Testimonials From Former Clients

Below are testimonials/reviews from former clients we’ve defended, or from their loved ones. These individuals have shared their stories and experiences about what it was like to be accused of and charged with a sexual crime, and how our Group was able to help them. As you will see, you are not alone. Countless individuals have suffered through the nightmare you are experiencing. We hope that the passion they’ve shared in their stories and the information they have provided will assist you during this difficult time.

Several of our prior clients have volunteered to speak with any of our prospective clients about their experience with Tom, their local Group lawyer and other members of the Premier Defense Group team. Please ask about this during your free phone consultation.

05/30/2022 – JB

“Our teenage son was charged with over a dozen criminal offenses in two different jurisdictions. He was being charged as an adult in one jurisdiction and as a juvenile in the other. He was falsely accused by a close family member who claimed that she was sexually abused by our son for almost a decade. Not knowing what to do or who to turn to for legal assistance, we frantically searched the Internet for an attorney who could save our son. He was facing 25 years in prison for something that he didn’t do. We discovered Premier Defense Group and contacted Tom immediately. When we called his office, a friendly, comforting and understanding woman named Sharron answered the phone. She could tell that we were in a lot of distress, and she scheduled us to meet with Tom within just a few hours after calling. Our meeting with Tom was during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in the spring of 2020 and in-person meetings were not the norm. After speaking with us, Tom assured our son that he believed him and began working on our son’s behalf right away.

Tom was personally invested in our son’s cases and spent countless hours preparing his defense. It took almost two years for our son’s cases to navigate through the judicial system. There were many court appearances where Tom fought very hard for our son. Our first court victory was to have the adult charges transferred to juvenile court. Tom and his expert were very instrumental in presenting that testimony. Our second court victory was where Tom presented a strong argument to the judge to have the cases consolidated. The third victory in court was due to Tom’s expertise in requesting confidential medical records of the accuser that were instrumental to the case. Lastly, the final court appearance was scheduled for three days and took place almost two years after we first met Tom. The case concluded in two days and our son was found not involved on all counts. Since the trial ended a day early, closing remarks were done on the fly. His experience outclassed the state attorney’s closing remarks.

Tom dedicated many weekends and countless hours during the two years he spent on our case. His services are in demand, but he always made us feel like a priority. He was always available by phone if we ever needed anything and was good about keeping us informed and updated. Tom and his team really helped comfort us during this challenging time in our family’s life. We cannot thank Tom, Sharron, Flavia, and Joe enough for getting us through the nightmare that we encountered. Our family developed a close and personal relationship with Tom and we still stay in touch to this day.

You will not find another attorney with more experience related to sexual misconduct. I used to think that you are innocent until proven guilty but not in this case. We sadly learned that instead, when it comes to these types of allegations you are guilty until proven innocent.

Our son has his entire life ahead of him and without Tom and his dedicated team, he could be behind bars for a crime that he did not commit. We put our trust and our son’s life in Tom’s hands and we thank God everyday that we found him.”

03/2020 – PJ

“If you’re on this website, frantically scanning through seeking for a defense Attorney due to a sex accusation, you just found the best Attorney, Mr. Thomas A. Pavlinic is the one. Tom is very organized, informative, knowledge focus, resourceful, and very detailed oriented; in addition, he has a support team that is well prepared to support when needed. The moment you call, you feel the family vibe. I should know because six months ago I was in your shoes, troubled, afraid, horrified and was seeking for the best

My father was falsely accused and our world turned upside down not knowing what to do, who to call and what to expect. I searched online and found a previous lawyer and his mediocre service and lack of knowledge drove me away to look for someone else who could help my father. It was 1:00 am when I found Mr. Pavlinic. I called to leave a message, but he answered. I was skeptical at first due to my previous experience with the other attorney; however, he listened to my father’s story. He then explained everything very clear and detailed; since then, we know that my father was in good hand.

As promised, Tom prepared my father for the court date. My father only tell the truth, and he was set free. We left the courthouse very satisfied.

