Military Trial Defenders — Local services in Colorado Springs

I am writing this the day after being acquitted. I feel that I owe a thorough review to give the you the most transparent information.

Stages when charges were preferred: I spoke with many attorneys, but Lance stood out from the rest. He was easy to talk to, easy to get a hold of, I could text him directly and he would promptly respond, he was willing to offer useful insight without charging a dime. I did not immediately hire Lance because the preliminary hearing had went in my favor.

Preliminary hearing is NOT binding: because of the prelim going well I did not seek counsel and stayed with TDS. What I was not aware of was that the convening authority ignored the preliminary hearing officer’s determination and proceeded with a general court martial.

TDS: trial defense counsel absolutely care about you, however their abilities to create a strong case for you is extremely limited. They are often less experienced than the prosecution and can be intimated by the judge. They often have to request permission from the government to produce witnesses, experts, etc. which they almost always will deny unless it benefits their case against you.

Pre-motions hearing: because the government will deny everything, your TDS will likely have to compel the judge to make the government agree to your requests. This is where I got to watch my TDS awkwardly stumble through cross examination and convince the judge of literally nothing. I felt sorry for them and it was my case.

After the hearing it became extremely evident I was going to lose my trial and potentially face 3 years confinement, bad conduct discharge and affect my abilities to be a father. My TDS was sympathetic, but already felt defeated.

Why does any of this matter and how does this relate to Lance? After leaving the TDS office, I called military trial defenders and Lance got a hold of me later that day. He filed a motion of entry and from the moment he began representing me there was a significant shift from the government. Suddenly they became cooperative, were willing to talk to Lance and agree on stipulations. No more games, no more dodging TDS calls.

At this stage I got to watch Lance slowly and methodically lock the government into a very tight arena.

Trial: we went with a panel (jury) over judge alone. Lance is extremely good at attention to detail during jury selection. This is often an underrated process that is crucial when deliberation comes. After jury selection opening statements, witnesses, exhibits and instructions for the panel. what I noticed was the the panel was very reciprocal of Lance, they were very engaged when he spoke and would often nod and passively agree with his arguments. The judge was also very positive to Lance. The judge agreed to all of Lance’s arguments of stipulation and instructions over the governments because he was better able to articulate it. Lastly, even the prosecutors would often try to get lance’s attention and try to joke with him. Lance was respectful and stayed focused. “We’re just going to object to everything, this is what we do” the prosecutor laughed. He knew he was losing. Bad.

Lance is willing to call you the stand if it makes sense. He will prepare you and produce a very limited scope to which the government can cross examine. You still have to be mindful, but Lance will absolutely set you up for success on the stand. The panel is EXTREMELY engaged When the accused takes the stand.

Closing arguments. This was the only time the prosecution put on a strong show. But even then, Lance is phenomenal at closing arguments. There are many other reviews to support this. I cannot stress enough how crucial a strong closing argument is. It is the last thing the panel gets before deliberation. It is the freshest content on their mind and is the final tip to your case.

Deliberation. From the very beginning to the end. Lance was always at a 100%. The panel made a determination within 10 minutes and the verdict was not guilty.

Thank you Lance. I owe my...

I cant stress enough the phenomenal work Mr. Lance Wood put into helping me with my case. I was accused of Domestic violence and strangulation. Mr wood thoroughly examined the half hearted attempt at an investigation on the military’s side, and one sided review of an allegation with no support. Mr. Wood was always available when i would call or text even with the dilemma of being hours apart in different time zones. As nerve racking as my administration separation board was, Mr. Woods confidence and knowledge of regulation shut down multiple attempts at a flawed attempt to bring detriment to my character. Mr. Woods hard work and commitment resulted in a unanimous decision among the board members for retention in the Army, and unfounded accusations. The efforts and work Mr. Wood put in to achieve this outcome has drastically affected my life, I can move on with my career and continue to lead soldiers and be in my career field Im passionate about. I will be forever grateful that he removed a heavy weight from my shoulders, this career means everything to me and Mr. Wood could see that. And i could clearly see that Mr. Wood was passionate about his career field and proving and ensuring the justice system was not just a check the block system. I would recommend this counsel under any...

I highly recommend Lance Wood for legal representation, especially for military legal issues. As a military officer, I was shocked when false allegations were made against me by an ex-wife and her boyfriend, prompting an investigation. The situation was extremely distressing and could have majorly impacted my career.

Despite being busy with a high-profile case, Mr. Wood responded right away when I contacted him. He quickly coordinated with the investigating agent and laid out strategic options, risks, and recommendations. Mr. Wood and his team conducted a fact-finding mission to build my defense.

Thanks to Mr. Wood's counsel, the investigation was resolved. His expertise with military law was evident. I'm grateful that I can now move forward with my career and life.

If you are a service member needing top-notch legal representation, especially for UCMJ matters, I highly recommend connecting with Lance Wood. His responsiveness and grasp of military law makes him an...