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SoMD Criminal Defense
Built on Trial Experience
SoMD Criminal Defense was built on the idea that every case gets worked the same way, whether it's headed to trial or not. We investigate the facts. We identify the issues worth fighting and the ones that aren't. We negotiate from a position of trial readiness. That's the only position prosecutors actually respect. We represent people charged with all manner of criminal offenses, including:
- Homicides and Violent Felonies
- Non-Violent Felonies and Property Crimes
- Sexual and Domestic Violence Crimes
- Controlled Dangerous Substance Charges
- Misdemeanors and Protective Orders
Practice Areas
A homicide charge in Maryland can carry life without parole. The state has to prove what was in the defendant's head at the time of the act — and that's where most cases get won or lost.
Murder
Manslaughter
Assault and Battery
A felony conviction follows you. It shows up on background checks, limits firearm ownership, and affects voting and licensing. The strategic question is usually whether the conviction can stay off your record at all.
Robbery
Burglary
Theft
These cases get filed quickly, often after a single police call. The first 72 hours matter — what gets said, what gets recorded, who shows up at the hearing.
Sex Offenses
Child Abuse
The line between possession and distribution can be drawn from the amount, the packaging, the cash on hand, or the phone records. That line is the difference between probation and prison.
Drug Offenses
A misdemeanor in Maryland can still carry years in jail (second-degree assault tops out at 10). A protective order can keep you out of your home in a week. Neither is small.
Possession of a Firearm
Protective/Peace Orders
Most Maryland citations look like simple tickets but carry consequences that follow the driver for years — points, license suspensions, insurance hits. Don't pay the ticket without first finding out what you're actually being charged with.
Our Clients Speak Out
“Jeremy is an amazing criminal defense attorney. My son was facing 1st and 2nd degree murder and he walked away with less than 3 years for manslaughter. Jeremy will answer the phone always and is very attentive to his clients needs... ”
Bettina Proctor
“Mr. Widder is actually the best lawyer I’ve ever came in contact with. He’s extremely professional, honest and responsive. He treated my husband and his case with care and respect and it honestly wasn’t all about the money with he wants positive outcomes...”
Afton D.
“Ms. Batey is outstanding! I was very pleased with the services provided . She is knowledgeable, professional and passionate. Kathryn communicated effectively from the beginning to the end. I would highly recommend her services any day. ”
Jasmine W
“Jeremy Widder is an incredibly detailed, skilled, and effective attorney. He won my case with a careful and precise consideration in all aspects of the situation and the laws as they applied. He was certainly the most prepared lawyer in the room...”
Tj Magnette
“Ms. Kathryn Batey is a consummate professional, who was exactly the Legal Representation we needed to help us navigate through a complex and arduous legal system. Her Technical Acumen, keen whit, detailed knowledge,...”
Scott S.
“When one of our sons was faced with a challenge, I looked to God first, and then for a reputable lawyer - entered Jeremy Widder, stage right. While Jeremy made it clear our son was his client, he made sure we were informed and answered any questions we had.”
Tracy Morgan
“Ms. Katy was phenomenal from the start to end of this horrible journey for me. She informed me of any changes in my case. She made things so easy to get through. I would highly recommend her. I can’t thank her enough for getting me through this.”
Shawanda F
Two former government lawyers, one firm
Jeremy spent nine years as an Assistant State's Attorney in Charles County and tried more than 60 jury trials before crossing the table. Kathryn served as a Deputy District Public Defender in the same jurisdiction. We have built cases against defendants and we have defended clients against the state, often in front of the same judges and prosecutors we work with now.
That experience changes how we read a charging document. We know what the state has to prove and what they usually can't. We know which weaknesses prosecutors plan for and which ones they hope no one finds. We know the difference between a case you fight at trial and a case you resolve early — because we have been the lawyers on both sides of that decision.
If you've been charged with a crime in Southern Maryland, that combined experience is what we offer.
Local practice. Two attorneys. Your case from start to finish.
We practice in the District and Circuit Courts of Charles County, Prince George's County, Calvert County, and St. Mary's County. We know the judges. We know the prosecutors. We know which cases get continued and which ones get tried, which arguments land in La Plata and which ones land in Upper Marlboro, and how the schedule moves at each courthouse.
We are also a firm of two attorneys, by design. The lawyer who takes your call is the lawyer who reads your file, files your motions, and stands up at your trial. No handoffs. No paralegal answering substantive questions. No junior associate showing up at your hearing because the partner is double-booked.
That structure costs us volume. We take fewer cases than most firms in the region. The trade-off is that the cases we do take get the kind of attention they actually need.
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