The system was ready to quickly destroy my father’s future; believe me Mr. Pavlinic fought for my dad and persevered that is why I feel compel to tell my story. I assure you that Mr. Pavlinic can help you wake up from your horrific nightmare that is why I would highly recommend Mr. Pavlinic a thousand times over to anyone who is seeking for justice. Therefore, if you want justice to be served, I highly suggest that you pick Mr. Pavlinic as your lawyer. He was God sent for me and my family; let him be the same for you.”

03/2019 – Grateful Client

“This all started in February 2016 when I was falsely accused of multiple crimes. Knowing the severity of the accusations, I decided to contact Premier Defense Group. Without hesitation, Tom got involved and helped me navigate through the civilian legal system. The civilian authorities decided to drop the case, but the military decided to pursue the accusations. Tom, Sharron, and his team were with me and my family from the beginning and always believed in my innocence. He maintained open lines of communication and kept me in the loop on everything that was happening with my court-martial. When the prosecution decided to request expert witnesses at the last minute resulting in an additional 8-month delay, he fought to make sure the defense could get expert counsel. At the trial, the credibility of the accuser was destroyed and after many delays, in March 2019, I was found “Not Guilty” of all charges and specifications. I can’t thank him enough for all the time, energy and expertise that he put into my case. Thanks to Tom and my military counsel, I’ll be able to finally retire and go home to my wife and daughters. If you’re ever in a similar situation, don’t hesitate to contact Tom. Doing so will be the best decision you’ll ever make!”

12/2018 – Terry R.

“To anyone facing sex charges of any kind,

DO NOT hesitate to hire Tom Pavlinic and the premiere defense group. Tom and his staff( and resources) are the answer for a solid, structured defense. Tom is a genius and very, very knowledgeable at what he does. to put it straight, tom is the best. he cares for his clients like no other attorney. he digs deep and gets the facts and is able to present them in a professional manner above ALL other attorneys. he is there for u when it feels like nobody else is. most importantly, he believes in his clients and gives them all the reason to believe in him.

u cannot go wrong with hiring him when your entire life is at stake. his client/attorney communication is 100%. without tom i would not be able to be writing you this review. because of tom, my life ending false allegations were COMPLETELY DISMISSED. have no doubts when hiring tom. please listen to me if u are feeling hopeless and discouraged like i was before hiring tom. tom brings hope into every case he does. i am speaking from experience in a serious case that tom handled for me. i have not one complaint only a mountain of gratitude for tom and his professional team. THANK U ALL AT PREMIERE FOR SAVING MY LIFE.”

7/2018 – Client

“It’s been a little while since I was found not guilty thanks to Attorney Tom Pavlinic. It’s just been recently though that I have been able to reflect back on everything because I have been emotionally not well due to the immense stress of going through the nightmare. I’ve had some moments of clarity recently and during these times I realized how incredibly fortunate I was to have been represented by Tom, his staff and my local lawyer. I also realized that my gratitude would only be true if I took the time to write this review and let others out there know that there is reason to be hopeful even if you have been falsely charged with a crime against a child like I was. Reflecting back, I have so much empathy for anyone who has to go through this because it seems like almost no one wants to be supportive of you at a time when you need it most. It is also now very clear to me that the legal system is so incredibly unfair and skewed when it comes to these types of cases. We encountered obstacle after obstacle due to this legal system, but my lawyers gave everything they had to assure that I was given a fair chance at trial. Tom and my local lawyer were an absolutely amazing team, and between Tom’s expertise in these cases and my local lawyer’s knowledge of the local laws, I now realize that I was in fact given perhaps “the best defense possible.” At my age, I was facing a life sentence if the jury believed that I was guilty of even just one of the charges. The lawyers for the state were unprofessional and attempted sleazy tactics that I could not believe. My lawyers were not shocked, but I was. My trial lasted over one week, and the commitment and compassion that my lawyers poured into my case each and every day now makes me get emotional when I think about it. It was as if they were defending a son. I had very little emotional strength left by the time my trial came around, but had just enough to testify and finally tell someone that I was innocent of the accusations. It was like the weight of the world was lifted off of my shoulders when I finished. I recently developed the strength to read the entire transcript of my trial. It was almost like I was never there because I didn’t remember much of what was said. It was during this reading that I truly realized the absolute brilliance of the lawyers that I chose to represent me. This among other things inspired me to write this so others will know that Tom Pavlinic is an incredibly talented and compassionate lawyer who will fight with everything he has to help you. I wholeheartedly recommend that you hire him if you are in the situation that I was. Thank you Tom from the inner depths of my heart.”

