team-member

Craig Stephen Orent

Phoenix, AZ

Licensed for 34 years

Law Degree

Awards

Primary Practice Area

Criminal Defense

Language

English

About

Craig has a proven track record of success having not-guilty verdict results in high-profile cases involving first-degree murder, sexual assault, kidnapping, aggravated assault.

Practices Areas

Criminal Defense

DUI and DWI

Speeding and traffic ticket

Domestic Violence

Language

English

Contact

Orent Law Offices, PLC11811 N Tatum Blvd, Suite 3031Phoenix, AZ, 85028

Office: (480) 696-6928

Website: N/A

Reviews

Mauricio
September 7, 2011

I was facing an extreme DUI and was down on my luck. Someone in the courts referred me to Craig. Very thankful. He was great. He cared. Calmed me and eased my fears. Very responsive. Convinced the prosecutor to reduce the charge and saved me jail time etc.... Thanks Craig

AC
November 3, 2011

Honest, straightforward; was always there for me; kept me informed of all case activity; and got me great results. Charged with a firearms offense. My co-defendant plead guilty to a felony and got prison. My public defender wanted me to do the same thing. I was referred to Craig. He investigated the case completely, and later convinced the prosecutor to give me a misdemeanor which also saved me from losing my professional license etc.

B
July 14, 2021

I consulted Mr. Orent about a case, and while I chose not to retain counsel, he responded to my inquiries very quickly, personally talked to me on the phone, explained the matter and options very clearly and thoughtfully. He was consistently polite, professional, and helpful. If I ever need to retain counsel, he'll be my first choice.

Alex
December 23, 2020

Craig is on your side and will fight for you like you're family. He's aggressive, knowledgeable, empathetic and get's the job done! I contacted Craig for a brief consultation during a extremely difficult time in my life. I've never really had any run-in with the law, so this was an extraordinarily stressful time for me. During an exceptionally petty & difficult divorce, I received a bogus Order of Protection during the divorce. After speaking with him briefly over my phone, he advised me of the next steps before I agreed to retain him as counsel. I only reached out to a handful other attorneys and Craig was the only one that took the time to listen to my situation and provide a level of confidence I didn't hear from any other attorneys. (Some even said that a plea will probably be the most likely situation despite how ridiculous my case was) From the moment I paid him, he took almost all the weight off my shoulders; he advised me of his 'strategy,' past cases and outcomes that mirrored mine, the various outcomes, and kept me at ease for a matter that took over a year to be resolved. Between keeping me informed and attending all court visits he turned something incredibly difficult into something that allowed me to live my life. His strategy was clear, a dismissal or trial-- after a year he achieved exactly that. Merely days before the holidays I received the best Christmas gift imaginable, the case was dismissed after his aggressive consultation finally reached a breaking point for the opposing city counsel. Even after an expected plea deal was presented, he pressed on and fought hard and I felt confident he was doing everything in his power to protect my rights. While he may not be the 'cheapest' around, when it comes to criminal matters, you can't be in better hands and he's worth far more just for the piece of mind that he's doing everything possible. Craig carries a weight of confidence that puts you at ease the entire time while also never shying away from other outcomes. Beyond that I felt like he treated my case with absolute importance and care, he was extremely empathetic and often times would reach out to check how I was doing. Throughout the whole process he made it clear his job was to protect me and that while these matters take time, it's 'my job' to live my life, his job to get the best outcome. While I don't plan on ever needing him again... for those of you that need someone to fight for you like you're family, Craig is on your side.

Craig
September 25, 2019

5 Stars are not enough to express my level of satisfaction with Craig Orent. if I could give 100 I would. I retained Craig to represent me for an incident that occurred in 2015, but was not settled until 1 year ago in 2018. During the 3 years the case dragged on, Craig went far above and beyond expectations to defend my interests and rights against an extremely hostile and potentially vindictive prosecution. Through changes in prosecutors, additional charges that were veiled attempts at intimidation, appeals and changes of jurisdiction ordered by an appellant judge - Craig remained professional, determined, aggressive and expertly professional in his representation of me. He did this even though my case was a couple hundred miles from Craig's office and required several multiple hour round trips for court appearances. In the end I received what I decided was a fair offer of settlement. I have witnessed Craig's professionalism, legal expertise, courtroom tenacity and attention to detail first hand and I can not imagine having better representation. I cannot recommend Craig any more vehemently. If you need help, give Craig a call.

