Being Accused is Traumatic. We Understand.
We Get You Safely Through the Storm.
Defending good people who have a really bad day.
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We have been defending clients in Lawrence District Court for over 30 years. Lawrence District Court handles the full range of charges from its four communities: OUI and motor vehicle offenses, drug and firearms charges, assault and battery, domestic violence, larceny, and restraining order violations, along with active clerk-magistrate and show-cause sessions. If you or someone you care about has been charged with a crime in Andover, Lawrence, Methuen, or North Andover, we are ready to help. Serious felony cases from Lawrence District Court are sometimes moved to Essex Superior Court in Salem, where we have a successful trial record.
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You can review examples of our case results here.
Lawrence District Court is accessible via the MBTA Commuter Rail Haverhill Line. Get off at the McGovern Transportation Center (Lawrence Station), approximately a half-mile walk from the courthouse. Local bus service is also available through the Merrimack Valley Regional Transit Authority (MVRTA); visit mvrta.com or call (508) 588-1000 for current routes and schedules.
There is no free parking at the courthouse. Paid options within easy walking distance include:
If you have just been arrested, released, or received a summons, take a breath. Here is what you need to do right now.
● Don't talk to police without a lawyer present -- you have the right to remain silent and you should use it
● Don't discuss your case with anyone except your attorney
● Don't contact any alleged victims or witnesses
● Preserve any evidence that might help your defense: photos, text messages, surveillance footage, witness contact information
● Write down everything you remember about what happened while it is still fresh
● Don't post anything about your case on social media
● Follow all court orders and conditions of release exactly
● Contact an experienced Massachusetts criminal defense attorney as soon as possible
Massachusetts has 62 district courts, each responsible for criminal cases arising within a defined geographic area. Lawrence District Court, formally known as the Third District Court of Essex County, serves Andover, Lawrence, Methuen, and North Andover. It is located inside the Fenton Judicial Center at 2 Appleton Street in Lawrence.
Lawrence District Court is one of eight District Courts in the county. See our guide to Essex County courts for the others, and for where Superior Court cases are heard.
District court is where the overwhelming majority of criminal cases are handled from start to finish, including arraignments, bail hearings, pretrial conferences, motions, and trials. Lawrence District Court also includes an Adult Drug Court, a Mental Health Court, and a Veterans' Treatment Court.
If you served in the military, the Essex County Veterans Treatment Court meets right here at Lawrence District Court. Learn how we represent veterans.
More serious felony charges, including rape, armed robbery, assault with intent to murder, and major drug trafficking, are indicted at Essex County Superior Court in Salem, with some cases later assigned to the Lawrence session, at 43 Appleton Way, for trial. Superior Court carries much higher stakes, including long potential sentences in state prison. Cases involve more complex procedures and evidence. Serious felony charges in Superior Court require a more experienced and skilled lawyer. We have defended people in serious felony cases in Superior Court for over 30 years, with a successful history of negotiation and at trial. If your case is, or could be, headed to Superior Court, that experience matters.
Before a criminal complaint is formally issued in many Massachusetts cases, a Clerk Magistrate Hearing, also called a show cause hearing, takes place at the courthouse. At this hearing, the clerk magistrate reviews an application for a complaint and determines whether there is probable cause to issue it.
This hearing is one of the most important opportunities in a criminal case. If the clerk magistrate finds insufficient probable cause, no complaint issues, meaning no arraignment, no criminal record, no case. Even when a complaint does issue, a skilled defense attorney can use the hearing to develop the facts, assess the evidence, and begin building a defense before the case moves forward. Importantly, there may be an opportunity to resolve the matter without a complaint issuing even if there is probable cause.
You are not required to have an attorney at a clerk magistrate hearing, but appearing without one is a serious mistake. The Commonwealth will have a police officer or prosecutor present the case for a complaint. You should have someone equally prepared to present your side. We regularly represent clients at clerk magistrate hearings at Lawrence District Court.
If you have received a notice for a clerk magistrate hearing, call us immediately. These hearings move quickly, and early intervention makes a significant difference.
Lawrence's position on the I-495 corridor, along with Routes 28 and 114, feeds a steady OUI and motor vehicle calendar in this courthouse.
Two things about Lawrence change what is actually at stake in a criminal case here, and neither shows up on a docket sheet.
