70/100LFR Score
Ranked #1 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 5.0★ from 435 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
Criminal Defense Lawyers in Springfield, MO: 2026 rankings
38 criminal defense lawyers ranked by LFR ScoreUpdated 0 paid placements in this rankingHow we rank →
The short answer
- 1
Highest LFR Score in Springfield: Twibell Pierson Criminal Law, LFR Score 70/100; 5.0★ from 435 Google reviews.
- 2
Most-reviewed: MRD Lawyers, 377 Google reviews at 5.0★, the most of 38 ranked after Twibell Pierson Criminal Law; ranked #2.
Rankings can't be bought. Lawyers can't pay to change their rank or score. How we rank
38 Springfield criminal defense lawyers are ranked here by LFR Score, from nine published factors. 2 open Saturdays, based on posted hours. The median Google rating is 4.5★ across 38 rated law firms.
Top 10 criminal defense lawyers in Springfield at a glance
Ranked by our published LFR Score from public data, not by payment; a rank is not an endorsement or a prediction of results.
| Rank | Business | LFR Score | Google rating | Based in | Notable for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Twibell Pierson Criminal Law | 70 | 5.0★ (435) | Springfield | Top score |
| 2 | MRD Lawyers | 69 | 5.0★ (377) | Springfield | Most reviews |
| 3 | John D. Kail - Attorney | 69 | 4.9★ (349) | Springfield | — |
| 4 | Wampler & Passanise | 68 | 4.8★ (295) | Springfield | — |
| 5 | Cantin Mynarich LLC | 68 | 5.0★ (168) | Springfield | — |
| 6 | Cole & Martin Attorneys at Law, LLC | 66 | 4.8★ (145) | Springfield | — |
| 7 | Bard Legal LLC | 65 | 4.8★ (27) | Springfield | — |
| 8 | Steven F. Groce, Attorney at Law | 64 | 4.8★ (66) | Springfield | — |
| 9 | Grantham Fiester Law, LLC | 64 | 4.9★ (47) | Springfield | — |
| 10 | The Law Office of Adam Woody | 64 | 4.6★ (72) | Springfield | — |
All 38 criminal defense lawyers in Springfield, in rank order
Ordered by LFR Score, a 0–100 score from nine published factors. Paid placement never changes the order.
Ranked by our published LFR Score from public data, not by payment; a rank is not an endorsement or a prediction of results.
#2 MRD Lawyers
Based in Springfield
69/100LFR ScoreRanked #2 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 5.0★ from 377 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
Based in Springfield
69/100LFR ScoreRanked #3 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.9★ from 349 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
Based in Springfield
68/100LFR ScoreRanked #4 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.8★ from 295 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
Based in Springfield
68/100LFR ScoreRanked #5 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 5.0★ from 168 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
Based in Springfield
66/100LFR ScoreRanked #6 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.8★ from 145 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
Based in Springfield
65/100LFR ScoreRanked #7 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.8★ from 27 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based on 6 of 9 factors; bar status, recency and availability not yet collected.
Based in Springfield
64/100LFR ScoreRanked #8 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.8★ from 66 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
Based in Springfield
64/100LFR ScoreRanked #9 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.9★ from 47 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
Based in Springfield
64/100LFR ScoreRanked #10 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.6★ from 72 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
Based in Springfield
63/100LFR ScoreRanked #11 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.2★ from 15 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based on 6 of 9 factors; bar status, recency and availability not yet collected.
#12 Stanfield Meier
Based in Springfield
62/100LFR ScoreRanked #12 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.4★ from 35 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
Based in Springfield
62/100LFR ScoreRanked #13 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.0★ from 58 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
Based in Springfield
61/100LFR ScoreRanked #14 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 3.8★ from 42 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
Based in Springfield
60/100LFR ScoreRanked #15 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.2★ from 5 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
#16 David Doran Law
Based in Springfield
60/100LFR ScoreRanked #16 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.1★ from 13 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
Based in Ozark, 14 mi away
59/100LFR ScoreRanked #17 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.5★ from 14 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
Based in Springfield
59/100LFR ScoreRanked #18 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.4★ from 7 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
Based in Ozark, 15 mi away
58/100LFR ScoreRanked #19 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.1★ from 23 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
Based in Springfield
57/100LFR ScoreRanked #20 because of its Google rating and review volume: 5.0★ from 130 Google reviews.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
Based in Springfield
57/100LFR ScoreRanked #21 because of its Google rating and review volume: 4.8★ from 184 Google reviews.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
Based in Springfield
55/100LFR ScoreRanked #22 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.4★ from 43 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Attorney”.