Ping
September 20, 2019

Craig is a truly great lawyer! He is the type that go the extra miles to fight for his clients. His approach is special. He doesn’t fight loud with brutal force, but move on calm with wisdom, knowledge and strategy. He fought for my criminal speeding for a year and a half, and helped me to get a favorable result. I know that no other lawyers I talked with would do so. His service does cost a bit more, but you won't regret choosing him. His legal expertise is extraordinary and he is honest and trustworthy. And again, he didn’t give up on my case until we got a favorable result! Backstory: I got criminal speeding charge in the beginning of 2018. It’s the first criminal charge I got in my lifetime. I don’t want to have a criminal record on file for the rest of my life. Criminal speeding in Arizona, once convicted, no way to seal or expunge. And I’m an immigrant. I didn’t have the green card at that time. But my case is a very tough one: the policy car followed me for a while as I didn’t see him at first. The speed on his radar showed that my speed doubled the speed limit. I didn’t do it on purpose. It’s highway to national parks, early in the morning, very few cars and the speed limit drops from 65 MPH to 45 MPH where I got caught. I called a dozen lawyers I found on the internet and two referred by a friend. Most of the lawyers I talked with are good lawyers. They have pretty good reviews on avvo or yelp. But they all told me that they were not confident about my case. I remember that one lawyer told me that his winning ratio is about 85%, and my case falls into the 15% that he can’t win. One lawyer even told me that he didn’t think I should try to NOT get the criminal charge and the good result he could get me would be no jail time. Later I found Craig on the avvo website. His rating is 10 out of 10. I read all the good reviews from his previous clients. I called him. We talked over the phone. He told me his style and strategy. I sort of had the feeling that he is the right one! He charges more than other traffic lawyers. But it’s a one time fee for the whole case. He never asked me for extra money even after he had a bunch of pretrial conferences with the court, drove to Flagstaff from Phoenix and kept my case open for a long time. There was a time that I was facing a big dilemma: I was told that I could do the green card interview, but I probably would fail if I had the traffic case open. The immigrate office would usually require the final resolution of any criminal charge.I struggled a lot, and seeked advice from Craig. He didn’t suggest me to close the traffic case. He let me make the decision. And I chose to NOT give up the traffic case. Over all these months, it’s been a stressful experience to go through a criminal case. But it’s a big relief if you know you have someone very capable and reliable hold you up. I still remember Craig suggested me to not try as much as I can to NOT let the case affect my daily life, to live as if it’s not there and let him handle the issue on my behalf. He has been very helpful and pretty responsive. His communication style is effective, and upfront, which I like. Finally, it’s the fall 2019. Craig one day texted me that we got the favorable result I’ve been hoping for: the case was downgraded to civil one. This time he suggested me to finish the traffic course right away and I did so. I’m not super clear about how he did it, but he did it! He didn’t promise me that he would win at the beginning, but he did say that he would fight hard for me. In the end, he delivered beyond what he said: the almost impossible case got downgraded. I feel fortunate to have him as my attorney and I am forever grateful for his persistence and expertise. I would lose the case for sure if it were not him. Real ending: Craig is a very very experienced, wise, and respectful attorney. Best of the best! I highly recommend him to anyone facing criminal issues!