Northern Essex Community College's Lawrence campus sits in the middle of downtown, a few minutes from the courthouse. Its largest programs are in health care and allied health, and in criminal justice. Programs that place students in clinical settings generally require background checks, and a conviction, sometimes even a pending charge, can end a clinical placement or close off a license a student has spent years working toward. A student heading into law enforcement, corrections, or probation work can find a record disqualifying long before an application is ever filed. For students attending tuition-free under the state's free community college program, the aid is worth protecting too.
The school also runs its own disciplinary process, on its own timeline and under its own rules, and a finding there can affect enrollment and standing no matter how the criminal case turns out. We handle both at once and build that into the defense from the start.
Immigration status is the second. For anyone who is not a United States citizen, a plea that looks minor on paper can carry consequences far beyond the courthouse, including consequences that reach lawful permanent residents and people with long-settled status. A disposition that seems like a good outcome in District Court can be a disaster in immigration terms, and the two have to be weighed together before anything is agreed to. This is worth raising with your attorney at the first meeting, not after a plea has been entered.
We defend serious charges in Lawrence District Court and in the Superior Court session next door, for people who live here, work here, and study here.
If you are coming to court for the first time, here is what to expect when you arrive.
Get to the building by 8:30. You will need some time to go through intake at the Probation Department before your case is called.
Lawrence sits in a large, busy building at the Fenton Judicial Center. The juvenile court and the housing court are here too, so expect a lot of people moving through.
Go in the main door and through security, then up a few steps into a large open atrium with a staircase running up the middle. Go to the right of the staircase for the elevators. Past the elevators, on your right, are the Probation Department and then the clerk's office, both on the second floor.
There is a first session courtroom on the first floor at the end of the atrium. Other courtrooms are on the second and third floors. If you do not already know which courtroom your case is in, check at the clerk's office. In a building this size that is worth doing first rather than guessing.
For an arraignment, check in at probation. Tell the person at the counter that you are there for an arraignment intake. They will ask for your contact information, date of birth, and residential and employment information. This is standard: the court uses it to run a background check and open your file.
If you are here for a clerk magistrate hearing, check in at the clerk's office rather than probation.
Arraignments typically begin at 9:00 a.m. Sometimes you may have to wait a bit longer for paperwork to be prepared before your case is called.
Your name will be called when it is your turn.
If you have retained us, we will be there with you from the moment you arrive.
Facing an OUI charge specifically in Lawrence? See our dedicated Lawrence OUI Defense page for penalties, defenses, and license consequences.
Our Comprehensive Criminal Defense approach means we view you not as a legal problem, but as a whole individual living a unique and valued life. We focus on addressing the underlying issues that may have contributed to your legal situation, with the goal of helping you make lasting positive changes.
For some examples of cases we have handled, go here
We have won acquittals or obtained reduced charges or sentences in many types of criminal cases, including:
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Immediate Response: Our phones are answered 24/7 by a real person. When you call, someone will actually answer.
Confidential Discussion: Everything you tell us is protected by attorney-client privilege, even before you formally hire us. You can speak freely about your situation.
No Pressure: A free consultation means exactly that: free, with no obligation. We’ll listen to your situation, answer your questions, and explain how we can help.
Clear Next Steps: If you decide to hire us, we’ll explain our fee structure clearly and work with you on payment arrangements that fit your situation.
Immediate Protection: Once you retain us, we begin working on your case immediately: preserving evidence, investigating facts, and protecting your rights.
"I knew the moment I spoke to Ernie on the phone he was the real deal... We won our case because of his perseverance and professionalism. He's just a really good person who's in your corner fighting for you."
- C.A
"Attorney Stone understands that every client or potential client that he comes across is going through one of the most difficult periods a person will encounter in life... and he makes it part of his job to make sure you feel supported, calm, and confident throughout the process."
- G.C
"Ernie Stone did such an amazing job in helping me out with my case... I truly felt so comfortable working with him... He went above and beyond, and I could not be more grateful... I would recommend Attorney Stone to anyone."
- M.K
Ernie was invaluable in realizing a successful outcome to my case. He made the whole process straightforward and relaxed and his advice and assistance was concise and reassuring. I would absolutely hire him again if needed as he worked diligently to ensure a positive conclusion. Highly recommended!
- N.H
Ernie is an incredible lawyer and a wonderful mentor. I would highly recommend him and trust his advice and expertise.
- J.C
An attorney and a team who really cares about their clients. He did his absolute best in the court room and I got my case dropped thanks to him. I recommend to anyone looking for the best lawyer in town! Positive Quality, Professionalism.
- J.B
Contact our team today for a free consultation. We are available 24/7.
