Brooks Law Firm
Most misdemeanor defense in Memphis is handled on a flat fee. A misdemeanor in Shelby County General Sessions at 201 Poplar starts at $750, and most misdemeanor cases — theft, drug possession, simple assault, driving offenses — run $750–$2,500 through resolution. The exceptions are the misdemeanors that fight like felonies: a DUI or domestic assault case taken through trial can run $5,000–$10,000. We quote your exact flat fee after a free consultation. Call or text the criminal line at 901-412-2973 or the office at (901) 324-5000.
Misdemeanor lawyer fees
| Situation | Our flat fee |
|---|---|
| Most misdemeanors — theft or shoplifting under $1,000, simple drug possession, simple assault, driving offenses — Shelby County General Sessions | $750–$2,500 |
| Misdemeanor in the Bartlett, Germantown, or Collierville municipal courts | from $1,000 |
| First-offense DUI, Shelby County General Sessions (resolved) | from $1,500 |
| Misdemeanor domestic assault, Shelby County General Sessions (resolved) | from $750 |
| DUI or domestic assault taken through trial | $5,000–$10,000 |
These are attorney fees. Court costs and fines are separate, and if your case resolves through diversion, so are the $100 Tennessee Bureau of Investigation application fee for the eligibility certificate, monthly probation supervision fees during the diversion period, and the filing fee when the record is expunged at the end. Some resolutions include classes — anger management, drug education — each with its own program fee.
What drives the cost of a misdemeanor case
- The charge. A public intoxication is a different case than a domestic assault with a no-contact order, extra settings, and firearm consequences — even though both are misdemeanors.
- The court. Shelby County General Sessions runs differently than the suburb municipal courts, and a suburb case takes separate appearances, which is why those start at $1,000.
- Your record. A first-time offender has options — judicial diversion, negotiated dismissal — that change the strategy and often shorten the case. Our guide to a first-time misdemeanor in Memphis walks through those routes.
- Trial. Most misdemeanors resolve without one. The ones that do not — usually DUI and domestic assault, where the stakes justify it — involve scientific evidence, witnesses, and contested hearings, and the fee reflects that work.
Flat fee, not an hourly meter
We quote one flat fee for a defined scope of work, so you are not billed by the hour for every call. The free consultation gives you the number in writing before you commit. Se habla Español. If paying at once is a hardship, ask about an arrangement.
Why the cheapest quote isn’t the whole story
A misdemeanor conviction is permanent and public in Tennessee — most convictions can never be expunged — and it follows you into job applications, apartment applications, professional licensing, and immigration matters. A quick guilty plea, or a bargain fee that plans for one, can convert a dismissable case into a lifetime record and burn a first-time offender’s once-per-lifetime diversion eligibility. When you weigh a fee against decades of background checks, the fee is usually the smaller number. Charge-specific numbers: theft lawyer cost, drug charge lawyer cost, DUI lawyer cost, domestic assault lawyer cost, or what other charges cost.
Talk to a misdemeanor lawyer — free
Tell us what you are charged with and we will tell you the fee. Call the office at (901) 324-5000, or call or text the criminal line at 901-412-2973, for a free, confidential consultation.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a misdemeanor lawyer cost in Memphis?
At Brooks Law Firm, misdemeanor defense in Shelby County General Sessions starts at $750, and most cases — theft, simple possession, simple assault, driving offenses — run $750–$2,500 through resolution on a flat fee. A DUI or domestic assault taken through trial can run $5,000–$10,000. These are attorney fees; court costs and fines are separate.
What makes a misdemeanor cost more?
The type of charge, the court it sits in, your record, and whether the case is headed to a contested hearing or trial. Domestic assault and DUI sit at the top of the range because they involve no-contact conditions, mandatory minimums, scientific evidence, and more court settings than other misdemeanors.
Is it cheaper to just plead guilty without a lawyer?
It can look that way on day one, but most Tennessee misdemeanor convictions are permanent and can never be expunged, and they affect employment, housing, licensing, and immigration for decades. A first-time offender who pleads guilty quickly may also give up a realistic dismissal or a diversion that would have kept the record clean entirely.
Is the fee flat or hourly?
Flat. Brooks Law Firm quotes one price for a defined scope, so you are not billed by the hour. You get the number in writing after a free consultation.