JS
April 16, 2019

My son had charges filed against him for an incident 2 years prior that he was involved in as a passenger in a vehicle that was pulled over. These charges came out of the blue as he was never cited for anything at the time and assumed nothing would come of the incident. For whatever reason the police waited 2 years and decided to file charges. As we had moved since the incident, we did not get any notification that charges had been filed, and they actually came up on a background check being conducted by a company he had interviewed with. This had an immediat affect on his hireablilty ot this new company and new career he was poised to begin. We contacted Mr. Orent and he immediately took over the process and set very clear expectations on the system, possible outcomes, and what steps needed to be taken next. We felt he really understood the position and responsibility of the prosecution team which must be factored in when making critical decisions throughout the process. Mr. Orent ultimately presented a case that took multiple elements into consideration that emphasized what should be in the best interest of the state and of the defendant. It was done very well and by knowing how to properly work the channels and processes within the system, we were able to achieve a full dismissal of these charges. I am not trying to set that outcome as the expectation for every situation. I am saying that I believe Mr. Orent will work smart and will work hard to achieve the best possible outcome given your circumstances, and is a very professional and capable defense attorney.

Michael
January 25, 2019

"When I hired Craig Orent to personally represent me, I was admittedly anxious. Soon that anxiety was quelled. The minute he walked through the doors in the courtroom it was like a legend had re-appeared. The judge, prosecutors, and defendants all knew who he was. Throughout the pre-trial processes, Craig Orent was reliable, communicative, and in a sense a mentor. He knew the court system in and out, often predicting what will happen before it happened. Each move of his was strategic and well timed. At times, I doubted his ethic and persistence, but that stemmed from my insecurities and, in fact, had nothing to do with how he performed. Craig Orent's passion for what he does is incredible! Craig Orent is truly a professional's professional. Following Craig Orent's advice, 6 felonies were dropped and I pleaded to a simple misdemeanor that had no description. Even during the sentencing, Craig Orent made a statement that convinced the judge to keep me off supervised probation! From day one Craig Orent fought tooth and nail for me like I was family. Craig Orent is brilliant and also on my speed dial. I would recommend him to ANYONE, there were even defendants in the courtroom whispering that they, "wish he was their lawyer", he's just that good.

Philip
December 2, 2018

Mr. Orent's compassion for his clients is by far like no one I've ever come across. With my situation i had an accidental discharge of a firearm in the home. At the time there was adult and baby present and i was facing jail time. Mr. Orent is a remarkable Attorney who refuses to loses he is very methodical professional and persistence.Mr. Orent would always say please try not to worry that's my job and i don't like to lose. A man who takes pride in what he dose and truly cares about his clients. My case was DISMISSED!! GOD BLESS

anonymous
June 24, 2018

I am beyond pleased with the representation I received from Craig. His research and knowledge of evidence from police videos and the 911 call, in person interviews and diligence, brought about the dismissal of my case. My charges were in a very rural area of northern Arizona and I am very thankful he represents clients there. He went above and beyond by traveling to conduct an in-person interview instead of a phone interview, this was the deciding factor in the prosecutor dismissing. I was kept up to date throughout the process, was able to relax and continue on with my daily life. I never thought I would be in this type of situation and did not even know where to begin to look for an attorney. I am beyond thankful for the reviews I read online that helped me decide on selecting him as my attorney. I highly recommend using Craig, he will work for you.

Mauricio
September 7, 2011

I was facing an extreme DUI and was down on my luck. Someone in the courts referred me to Craig. Very thankful. He was great. He cared. Calmed me and eased my fears. Very responsive. Convinced the prosecutor to reduce the charge and saved me jail time etc.... Thanks Craig

AC
November 3, 2011

Honest, straightforward; was always there for me; kept me informed of all case activity; and got me great results. Charged with a firearms offense. My co-defendant plead guilty to a felony and got prison. My public defender wanted me to do the same thing. I was referred to Craig. He investigated the case completely, and later convinced the prosecutor to give me a misdemeanor which also saved me from losing my professional license etc.

B
July 14, 2021

I consulted Mr. Orent about a case, and while I chose not to retain counsel, he responded to my inquiries very quickly, personally talked to me on the phone, explained the matter and options very clearly and thoughtfully. He was consistently polite, professional, and helpful. If I ever need to retain counsel, he'll be my first choice.

