3/25/2011 – J.B.
“Two years ago I was falsely accused of molesting a 7-yr old girl. It’s been a long and terribly dark road. I really can’t imagine anything worse than being accused of molesting a child. Having never been in trouble before, I knew nothing about hiring an attorney or interacting with police. Mistake 1: I figured because I was innocent, that I had nothing to lose by talking to the police. If there comes a time when the police want to talk to you, please know that its not because they want to hear an opposing story – its because they want more evidence to hang you with! They will twist everything you say and try to use it against you in court. Ask for a lawyer! I even went as far taking a polygraph, and passed. That meant nothing to the police, but had I failed, it would have meant something. Do not take a polygraph – its just another opportunity for the police to hang you! Mistake 2: Again, being that I was innocent, I figured that all I had to do is hire any decent attorney and that he would have my case dropped. So, I found a local lawyer on Google, met him, and hired him. I felt so comforted by having an attorney who seemed to be on my side that I didn’t even ask him how many sexual abuse cases he had handled. By the way, I had to take out a personal loan to hire this attorney. As time went by, I began to feel weary about this attorney, as he often wasn’t able to answer my questions regarding issues that he should be knowledgeable about.
A few weeks before my trial I just had a sick feeling in my gut – I just did not have confidence in this attorney. The few times that we were in court he just seemed submissive – like he was just going through the process. I could tell that the prosecution had absolutely no fear of this man, and that there was no way that they would offer an acceptable plea, nor would they have reservations about going up against him at trial. To his defense, he seemed to be a really good attorney, but just did not have the specialized experience or zeal for this type of case – the prosecution knew this. I started looking for attorneys on Google that specialize in sex crimes, and came across Tom’s website. Initially I had some reservation about hiring PDG because I wondered if I would get the attention and time that I would need, considering that they are a multi-state law firm. I decided to call PDG. Tom called me back within a few hours and we arranged a meeting. He actually traveled cross-state to meet with me. After meeting with Tom, I no longer had reservations, and knew that I had to hire him. Unfortunately I had exhausted my financial resources, but being so determined, I went to extremes to get the money by maxing out my credit cards, and I hired Tom. That was the best, yet perhaps most difficult decision that I have ever made. I say difficult because it was hard to walk away from an attorney that I had already paid. It was worth it! I never imagined that an attorney would be so accommodating and would defend my freedom so passionately. Tom immediately postponed my trial and brought on board a top-notch attorney from my local area to serve as co-counsel. I’ve gotten to know Tom really well being that we spent so much time together. He is a special person. He lives to work, and his work ethic is exceptional. It’s a lonely world when you’re accused of a sex crime. It seems like most people pre-judge you, and are against you – not Tom. It truly is a blessing that there is someone like Tom in this world that is so devoted to and CAPABLE of defending people with these matters. I hope he lives forever.
After spending countless hours dissecting my case, we were finally prepared to go to battle. Every “t” was crossed, and every “i” was dotted. After all of that work, however, the prosecution thought it best to offer me a plea that I simply could not refuse – they knew what they were up against. As much as I wanted my day in court, and as much as I felt confident about winning, you have to understand that you just never know what may happen in a court room. I can honestly say, however, that I was somewhat eager and definitely confident about going to trial, especially after having seen Tom in action at one his other trials. In the end, after two years of unimaginable darkness, I was offered a misdemeanor plea with no sex offender registration, no jail time, and no admission of guilt. I can now rebuild and move on with my life…….. I 100% recommend PDG, and would certainly be willing to talk to anyone who is going through this nightmare. It is common for the prosecution to drag out cases for a year or more, and I would be happy to offer my advice on how to survive during this time. It’s a battle, but one that you can win! Having gone through this nightmare, I can honestly tell you that Nothing is more valuable than freedom. My biggest regret is that I wasted money on an attorney that didn’t have specialized experience before I found and hired PDG. I occasionally think back and wonder where I would be had I stuck with my first attorney. It’s a gut-wrenching thought.”
