Lawrence County Criminal Defense Attorney

Charged with a crime in Lawrence County? McCown, Fisher & Cremeans defends felony and misdemeanor cases in the Lawrence County Court of Common Pleas 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 Lawrence County

Home — both of our offices are located in Lawrence County, and the firm has practiced in these courts since 1964. We handle felony cases in the Common Pleas Court and misdemeanors in the Ironton Municipal Court and the Lawrence County Municipal Court.

Lawrence County sits in Ohio's southernmost county, where the Ohio River meets Kentucky and West Virginia at the US-52 / US-23 junction. We defend clients in Ironton and throughout the county, including Ironton, Coal Grove, South Point, Chesapeake, Proctorville, Hanging Rock, Athalia, Burlington, Pedro, and Kitts Hill. 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 Lawrence County Sheriff's Office, local police departments, and the Ohio State Highway Patrol.

Charges We Defend in Lawrence County

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

How a Lawrence County Criminal Case Works

Charging. Misdemeanors are filed in the Ironton Municipal Court and the Lawrence County Municipal Court; felonies are presented to a Lawrence County grand jury and indicted into the Lawrence County Court of Common Pleas in Ironton.
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 Lawrence County jury when that is the right call.

Local Courts & Law Enforcement

Lawrence County criminal matters move through the Lawrence County Court of Common Pleas (felonies) and the Ironton Municipal Court and the Lawrence County Municipal Court (misdemeanors), with the Lawrence County Prosecuting Attorney representing the State. Arrests are made by the Lawrence 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 Lawrence County.

Free Lawrence County Consultation

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

Local Court Information

Lawrence County Courts, Prosecutor & Sheriff

Common Pleas Court

Felony cases & indicted matters.

Lawrence County Court of Common Pleas
111 South 4th Street, Ironton, OH 45638
(740) 533-4350

Municipal Courts

Misdemeanor & traffic cases.

Ironton Municipal Court
301 South 3rd Street, 3rd Floor, Ironton, OH 45638
(740) 532-3062

Second Municipal Court

Lawrence County Municipal Court
10916 County Road 1, Chesapeake, OH 45619
(740) 867-3127

Prosecutor & Sheriff

The State’s case & arresting agency.

Lawrence County Prosecuting Attorney
1 Veterans Square, Ironton, OH 45638
(740) 533-4360

Lawrence County Sheriff's Office

Drive from Ironton (HQ): Home county. Lawrence County seat: Ironton. County population (2020): 58,240.

Lawrence County — Common Questions

Lawrence County Criminal Defense FAQ

Where will my criminal case be heard in Lawrence County?

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

Do you represent clients throughout Lawrence County, Ohio?

Yes. McCown, Fisher & Cremeans defends clients across all of Lawrence County — including Ironton, Coal Grove, South Point, Chesapeake, Proctorville, Hanging Rock, and the surrounding communities. No matter where in the county your charge originates, we can represent you.

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

Right away. Call (740) 532-8744 for a free, confidential consultation. We respond the same business day in most Lawrence 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 Ironton?

Our Ironton headquarters is Home county from Ironton, and we also have an office in Chesapeake. We routinely travel to the Lawrence 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: Lawrence County, Ohio criminal defense — felony and misdemeanor charges in Ironton and surrounding communities (Ironton, Coal Grove, South Point, Chesapeake, Proctorville, Hanging Rock).

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

Where this comes from: the Lawrence County Court of Common Pleas, the Ironton Municipal Court and the Lawrence County 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 Lawrence 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