Legal costs and timelines, in plain numbers. Not a law firm.
Criminal Defense, in numbers
Criminal defense costs, explained with real numbers.
Every figure sourced and dated. Updated 2026-09-01.
The numbers first: misdemeanor representation commonly runs $1,500 to $5,000; felony retainers typically start at $5,000 to $15,000; hourly rates run $150 to $500.
The free option is real and income-tested
Public-defender eligibility is an indigency test, generally set between 125% to 250% of the federal poverty guidelines depending on the county. At the generous end, a single person earning under $39,900 is presumptively eligible in 2026; judges also weigh assets, debts, and household size.
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Sources for every figure on this page
$1,500 to $5,000: Nolo 2026: common misdemeanor representation range (published estimate, retrieved 2026-09-01).
$5,000 to $15,000: Zabriskie 2026: typical felony retainer range (serious felonies to $50,000+) (published estimate, retrieved 2026-09-01).
$150 to $500: LegalMatch 2026: criminal defense hourly-rate range (published estimate, retrieved 2026-09-01).
125% to 250%: LegalClarity 2026: public-defender income cutoffs as a share of federal poverty guidelines (published estimate, retrieved 2026-09-01).
$39,900: LegalClarity 2026: single-person presumptive eligibility at the 250% cutoff (published estimate, retrieved 2026-09-01).
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