05/13/2010 – Navy Commander (ret)
“As an attorney myself who found himself falsely accused I can say categorically that Premiere Defense Group and Tom Pavlinic delivers professionalism, work ethic and favorable case results like no other firm I have seen. The dedication afforded to me was above and beyond anything I could have expected. Tom saved my life and my practice. Don’t waste time and money on any other firm.” Signed, Navy Commander (ret)
12/01/2010 – John
“Hi, my name is John. Two years ago Tom had saved my life, my family and my self esteem. During the big snow storm of 2009 in the DC, I was falsely accused of inappropriately touching a 12 year old minor’s buttock while helping her and her completely drunk father to their car on an icy driveway. I was in a bind at 8 pm on a Friday with no where to turn for advise. They had an arrest warrant out for me. Tom was kind and compassionate enough to take time out on a Friday night to meet with my wife and I to listen to my situation and give us advise and did not ask for any monitory compensation. Both my wife and I feel that Tom had a lot of knowledge and experience in this area. And caring, kind and compassion people are hard to find this day and age. We won the case on all counts. I can not thank Tom enough. Without out him, my life as a health care provider would be over.”
3/19/2010 – D.S.
“Eight years ago, while working as a psychologist in the Allegheny County Pittsburgh school system, I was falsely accused of child sexual abuse. Prior to my embarking on that profession, I was a uniformed police officer in Los Angeles, California. The original attorneys whom I retained never dedicated themselves to my defense. Sensing their lack of commitment, I terminated their services in 2005 and brought Tom on board to head up my defense. My case was finally resolved with not guilty verdicts on all counts on March 19, 2010. Tom continued his tireless representations for over 6 years, long after my funds were depleted, and I was forced to file bankruptcy. Over the many years I have known Tom and through the hundreds of communications we had, he has earned my professional respect and most sincere friendship, which, by the way, would not have changed, even if my trial outcome were to have been different. I would be writing this same letter from a prison cell instead of a free man. My children would be in foster homes with virtually no future, my family would have spent the rest of their lives and money on unlikely appeals, and I would have likely died in prison never being allowed to attend any of my children’s life accomplishments or even my parent’s funerals. Tom has many of outstanding qualities that make my writing this note a pleasurable task. His dedication to and empathy for his clients is 2nd to none. He has shown compassion to me and my family, particularly my dying mother and minor children. He knew we could not afford to pay him all that he truly deserved, but that never caused him to threaten to quit or to start cutting corners in the legal work. As a psychologist, I look to one’s character traits of trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship. Tom possesses these qualities, a heart of gold, and so much more.
I greatly appreciate Tom taking the time to read any and all of my communications over so many years while frequently providing feedback of an objective, relevant, hard-hitting, winning mind set, top-notch in highly specialized child sex abuse criminal defense attorney. He can be rough around the edges in highly focused and succinct communication but it is all grounded in utmost caring and concern to win. I have found Tom to be very humble and willing to admit any minute shortcoming that may even remotely adversely impact his client(s) overall defense. Having been through numerous lawyers riddled with self-serving and selfish non-client centered motives, Tom was and remains truly a breath of fresh air. He has proven to me to also possess an honest and high work ethic, religiously leaving no stone unturned, when it comes to his client’s defense to win at all costs. Since my acquittal slightly more than a year ago, and as of the writing of this note — I have professionally assisted Tom in over a half dozen major child sex abuse criminal trials having the pleasure of observing the aforementioned traits through each and every case with each and every client throughout the East Coast, never once having observed Tom losing when representing truly innocent persons against highly skilled prosecution teams. Tom consistently received 100% not guilty verdicts for each and every client with only one hung jury, doing an average of one major child sex abuse trial a month – virtually unheard of in even the most experienced criminal defense lawyers, this in-spite of the prosecutor’s experience, unethical and underhanded tactics, aggressiveness and distortions they so consistently present in zealously seeking solely convictions — absent truth, factual evidence, and surely with no regard for criminal JUSTICE. I look forward to speaking with anyone regarding Tom and his first-rate criminal defense team of experts who stand ready to assist you in proving your innocence often against seemingly all odds. Thank you for taking the time to read this note in hopes you will not make the same very costly and overall destructive errors I made before I hired Tom.” Doctor Donald Stettner