Based on 6 of 9 factors; bar status, recency and availability not yet collected.
Based in Springfield
55/100LFR ScoreRanked #23 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.8★ from 56 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Personal injury attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
Based in Ozark, 15 mi away
54/100LFR ScoreRanked #24 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 1.9★ from 10 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
Based in Springfield
54/100LFR ScoreRanked #25 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.9★ from 38 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Personal injury attorney”.
Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.
All 38 criminal defense lawyers
#1 to #25 are shown in full above. Here are #26 to #38, in LFR Score order; each links to its profile.
| Rank | Business | LFR Score | Google rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 | Affordable Legal Services | 54 | 4.6★ (56) | In Springfield |
| 27 | Hosmer King & Royce, LLC | 54 | 4.7★ (35) | In Springfield |
| 28 | Tad Morlan | 52 | 3.9★ (124) | In Springfield |
| 29 | Dean Price Law | 52 | 5.0★ (21) | In Springfield |
| 30 | Law Offices of Tom Norrid | 52 | 3.9★ (97) | In Springfield |
| 31 | Law Office of Curtis M. Garner & Associates, LLC | 52 | 4.4★ (20) | In Springfield |
| 32 | Jones & Musgrave | 52 | 4.3★ (23) | In Springfield |
| 33 | Law Office of Richard Bender | 52 | 4.0★ (36) | In Springfield |
| 34 | DWI Springfield: DWI and DUI Attorney in Springfield Missouri | 51 | 5.0★ (10) | In Springfield |
| 35 | Don Cooley, Attorney at Law | 51 | 4.2★ (12) | In Springfield |
| 36 | The Ticket Center and The Law Office of Rita Sanders | 50 | 4.5★ (47) | 14 mi |
| 37 | Jason W. Johnson, Attorney at Law, LLC | 49 | 3.7★ (6) | In Springfield |
| 38 | Bolivar Law Office | 46 | 4.3★ (12) | 27 mi |
Also serving Springfield
20 more criminal defense lawyers within 30 mi that we can't rank yet: too few reviews, or a practice area we couldn't confirm. Listed A to Z.
| Business | Google rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Aaron Sachs & Associates, P.C. | 4.3★ (426) | In Springfield |
| Hall Ansley, P.C. | 4.5★ (122) | In Springfield |
| Krebs Law Firm | 4.8★ (345) | In Springfield |
| Law Office of Buchanan Williams & O'Brien, P.C. | 5.0★ (82) | In Springfield |
| Law Offices of Bryan Musgrave | 4.8★ (123) | In Springfield |
| Licata Bankruptcy Firm PC | 4.8★ (201) | In Springfield |
| Lowther Johnson Attorneys at Law, LLC | 3.9★ (86) | In Springfield |
| Ozarks Family Law | 4.8★ (131) | In Springfield |
| Rah Law | 4.8★ (69) | In Springfield |
| Reynolds & Gold Law | 4.9★ (79) | In Springfield |
| Rooney McBride & Smith, LLC. | 3.9★ (73) | In Springfield |
| Schneider Law, LLC | 4.9★ (94) | In Springfield |
| Show MO Justice, LLC | 5.0★ (99) | In Springfield |
| Shuler Law Firm LLC | 4.1★ (85) | In Springfield |
| Strong Law, P.C. | 4.9★ (273) | In Springfield |
| The Law Offices Of Rick S. Vasquez | 4.8★ (223) | In Springfield |
| The Piatchek Law Firm, LLC | 4.5★ (391) | In Springfield |
| The Ryan E. Murphy Law Firm, LLC | 4.7★ (104) | In Springfield |
| Ticket Terminator Law Office | 5.0★ (318) | In Springfield |
| Tolbert Beadle LLC | 4.8★ (209) | In Springfield |
How we ranked Springfield criminal defense lawyers
We scored 38 Springfield criminal defense lawyers on nine factors, weighted as shown. A law firm is ranked when its practice area is confirmed and it has 3 or more Google reviews or a claimed profile. A law firm with no Google reviews scores zero on rating, review volume and recency. Other unknown factors are left out, not counted as zero. Scores last refreshed November 9, 2026.
