Practice Areas, Michael Coulson Law, Stillwater

Criminal Defense

What you’re facing: An accusation, not a verdict. The state has to prove every element beyond a reasonable doubt and it can’t always do it. Most cases end in a plea before anybody tests whether the evidence holds.
The first mistake most people make: Talking. People explain themselves to police because they think cooperation looks good. It doesn’t reduce your charge. It builds the state’s file.
What I do: Read the file before I give you an opinion. Find what the state can’t prove. Then tell you honestly whether this is a case to fight or a case to resolve.

What you’re facing: Two separate cases out of one night. The criminal case decides your record. A separate administrative case decides your driver’s license, and that one runs on its own clock starting the day you were arrested.
The first mistake most people make: Waiting. People focus on the court date and let the license side lapse by default. That’s a loss you never had to take.
What I do: Handle both tracks. Check the stop, how the field sobriety tests were administered, and the calibration and maintenance records on the machine. A test result is evidence, not a fact.

What you’re facing: Exposure driven by weight and alleged intent more than by the substance itself. Possession, possession with intent, and trafficking carry very different sentencing ranges.
The first mistake most people make: Consenting to a search without knowing you could say no. A lot of drug cases are really search cases.
What I do: Look at how the evidence was found before anything else. If the search was bad, the rest of it may not come in. Where the facts are what they are, look hard at treatment and diversion options that keep people out of prison.

What you’re facing: A lower burden of proof than the original case, in front of a judge who has already sentenced you once. A warrant doesn’t expire. It sits there until a traffic stop turns into a night in jail.
The first mistake most people make: Hoping it goes away. It compounds. Every month you avoid it makes the explanation worse.
What I do: Get you in front of the judge on our terms, with an explanation and a plan already in place. Showing up voluntarily is worth something. Getting dragged in is worth nothing.

What you’re facing: An insurance company whose job is to close your claim for as little as possible. The adjuster is pleasant because pleasant is cheaper than fair.
The first mistake most people make: Giving a recorded statement or signing a release early. Both are hard to undo and both favor the insurer.
What I do: Handle the communication so you’re not guessing what’s safe to say. Document the injury properly. Value the claim against what it’s actually worth, including the costs that haven’t come due yet.

Not sure what you’re facing?

It costs nothing and takes ten minutes.

Questions people ask

What does a consultation cost?

Nothing.

Will you tell me my case is winnable?

Only if it is.

Should I talk to police before I call you?

No. Be polite, give your name, ask for a lawyer, and stop talking.

What will representation cost?

It depends on the charge and whether it goes to trial. You'll have the number before you commit to anything.