felonies. That experience helps me assess the evidence a prosecutor needs and the issues a defense should address.
Since 2014, I have represented people accused of crimes. When you hire me as your criminal defense attorney, I handle your case personally through its resolution.
Tell me what you are facing. I will help you understand your options.
Free Defense Case ReviewYour attorney
I'm Stewart Salwin. I grew up in Arizona and graduated from Paradise Valley High School, Georgetown University, and Harvard Law School. My office is in Scottsdale.
I opened my own firm to work directly with the people I represent and see their cases through. What I put out into the world represents who I am, and I treat your case with that responsibility. I will tell you whether I believe I can help after we discuss your case.
Read more about my background →
Stewart was always available to answer any questions I had and offer solid advice regarding my case.
Client review via Google Client name withheld for privacy.Straight answers
Look for experience with your type of charge and a clear explanation of how the lawyer would assess your case. Ask what evidence needs review before discussing a plea or trial, and how the lawyer will explain the risks of each option. You can check a lawyer’s license and public disciplinary history through the State Bar of Arizona.
When you speak with me, I explain the strengths and weaknesses I see in the State’s case and what I still need to review. My experience as a Maricopa County prosecutor informs that assessment.
Free consultation. Discuss your case with me.
Call (480) 702-1789Tell me what you are facing and include your next court date, if you have one. Call (480) 702-1789 or request a free consultation below.
Please do not send privileged or confidential information through this form.
Where I practice
My office is in Scottsdale. I defend cases in municipal, justice, and superior courts across Maricopa County and elsewhere in Arizona.
Free consultation
My Scottsdale office is at 7702 E. Doubletree Ranch Road, Suite 300, Scottsdale, AZ 85258. Call to discuss your case and arrange a consultation.
This page is attorney advertising and general information about Arizona law, not legal advice, and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes; every case is different and must be judged on its own merits.
