Felony Defense Attorney in Raleigh, NC
If you have been charged with a felony in Wake County, North Carolina, what should you do?
The sooner you speak with an attorney, the more time your attorney may have to protect your rights and explore the options available to you. Early legal representation may help with bail, questioning, plea negotiations and the possibility of reduced charges.
Having an attorney present during questioning also gives you someone who can advise you about which questions you should and should not answer.
A felony charge is serious, but it does not define you or decide the outcome of your case. You still have the right to challenge the evidence, tell your side of the story and pursue every legal option available.
Whether you believe you have been falsely accused, made a mistake or are unsure what comes next, you deserve a fair defense and your day in court.
Make sure you have one of the most experienced criminal defense lawyers in Wake County on your side.
Felony Cases We Handle
John McWilliam has been practicing law in Raleigh, NC and the surrounding areas since 1993.
That experience matters when your freedom, reputation and future may be affected by the allegations against you. Because John has spent decades working within the Wake County court system, he understands the local procedures, the people involved and the legal arguments that may help move a case toward a more favorable outcome.
The Law Office of John McWilliam has experience with the following types of felonies:
Armed Robbery
Burglary & Larceny
Drug Trafficking
Felony Assault
Habitual DWI/DUI
Habitual Felonies
Murder
White Collar Crimes
And More
John McWilliam’s Felony Defense Background
For the first 12 years of John’s legal career, Wake County operated without a Public Defender’s Office. People who could not afford an attorney were represented by private criminal defense lawyers who made themselves available through various court-appointed lists.
In 1993, McWilliam signed up for the misdemeanor list and was soon taking on court-appointed felony work.
He was later asked to join the committee that reviewed lawyers applying for inclusion on the various lists, and he eventually chaired that committee.
It quickly became apparent that McWilliam was willing to represent people facing all types of charges, including difficult sex offense cases that many other lawyers were unwilling to accept.
That willingness reflects a belief that every person accused of a crime deserves a meaningful defense and an attorney prepared to examine every available legal avenue.
Zealously Representing the Accused Since 1993
McWilliam has spent decades representing people facing serious felony allegations. His experience has shown that even cases involving difficult facts may contain evidence, testimony or legal issues that deserve a closer look.
Challenging a Difficult Case
One of McWilliam’s most remarkable sex offense cases involved a statutory rape charge in which the defendant had confessed.
Rather than assume the case was already decided, McWilliam continued to examine the evidence and pursue the available defense. The jury ultimately found the defendant not guilty.
The result is an example of why every case should be reviewed carefully, even when the allegations initially appear difficult to overcome.
Exposing Weaknesses in the State’s Case
Another memorable statutory rape case involved a defendant whom McWilliam believed was truly innocent.
The defendant had helped raise two girls and one boy as if they were his own children. Their mother later convinced the children to make separate allegations against him by telling each child that he had harmed the other two.
The State’s final witness was the boy.
During cross-examination, McWilliam established that the boy had once loved the defendant as a father. When asked why he no longer loved him, the boy answered, “because of what he did to my sisters.”
McWilliam asked no more questions.
That answer revealed an important weakness in the State’s case. The jury deliberated for less than 25 minutes before returning not-guilty verdicts on all charges.
The case shows why testimony should be tested, inconsistencies should be examined and no one facing serious allegations should assume there is no path forward.
Experience Across a Wide Range of Felony Cases
In addition to his sex offense cases, McWilliam has represented individuals charged with murder, drug trafficking, armed robbery, burglary, larceny, assault, habitual felonies, habitual DWI and white collar crimes.
His first felony jury trial involved an embezzlement charge. During jury selection, McWilliam noticed that everyone in the courtroom appeared particularly deferential toward a potential juror dressed in a suit.
He eventually realized that the man was a Court of Appeals Judge.
The District Attorney kept the judge on the jury, and McWilliam was not about to remove a Court of Appeals Judge from the panel.
The judge and his 11 fellow jurors ultimately found McWilliam’s client not guilty.
A Felony Practice Built for Superior Court
Today, McWilliam’s felony practice includes white collar defendants and people charged with serious drug offenses, habitual DWI, habitual felonies and sex offenses.
McWilliam prefers Superior Court to District Court. The formality, the insistence on proper procedure by both the State and the defense, the challenging legal arguments and the opportunity to present cases before a jury all appeal to his aggressive, unpredictable yet formal style of representation.
He understands that a strong felony defense may require careful preparation, a willingness to challenge the State and the confidence to take a case before a jury when necessary.
McWilliam also enjoys bragging that in July 2013, he tried and won the first jury trial held in Wake County’s fancy palace of justice, the Wake County Justice Center.
He is still waiting for his commemorative plaque.
