Gallia County Criminal Defense Attorney

Charged with a crime in Gallia County? McCown, Fisher & Cremeans defends felony and misdemeanor cases in the Gallia County Common Pleas Court and the local municipal court — with the same procedural rigor we bring to every courtroom in our nine-county Southern Ohio footprint.

Reviewed by Brian M. Cremeans, Esq. · Updated October 2026

Criminal Defense in Gallia County

A historic Ohio River community; the Gallipolis Municipal and Gallia Common Pleas courts handle criminal matters arising along the US-35 and SR-7 corridors.

Gallia County sits in the Ohio River gateway at the SR-7 / US-35 crossing between Ohio and West Virginia. We defend clients in Gallipolis and throughout the county, including Gallipolis, Rio Grande, Vinton, Centerville, Cheshire, Crown City, and Bidwell. Charges in this part of Southern Ohio commonly arise from traffic stops along the county’s main routes, searches of homes and vehicles, and incidents involving the Gallia County Sheriff's Office, local police departments, and the Ohio State Highway Patrol.

Charges We Defend in Gallia County

We handle the full range of felony and misdemeanor charges in Gallia County, in both the Common Pleas and municipal courts:

How a Gallia County Criminal Case Works

Charging. Misdemeanors are filed in the Gallipolis Municipal Court; felonies are presented to a Gallia County grand jury and indicted into the Gallia County Common Pleas Court in Gallipolis.
Arraignment & bond. We address bond and release conditions early so you can keep working and living your life while the case is pending.
Discovery & investigation. We obtain the reports, body-camera and dash-camera video, lab results, and witness statements, and conduct our own independent investigation.
Suppression. Where the facts support it, we move to suppress evidence obtained through an unlawful stop, search, or interrogation — which can gut the State’s case.
Resolution. We negotiate for dismissal, diversion, or reduction from a position of trial readiness — and try the case to a Gallia County jury when that is the right call.

Local Courts & Law Enforcement

Gallia County criminal matters move through the Gallia County Common Pleas Court (felonies) and the Gallipolis Municipal Court (misdemeanors), with the Gallia County Prosecuting Attorney representing the State. Arrests are made by the Gallia County Sheriff's Office, municipal police departments, and the Ohio State Highway Patrol. We know these courthouses, the local docket practices, and how cases actually move in Gallia County.

Free Gallia County Consultation

Call (740) 532-8744 for a free, confidential review of your Gallia County charge. Both attorneys take Gallia County cases personally, and we respond the same business day in most cases.

Local Court Information

Gallia County Courts, Prosecutor & Sheriff

Common Pleas Court

Felony cases & indicted matters.

Gallia County Common Pleas Court
18 Locust Street, Room 1290, Gallipolis, OH 45631
(740) 446-4612

Municipal Court

Misdemeanor & traffic cases.

Gallipolis Municipal Court
518 2nd Avenue, Gallipolis, OH 45631
(740) 446-9400

Prosecutor & Sheriff

The State’s case & arresting agency.

Gallia County Prosecuting Attorney
18 Locust Street, Suite 1267, Gallipolis, OH 45631
(740) 446-0018

Gallia County Sheriff's Office

Drive from Ironton (HQ): 40 miles. Gallia County seat: Gallipolis. County population (2020): 29,220.

Gallia County — Common Questions

Gallia County Criminal Defense FAQ

Where will my criminal case be heard in Gallia County?

It depends on the level of the charge. Felony cases are prosecuted in the Gallia County Common Pleas Court in Gallipolis, while misdemeanors and most traffic offenses are heard in the Gallipolis Municipal Court. We appear regularly in both courts and handle the case wherever it is filed.

Do you represent clients throughout Gallia County, Ohio?

Yes. McCown, Fisher & Cremeans defends clients across all of Gallia County — including Gallipolis, Rio Grande, Vinton, Centerville, Cheshire, Crown City, and the surrounding communities. No matter where in the county your charge originates, we can represent you.

How quickly can I reach a Gallia County criminal defense lawyer?

Right away. Call (740) 532-8744 for a free, confidential consultation. We respond the same business day in most Gallia County matters, and the first 48 hours after an arrest are when an attorney can do the most to protect your rights and your record.

How far is your office from Gallipolis?

Our Ironton headquarters is 40 miles from Gallipolis, and we also have an office in Chesapeake. We routinely travel to the Gallia County courts, and we offer virtual appointments and texting (text us at (220) 215-0832) — so distance is never a barrier to representation.

The Short Version.

What this page covers: Gallia County, Ohio criminal defense — felony and misdemeanor charges in Gallipolis and surrounding communities (Gallipolis, Rio Grande, Vinton, Centerville, Cheshire, Crown City).

Bottom line: If you have been charged with a crime in Gallia County, call (740) 532-8744 before speaking with anyone. The first 48 hours matter most.

Where this comes from: the Gallia County Common Pleas Court, the Gallipolis Municipal Court, the Ohio Revised Code, and 50+ years of combined criminal-defense experience at McCown, Fisher & Cremeans LPA, with offices in Ironton and Chesapeake.

For specific advice on your case: call (740) 532-8744 for a free, same-day Gallia County consultation.

Free, Confidential Consultation. Same-Day Response. Two Offices.

An arrest is not a conviction. The sooner an attorney is reviewing the stop, the search, and the State’s evidence, the more options you have. Call now or request a free case review — there is no cost and no obligation.

Call (740) 532-8744 Free Case Review