74/100LFR Score
Ranked #1 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 5.0★ from 365 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Emergency Criminal Defense Lawyers in Madison, WI (2026)
43 criminal defense lawyers ranked by LFR ScoreUpdated 0 paid placements in this rankingHow we rank
8 of the 43 criminal defense lawyers on this list post 24/7 hours. 24/7 law firms come first, then same-day, each ranked by LFR Score with availability weighted higher.
If you or someone you know is arrested: you can stay silent and ask for a lawyer before answering questions. Calls from jail are usually recorded, so do not discuss the facts of the case on them.
The short answer
- 1
#1 for emergency criminal defense in Madison: Casper Mehlos Law Group, open 24/7.
Rankings can't be bought. Lawyers can't pay to change their rank or score. How we rank
Top emergency criminal defense lawyers in Madison 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 | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Casper Mehlos Law Group | 74 | 5.0★ (365) | Madison | Open 24 hrs (Google) |
| 2 | Grieve Law Criminal Defense | 73 | 4.9★ (309) | Fitchburg, 4 mi away | Open 24 hrs (Google) |
| 3 | Avena Law Office, LLC | 72 | 4.8★ (167) | Madison | Open 24 hrs (Google) |
| 4 | Grieve Law Criminal Defense | 70 | 4.9★ (55) | Madison | Open 24 hrs (Google) |
| 5 | Attorney Joseph Kennedy | 69 | 4.9★ (37) | Madison | Open 24 hrs (Google) |
| 6 | Grieve Law Criminal Defense | 66 | 5.0★ (17) | Middleton, 6 mi away | Open 24 hrs (Google) |
| 7 | Maciolek Law Group | 64 | 4.7★ (13) | Sun Prairie, 12 mi away | Open 24 hrs (Google) |
| 8 | MY Law Office, L.L.C. | 63 | 2.3★ (3) | Middleton, 5 mi away | Open 24 hrs (Google) |
| 9 | Jasti, Zehawi & Johnson, LLC | 55 | 5.0★ (232) | Madison | — |
| 10 | Hurley Burish, S.C. | 54 | 4.9★ (174) | Madison | — |
Call an emergency criminal defense lawyer in Madison now
24-hour hours mean the firm lists itself as open around the clock on Google; that does not show its phone is answered. A lawyer may not be able to visit a jail or appear in court the same day: ask what they can do now and what it costs before you agree.
- #1Call (608) 820-8926
Open 24/7 · 5.0 from 365 Google reviews
- #2Call (608) 470-6906
Open 24/7 · 4.9 from 309 Google reviews
- #3Call (608) 271-2271
Open 24/7 · 4.8 from 167 Google reviews
- #4Call (608) 344-2262
Open 24/7 · 4.9 from 55 Google reviews
- #5Call (608) 470-7264
Open 24/7 · 4.9 from 37 Google reviews
- #6Call (608) 344-2258
Open 24/7 · 5.0 from 17 Google reviews
- #7Call (608) 889-3689
Open 24/7 · 4.7 from 13 Google reviews
- #8Call (608) 556-7747
Open 24/7 · 2.3 from 3 Google reviews
The 43 emergency criminal defense lawyers in Madison, ranked
24/7 first, then same-day service, then the rest. Each group is in LFR Score order on emergency weights.
Ranked by our published LFR Score from public data, not by payment; a rank is not an endorsement or a prediction of results.
Scores below: based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected. Hatched segments mark factors we don't have yet.
Based in Fitchburg, 4 mi away
73/100LFR ScoreRanked #2 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.9★ from 309 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based in Madison
72/100LFR ScoreRanked #3 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.8★ from 167 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based in Madison
70/100LFR ScoreRanked #4 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.9★ from 55 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based in Madison
69/100LFR ScoreRanked #5 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.9★ from 37 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based in Middleton, 6 mi away
66/100LFR ScoreRanked #6 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 5.0★ from 17 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based in Sun Prairie, 12 mi away
64/100LFR ScoreRanked #7 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.7★ from 13 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based in Middleton, 5 mi away
63/100LFR ScoreRanked #8 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 2.3★ from 3 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based in Madison
55/100LFR ScoreRanked #9 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 5.0★ from 232 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based in Madison
54/100LFR ScoreRanked #10 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.9★ from 174 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based in Madison
53/100LFR ScoreRanked #11 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.8★ from 162 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based in Madison
53/100LFR ScoreRanked #12 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.8★ from 116 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based in Madison
52/100LFR ScoreRanked #13 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 5.0★ from 75 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based in Madison
52/100LFR ScoreRanked #14 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.6★ from 102 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based in Madison
52/100LFR ScoreRanked #15 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.5★ from 98 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based in Madison
52/100LFR ScoreRanked #16 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.9★ from 64 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
#17 Raff Law
Based in Madison
51/100LFR ScoreRanked #17 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 5.0★ from 39 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based in Madison
50/100LFR ScoreRanked #18 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 5.0★ from 27 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based in Madison
50/100LFR ScoreRanked #19 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.5★ from 35 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based in Madison
50/100LFR ScoreRanked #20 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.8★ from 27 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based in Madison
49/100LFR ScoreRanked #21 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.9★ from 22 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
#22 House Law Office
Based in Madison
49/100LFR ScoreRanked #22 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 5.0★ from 17 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based in Middleton, 5 mi away
48/100LFR ScoreRanked #23 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.6★ from 20 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based in Madison
48/100LFR ScoreRanked #24 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 3.9★ from 14 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
Based in Madison
47/100LFR ScoreRanked #25 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.2★ from 10 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.