Paid placement never changes a rank or score. Attorney advertising businesses are paid, labelled, limited to 3 and shown above the ranking, outside it.
| Factor | Weight | Computed from | In Springfield data |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reputation | 25% | Google star rating, adjusted for how many reviews back it | Measured |
| Bar status | 10% | An active bar or law society record matched to a lawyer at the firm (not measured until a record source is loaded) | Not yet collected |
| Review volume | 10% | Number of Google reviews, compared with the most-reviewed firm on the list | Measured |
| Recency | 10% | Share of reviews from the last 12 months | Not yet collected |
| Availability | 5% | Weekly office hours, Saturday, Sunday, and phones answered 24/7 | Measured |
| Practice focus | 15% | How clearly the firm practises this area (its Google category and name) | Measured |
| Proximity | 5% | An office in the city scores highest, less the farther away it is | Measured |
| Claimed profile | 10% | The firm has claimed its Law Firms Ranked profile (free and paid earn the same) | Measured |
| Law Firms Ranked reviews | 10% | Verified client reviews collected by Law Firms Ranked: their rating and how many there are | Measured |
How to choose a criminal defense lawyer
- Check the lawyer’s status and any public discipline in the state bar or law society directory.
- Ask how many criminal defense matters the lawyer handles each year, and who at the firm will do the work.
- Get the fee arrangement in writing: hourly, flat or contingency, and which costs are charged on top.
- Ask how and how often the firm will update you, and how fast it answers calls and emails.
- Read recent reviews for how the firm communicated and billed, not only for outcomes.
- Ask whether the lawyer regularly appears in the court where your case is filed.
- Meet more than one firm; many offer a short first consultation, sometimes free.
Questions to ask a criminal defense lawyer
- How would you approach a matter like mine, and what are the realistic options?
- How do you charge, and what will the total likely cost?
- Who will be my main contact, and how quickly do you reply?
- What does the flat fee cover, and what costs extra if the case goes to trial?
- Who will appear with me at each hearing?
- Is there any conflict of interest that would stop you representing me?
Terms explained
- Contingency fee
- A fee that is a share of the money recovered, paid only if there is a recovery. Common in injury cases; not allowed for criminal defense or for securing a divorce.
- Retainer
- Money paid up front and held in a trust account, which the lawyer draws on as fees are earned.
- Flat fee
- One set price for a defined piece of work, such as a will or an uncontested matter.
- Limited-scope representation
- Paying a lawyer for part of a matter only, such as reviewing documents or coaching for one hearing (also called unbundled services).
- Statute of limitations
- The deadline to file a lawsuit or charge. It differs by state or province and by type of claim.
- Good standing
- A lawyer’s status as active and eligible to practise with a state bar or law society.
- Law society
- The body that licenses and disciplines lawyers in a Canadian province or territory.
- Board certification
- Recognition in a field of law by a state program or an organisation accredited for that purpose. Lawyers may only claim it when they hold it, naming the certifying body.
- Attorney–client privilege
- The rule that keeps confidential communications between a client and lawyer, made for legal advice, out of court.
- Conflict check
- The search a firm runs before taking a matter to make sure it does not represent someone on the other side.
- Pro bono
- Legal work done for free, usually for people who cannot afford a lawyer.
- Legal aid
- Publicly funded legal help for people with low incomes, through legal aid offices, public defenders or provincial legal aid plans.
Criminal defense lawyers in Springfield: frequently asked questions
Which criminal defense lawyer has the highest LFR Score in Springfield?
By LFR Score, the highest-ranked criminal defense lawyer in Springfield, MO is Twibell Pierson Criminal Law with an LFR Score of 70/100. It has 5.0★ from 435 Google reviews. MRD Lawyers (#2) and John D. Kail - Attorney (#3) follow. We ranked 38 criminal defense lawyers on nine factors, last updated November 9, 2026.
