D.C. Superior Court · Criminal defense · Protection orders

Your Rights. Your Lawyer.

Q: Does Jamison Koehler handle cases outside Washington, D.C.?

No. Jamison Koehler practices exclusively in D.C. Superior Court and handles appeals to the D.C. Court of Appeals. He does not take cases in Maryland, Virginia, or federal court.

Q: What should I do before a CPO hearing?

Do not contact the petitioner. Gather any messages, photographs or witnesses that bear on the allegations, and talk to a lawyer before the hearing date, which can be as little as two weeks away.

Q: What happens when I call?

You speak with Jamison Koehler directly. He asks what happened, what you have been charged with or served with, and when your next court date is, and tells you what he can do and what it costs.

Q: What is a civil protection order (CPO) in D.C.?

A civil protection order (CPO) is an order of D.C. Superior Court directing a person (the respondent) to refrain from certain conduct toward another person (the petitioner). Such conduct can be harassment, assault, threats, or other behavior the law classifies as interpersonal violence. The order is issued on a finding of good cause in the context of a domestic relationship.

Jamison Koehler defends people charged with crimes in D.C. Superior Court and represents respondents and petitioners in civil protection order and anti-stalking order cases. Only that court. Only that work.

(202) 549-2374

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D.C. Superior Court only

Criminal, DUI, CPO and ASO

     EXCELLENT  
  85 reviews

Where to start

Three situations, three places to begin.

Charged with a crime

What must the government prove, what defenses are available, and what the penalties are for each D.C. offense, from simple assault to carrying a pistol without a license.

D.C. criminal offenses

Served with a CPO or ASO petition

A civil protection order or anti-stalking order can cost a job, a security clearance, housing and travel. The hearing comes fast. Here is how it works and what to do before it.

Protection orders

Arrested for DUI

Field sobriety tests, chemical test refusal, ignition interlock, and what happens at arraignment in D.C. Superior Court.

DUI defense

Why one court

Jamison Koehler practices only in D.C. Superior Court.

He does not work in federal court and does not combine criminal defense and protection order work with personal injury, family law or any other practice area. That focus is the point: he knows local practice and the applicable law, he works with the same judges, prosecutors, probation officers and court staff every week, and he can offer a serious defense at reasonable rates.

About Jamison Koehler

Practice	Criminal defense, DUI, civil protection orders, anti-stalking orders
Court	D.C. Superior Court, 500 Indiana Avenue NW
Not handled	Federal court, Maryland, Virginia, personal injury, family law
Reviews	5.0 average across 96 Google reviews
Reach him	202-549-2374

Did you know

What people get wrong about D.C. charges

People think

Winning a case means out-arguing the prosecutor at trial.

Actually

Most of these results came from investigation done before trial: surveillance and body-worn camera footage, phone records, social media and witnesses.

People think

Results listed on a law firm’s website are a prediction for your case.

Actually

They are a record of past cases on their own facts. Every case is different, and prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

People think

If the defense has strong evidence, it should hold it for trial.

Actually

Sometimes. Sharing exculpatory evidence with the prosecutor can end the case before trial, as it did in the resisting arrest and hit-and-run matters. Whether to do so is a judgment about the assigned prosecutor.

People think

Video evidence always helps the prosecution.

Actually

On balance it helps the defense. Officers remember the big things; the recordings capture the details, and the details are usually where the case is won.

People think

A dismissal and an acquittal are the same thing.

Actually

An acquittal is a not-guilty verdict after trial. A dismissal is the government dropping the charge before trial. Both end the case, but they arrive by different routes.

Questions people ask first

Before you call.

Does Jamison Koehler handle cases outside Washington, D.C.?

What should I do before a CPO hearing?

What happens when I call?

What is a civil protection order (CPO) in D.C.?

What clients say

In their words.

Mr. Koehler is, as far as I am concerned, the best criminal defense lawyer in D.C. He walked me through things before I hired him, and literally everything he predicted came true. When I brought him on, it was clear that everyone in the courthouse respected him – judges, prosecutors, court clerks. At trial, he tied up the prosecutor with the rules of evidence, and he made the police officer look like a lying idiot. It was fun to watch. You almost felt bad for the officer. I was acquitted of all charges. I will be forever grateful to the man. Thank you, Mr. Koehler!

J.C., Simple Assault

The testimonials are examples of what clients have posted about Jamison Koehler on legal referral sites. The outcome of a criminal case depends on factors unique to that case. By posting these testimonials, Koehler Law does not imply that it can achieve the same result in every case.