All 43 criminal defense lawyers by emergency score
#1 to #25 are shown in full above. Here are #26 to #43, in LFR Score order; each links to its profile.
| Rank | Business | LFR Score | Google rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 | Gonzalez Law Office, LLC | 47 | 3.0★ (18) | In Madison |
| 27 | Stroud, Willink & Howard Criminal Defense Group | 47 | 4.8★ (6) | In Madison |
| 28 | Frank Law Offices | 47 | 4.2★ (10) | In Madison |
| 29 | Kirk Obear & Associates | 46 | 5.0★ (5) | In Madison |
| 30 | Smerlinski Law Office S. C. | 46 | 2.9★ (9) | In Madison |
| 31 | Johnen & Holevoet Law Offices | 46 | 4.8★ (465) | In Madison |
| 32 | Auerbach & Porter S.C. | 45 | 3.7★ (6) | In Madison |
| 33 | Murray Law Office | 45 | 5.0★ (4) | In Madison |
| 34 | Eastbridge Law Group, LLP | 44 | 4.7★ (149) | In Madison |
| 35 | Mays Law Office, LLC | 43 | 5.0★ (106) | 5 mi |
| 36 | West & Dunn | 42 | 4.7★ (163) | 9 mi |
| 37 | O'Flaherty Law of Madison | 40 | 4.5★ (31) | In Madison |
| 38 | Pines Bach LLP | 40 | 4.1★ (34) | In Madison |
| 39 | Robert F. Nagel Law | 39 | 4.3★ (23) | In Madison |
| 40 | Giesen Law Offices, S.C. | 39 | 4.8★ (17) | In Madison |
| 41 | Davey & Goldman Law Firm | 38 | 4.4★ (11) | In Madison |
| 42 | Richard B. Jacobson & Associates, LLC | 38 | 3.2★ (13) | In Madison |
| 43 | Gregory Wright Law Offices, S.C. | 37 | 4.3★ (6) | In Madison |
How we ranked emergency criminal defense lawyers in Madison
Emergency lists move 10 points of the LFR Score from reputation to availability: 15% and 15%. Availability credits 24/7 hours, same-day service, weekend hours and weekly open hours. 24/7 criminal defense lawyers are listed first, then same-day, then the rest; ranks follow that order. Paid placement never changes a rank.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Reputation | 15% | Google star rating, adjusted for how many reviews back it |
| 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) |
| Review volume | 10% | Number of Google reviews, compared with the most-reviewed firm on the list |
| Recency | 10% | Share of reviews from the last 12 months |
| Availability | 15% | Weekly office hours, Saturday, Sunday, and phones answered 24/7 |
| Practice focus | 15% | How clearly the firm practises this area (its Google category and name) |
| Proximity | 5% | An office in the city scores highest, less the farther away it is |
| Claimed profile | 10% | The firm has claimed its Law Firms Ranked profile (free and paid earn the same) |
| Law Firms Ranked reviews | 10% | Verified client reviews collected by Law Firms Ranked: their rating and how many there are |
Emergency criminal defense lawyers in Madison: questions
Which criminal defense lawyers in Madison are open 24/7?
8 on this list post 24/7 hours, including Casper Mehlos Law Group, Grieve Law Criminal Defense, Avena Law Office, LLC, Grieve Law Criminal Defense and Attorney Joseph Kennedy.
Who is ranked #1 for emergency criminal defense in Madison, WI?
Casper Mehlos Law Group is #1, with an LFR Score of 74 out of 100 on emergency weights.
How are emergency criminal defense lawyers in Madison ranked?
Emergency lists move 10 points of the LFR Score from reputation to availability: 15% and 15%. Availability credits 24/7 hours, same-day service, weekend hours and weekly open hours. 24/7 criminal defense lawyers are listed first, then same-day, then the rest; ranks follow that order. Paid placement never changes a rank.
What should I do before the criminal defense lawyer arrives?
If you or someone you know is arrested: you can stay silent and ask for a lawyer before answering questions. Calls from jail are usually recorded, so do not discuss the facts of the case on them.
How many emergency criminal defense lawyers here list a phone number?
25 of the 25 law firms ranked in full list a phone number. Tap Call to dial it.
Update log for Madison
- November 2026: LFR Scores recalculated for 43 criminal defense lawyers serving Madison.