How many criminal defense lawyers are there in Springfield?
LawFirmsRanked ranks 38 criminal defense lawyers serving Springfield, MO. 33 of them are based in Springfield; the rest serve it from nearby towns. Another 20 within 30 mi are listed but not ranked yet. Counts are as of November 2026.
Which criminal defense lawyers in Springfield work on weekends?
2 of 38 ranked criminal defense lawyers post Saturday hours. The highest-ranked open Saturdays are Ozarks DWI Law Clinic (#15) and Ozarks DWI Law Clinic (#17). Posted hours are office hours; many firms meet clients by appointment outside them.
What Google rating do Springfield criminal defense lawyers have?
The median Google rating among 38 rated criminal defense lawyers in Springfield is 4.5★, with a median of 40 reviews. Twibell Pierson Criminal Law has the most, 435 reviews, and ranks #1. We adjust ratings for review count, so a few five-star reviews cannot top the list.
How does LawFirmsRanked rank criminal defense lawyers?
Each criminal defense lawyer gets a 0–100 LFR Score from nine published factors, led by reputation (25%), practice focus (15%), review volume (10%) and recency (10%). A law firm with no Google reviews scores zero on rating, review volume and recency; other factors we cannot measure are left out. Only law firms with a confirmed practice area and 3 or more reviews, or a claimed profile, are ranked.
Do criminal defense lawyers outside Springfield count in this ranking?
Yes, if they are within 30 mi of the Springfield city center, our service radius for criminal defense lawyers. Each listing shows where the law firm is based and how far away it is. Proximity is 5% of the LFR Score, so a nearby law firm gets a small edge.
Can criminal defense lawyers pay to rank higher on LawFirmsRanked?
No. The LFR Score never reads payment status, and this ranking has 0 paid placements. Up to 3 Featured law firms may appear above the list, labelled Attorney advertising and showing their honest rank.
How do criminal defense lawyers in Springfield, MO charge?
Criminal defense lawyers usually charge a flat fee per stage (for example, through a plea or through trial) or an hourly rate. Contingency fees are not allowed in criminal cases under ABA Model Rule 1.5(d). Lawyers using Clio billed an average of $219 an hour in this area (Clio Legal Trends data, October 2026; all areas $362). Ask for the fee arrangement in writing before you agree.
What if I can’t afford a criminal defense lawyer?
If a charge can lead to jail, the court must appoint a lawyer for you if you cannot afford one (Gideon v. Wainwright, 1963; Argersinger v. Hamlin, 1972). Ask about a public defender at your first court appearance. This is general information, not legal advice.
How is this list of criminal defense lawyers in Springfield, MO ranked?
By LFR Score only, from public data on reviews, practice focus, office location and hours. Firms labelled “Attorney advertising” paid for that placement; payment never changes a rank, and a rank is not an endorsement.
Does a lawyer need an office in Springfield?
No, but the lawyer must be licensed in your state (or, for federal matters such as immigration, in some state). A local office makes meetings and court appearances easier, so proximity is one of our factors.
Update log for Springfield
- November 2026: LFR Scores recalculated for 38 criminal defense lawyers serving Springfield.
More criminal defense lawyers and Springfield pages
Criminal defense lawyers near Springfield
- Criminal defense lawyers in Nixa, MO44 ranked
- Criminal defense lawyers in Republic, MO37 ranked
- Criminal defense lawyers in Ozark, MO44 ranked
- Criminal defense lawyers in Bolivar, MO20 ranked
- Criminal defense lawyers in Branson, MO13 ranked
- Criminal defense lawyers in Lebanon, MO8 ranked
- Criminal defense lawyers in Carthage, MO14 ranked
Other practice areas in Springfield
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- Social Security disability lawyers in Springfield6 ranked
- Divorce and family lawyers in Springfield42 ranked
- Estate planning and probate lawyers in Springfield34 ranked
- Bankruptcy lawyers in Springfield11 ranked
- Immigration lawyers in Springfield7 ranked
- Employment lawyers in Springfield7 ranked
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