6/2017 – Client

“My son was charged with a felony sex offense, which carries a maximum 10 years in prison and 25 years on the sex offender registry. We hired Mr. Tom Pavlinic and his team. It was the best decision we could have made. Tom negotiated with the prosecutor to allow my son to plea to a misdemeanor offense, which held the possibility of Probation Before Judgement (PBJ) and no registration on the sex offender registry.

During the hearing, Tom actually corrected the prosecutor when the prosecutor told the judge that he didn’t recommend PBJ. Tom said “Your Honor, I believe he meant to say that he is not recommending AGAINST PBJ,” to which the prosecutor replied “That’s correct.” It was a barely perceptible error that could have had grave consequences for my son until Tom brought it to the court’s attention. Mr. Pavlinic also educated and guided the Judge by telling him that this misdemeanor sex offense is the only sex offense in the State that allows for a PBJ and doesn’t require registration on the sex offender registry. The Judge acknowledged that he was unaware of this fact. Tom went on to encourage the judge to issue a PBJ and not require registration because of my son’s age and the damage it would do to his future, acknowledging my son’s error while emphasizing his potential. The Judge said he could count on one hand the number of times that he issued PBJ for a sex offense. My son and I were lucky enough to have hired Tom and his team. He kept us informed along the way as he negotiated with the prosecutor and had meetings with us.

In addition to being an expert in his field who handled my son’s defense in a professional manner, Tom is a caring, fatherly figure, who took the time to speak with my son about the realities of life, the need to make better decisions, and the value of an education, echoing many of the same conversations I’ve had with my son over the years. The Judge placed some relatively minor probation requirements on my son. If he can successfully completes his probation, his record can be expunged and he can put this behind him and move on with his life. I am truly grateful for Tom’s efforts on my son’s behalf. I believe if we had not hired Tom and his team, my son would not have received PBJ and would be on the sex offender registry for the next 15 years.”

5/2017 – C.W.

“Tom Pavlinic saved my life.

Two years ago, at the age of 70, I found myself falsely accused of a crime so unspeakable that to this day it makes my head hurt to even think about the accusation.

And the accuser subsequently imagined an earlier crime in another state.

I was facing the possibility of 20 years, or even more, in prison. At my age, it would have been a life sentence.

I found excellent attorneys in both states, each with solid experience in this type of case, although they also did other things.

Astonishingly, it was my original attorney in the second state who referred me to Tom.

After hearing that I was considering going with a judge-only trial in the first state, he said, “There’s an attorney in Annapolis who I’ve worked with before . . . I think in your situation you might want to give him a call.”

Think about it. Have you ever had an attorney who stands to make a lot of money refer you to another attorney? Right. Me neither.

And the more I thought about it, the more I realized that with my life at stake, I didn’t want an “excellent attorney,” I wanted the best attorney I could possibly find, and one who had his total professional focus on this type of case.

Ten minutes later I was having my first conversation with Tom Pavlinic.

Fast forward eight months, multiple continuances, and several trips.

Exactly two weeks ago today the jury filed back into the courtroom and said, “we find the defendant Not Guilty.”

The second state is still pending, but I know I’m in good hands.

Thank you, Tom!

p.s. – Another indication of Tom’s professionalism is his world-class support team. Special thanks also to Sharron and Joe.

p.p.s. – In college I had a discussion with a friend as to whether a surgeon’s caring was important. I said no, only his skill. I’ve now changed my mind. I’ve seen first hand that Tom does care about his clients and – here’s the important part – it’s clear that his caring gives that extra push to how he applies his skill.”