Federal Criminal Defense Lawyer
Rick Coad is a leading federal defense lawyer in Wisconsin. Put his experience to work for you.
Federal court is very different from state court. People charged with a federal crime need a defense lawyer who knows the federal court system. And not all defense lawyers do. Rick Coad is an experienced federal criminal defense attorney in Madison, WI, who understands how to get his clients the best possible result.
Throughout his nearly twenty-year career in federal court, Rick has defended more than 100 clients in federal district court in Wisconsin and throughout the Midwest. He is one of the most experienced and successful federal criminal defense lawyers in Wisconsin. Rick has practiced in the Eastern District of Wisconsin (Milwaukee and Green Bay), and the Western District of Wisconsin in Madison, for almost two decades. In that time, he has built a reputation among judges and prosecutors as one of the leading federal defense lawyers in Wisconsin, and has been recognized by Super Lawyers more than ten times, most recently in 2023.
“I’ve represented clients in each federal district court in Wisconsin, federal courts in Michigan, Oklahoma and North Dakota, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court. I’m comfortable putting my federal know-how to work for my clients to get their best possible result.”
– Richard A. Coad
Notably, Rick is one of the few lawyers in Wisconsin to have argued a case in the United States Supreme Court. In the district court, he identified and litigated an issue regarding a mandatory minimum penalty that was imposed on his client. He argued the case in the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. He then filed a petition for a writ of certiorari in the United States Supreme Court, which the court granted.
Rick has represented clients in a wide range of cases including wire fraud, bankruptcy fraud, bank fraud, loan fraud, drug conspiracy (including cocaine, marijuana, heroin), illegal firearm possession and sales, sexual assault, false statements and perjury, and is one of the most successful and knowledgeable defense lawyers in the Midwest for violations of the Lacey Act (federal wildlife laws). Call today for a free consultation.