Madison criminal defense attorney Rick Coad
Madison criminal defense attorney Rick Coad
Madison Criminal Defense Attorneys

Experience matters. Put ours to work for you.

Madison, WI Criminal Defense Attorneys

We are consistently recognized among the best criminal defense attorneys in Madison, Wisconsin. Why? Our reputation is built on a 20-year track record of a stubborn insistence on getting exceptional results in difficult cases. You’re in trouble. We’re here to help. Our goal is to protect you and your future when it matters most. Skilled. Respected. Dedicated. Put our experience to work for you.

Why Choose Coad Law Office?

Our criminal defense lawyers have decades of experience in state and federal court in Madison and throughout Wisconsin, and Rick Coad is one of the few Wisconsin defense lawyers to have argued a case in the U.S. Supreme Court. He established the firm in 2011 and has been practicing in Madison as a defense attorney for 20 years. Rick has been selected as one of the best criminal defense attorneys in Wisconsin by Super Lawyers more than a dozen times.

Our focus is on the individuals who are our clients, making sure their story is told, and that they are treated fairly in a system that doesn’t always get it right. You have rights under the law and the Constitution. We will defend your rights against the power of the government to ensure your best outcome.

Your attorney’s experience, judgment, and reputation are critical to a good result in court. We bring those hard-earned qualities to your best defense in spades. To learn more about the Madison criminal lawyers of Coad Law take a look around our website or just give us a call to discuss your case.

Madison Criminal Defense Practice Areas

We bring our experience and skill to aggressively represent our clients and ensure that your case doesn’t define you and your future. That’s why we are ranked among the very best criminal defense attorneys in Madison, WI in cases involving:

Experience and judgment matter. Put ours to work for you.

Richard A. Coad

Richard A. Coad

Madison Criminal Defense Attorney

Rick Coad is ranked as one of the best criminal defense attorneys in Madison, Wisconsin. From 2018 through 2023 Rick was nominated by other lawyers and judges as a Super Lawyer. That honor goes to only the top 5 percent of lawyers in Wisconsin. Prior to that selection, he was named as a Super Lawyers Rising Star seven times. That ranked him in the top 2.5% of lawyers aged 40 or younger in Wisconsin. His reputation was born of a stubborn insistence on getting the best out of difficult situations for his clients.
Best Criminal Defense Lawyers Madison

Skilled Defense Attorneys

Combined experience of more than 70 years

Madison, WI criminal defense attorney Rick Coad has achieved exceptional results for his clients in a wide range of criminal defense cases, including disorderly conduct, battery, domestic battery, drug charges, embezzlement and fraud, sexual assault, false imprisonment and homicide. He gives each case the attention it deserves and works to achieve the best possible result for each of his clients. Experience and judgment matter. Put Rick's 20 years of experience to work for you.

1Respected.

2Experienced.

3Exceptional Results.

Client Testimonials

FAQ’s About Wisconsin Criminal Defense

What should I do if I am arrested?

First, the Grateful Dead were right: “If you’ve got a warrant, I guess you’re gonna come in.” If the police have a warrant to search your home or business, a judge has already decided that there is probable cause that a crime may have been committed and the police have every right to enter and search your home. BUT, that doesn’t mean you have to answer their questions! You have the constitutional right to refuse (we suggest doing so politely) to answer any questions about whether you did anything illegal. It is the rare, 1 in a 100 or 1,000 case where talking to the police will actually help you. Your best approach is to politely decline to answer any questions without a lawyer present. Then, give a highly qualified criminal defense lawyer a call immediately to discuss your case.

Can I Post Bail if I’m arrested in Wisconsin?

In Wisconsin, if you are arrested for a misdemeanor you can post cash bail and be released. If you are arrested for a felony then you will be kept in custody until you make an initial appearance in front of a judge, and the judge will either set cash bail or order you released on a signature bond (that doesn’t require you to post cash). But that usually is within a day or two of your arrest.

What are the types of crimes in Wisconsin?

In Wisconsin there are basically two levels of crimes: felony and misdemeanor. Wis. Stat. Section 939.50 classifies certain offenses as misdemeanors and some as felonies. There are three types of misdemeanors: Class A, Class B, or Class C. Class A misdemeanors are punishable by a term of imprisonment not to exceed 9 months. That includes most misdemeanor offenses like battery, theft, OWI’s (second to fourth offenses), obstructing justice, resisting arrest, domestic battery, and many others. The most common Class B misdemeanor, which is punishable by a term of imprisonment not to exceed 90 days, is disorderly conduct and domestic disorderly conduct. “Imprisonment” for misdemeanors almost always means jail time, not actual prison time.

The difference between a misdemeanor and felony in Wisconsin is that for a felony offense you can be imprisoned for more than a year. For felony offenses that means you can actually be put in prison, not just jail. And the sentences range from a year and a day to life imprisonment for homicide. Typical felony charges include fraud, drug distribution, drug possession, substantial battery, theft (like retail theft of $500 or more), and sexual assault.

What should you look for when hiring a criminal defense attorney?

The answer to this question comes down to experience and results. And that translates to a reputation in the legal community. Here at Coad Law Office, we have decades of experience and have been recognized as some of the best criminal defense attorneys in Wisconsin. You want to hire a lawyer who has seen your type of case many, many times, and has gotten results for his clients. So focus your questions on those areas.

How can a lawyer aggressively defend me?

Your defense lawyer doesn’t have to froth at the mouth to aggressively defend you. Again, it comes down to experience, skill, and a reputation that will get you your best result. Sometimes that means filing motions to suppress evidence, and taking a case to trial. It always means paying attention to the details of your case and your story and thoroughly investigating your case. We believe that a thorough investigation by the defense can even the odds and put our clients in a much better position for success. Other times it means using experience and judgment to negotiate the best possible outcome for you and to minimize your risks. We know what to do, when to do it, and how to get you to your best result.

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    Coad Law Office

    10 E Doty St #513, Madison, WI 53703