Alex
December 23, 2020

Craig is on your side and will fight for you like you're family. He's aggressive, knowledgeable, empathetic and get's the job done! I contacted Craig for a brief consultation during a extremely difficult time in my life. I've never really had any run-in with the law, so this was an extraordinarily stressful time for me. During an exceptionally petty & difficult divorce, I received a bogus Order of Protection during the divorce. After speaking with him briefly over my phone, he advised me of the next steps before I agreed to retain him as counsel. I only reached out to a handful other attorneys and Craig was the only one that took the time to listen to my situation and provide a level of confidence I didn't hear from any other attorneys. (Some even said that a plea will probably be the most likely situation despite how ridiculous my case was) From the moment I paid him, he took almost all the weight off my shoulders; he advised me of his 'strategy,' past cases and outcomes that mirrored mine, the various outcomes, and kept me at ease for a matter that took over a year to be resolved. Between keeping me informed and attending all court visits he turned something incredibly difficult into something that allowed me to live my life. His strategy was clear, a dismissal or trial-- after a year he achieved exactly that. Merely days before the holidays I received the best Christmas gift imaginable, the case was dismissed after his aggressive consultation finally reached a breaking point for the opposing city counsel. Even after an expected plea deal was presented, he pressed on and fought hard and I felt confident he was doing everything in his power to protect my rights. While he may not be the 'cheapest' around, when it comes to criminal matters, you can't be in better hands and he's worth far more just for the piece of mind that he's doing everything possible. Craig carries a weight of confidence that puts you at ease the entire time while also never shying away from other outcomes. Beyond that I felt like he treated my case with absolute importance and care, he was extremely empathetic and often times would reach out to check how I was doing. Throughout the whole process he made it clear his job was to protect me and that while these matters take time, it's 'my job' to live my life, his job to get the best outcome. While I don't plan on ever needing him again... for those of you that need someone to fight for you like you're family, Craig is on your side.

Craig
September 25, 2019

5 Stars are not enough to express my level of satisfaction with Craig Orent. if I could give 100 I would. I retained Craig to represent me for an incident that occurred in 2015, but was not settled until 1 year ago in 2018. During the 3 years the case dragged on, Craig went far above and beyond expectations to defend my interests and rights against an extremely hostile and potentially vindictive prosecution. Through changes in prosecutors, additional charges that were veiled attempts at intimidation, appeals and changes of jurisdiction ordered by an appellant judge - Craig remained professional, determined, aggressive and expertly professional in his representation of me. He did this even though my case was a couple hundred miles from Craig's office and required several multiple hour round trips for court appearances. In the end I received what I decided was a fair offer of settlement. I have witnessed Craig's professionalism, legal expertise, courtroom tenacity and attention to detail first hand and I can not imagine having better representation. I cannot recommend Craig any more vehemently. If you need help, give Craig a call.

Ping
September 20, 2019

Craig is a truly great lawyer! He is the type that go the extra miles to fight for his clients. His approach is special. He doesn’t fight loud with brutal force, but move on calm with wisdom, knowledge and strategy. He fought for my criminal speeding for a year and a half, and helped me to get a favorable result. I know that no other lawyers I talked with would do so. His service does cost a bit more, but you won't regret choosing him. His legal expertise is extraordinary and he is honest and trustworthy. And again, he didn’t give up on my case until we got a favorable result! Backstory: I got criminal speeding charge in the beginning of 2018. It’s the first criminal charge I got in my lifetime. I don’t want to have a criminal record on file for the rest of my life. Criminal speeding in Arizona, once convicted, no way to seal or expunge. And I’m an immigrant. I didn’t have the green card at that time. But my case is a very tough one: the policy car followed me for a while as I didn’t see him at first. The speed on his radar showed that my speed doubled the speed limit. I didn’t do it on purpose. It’s highway to national parks, early in the morning, very few cars and the speed limit drops from 65 MPH to 45 MPH where I got caught. I called a dozen lawyers I found on the internet and two referred by a friend. Most of the lawyers I talked with are good lawyers. They have pretty good reviews on avvo or yelp. But they all told me that they were not confident about my case. I remember that one lawyer told me that his winning ratio is about 85%, and my case falls into the 15% that he can’t win. One lawyer even told me that he didn’t think I should try to NOT get the criminal charge and the good result he could get me would be no jail time. Later I found Craig on the avvo website. His rating is 10 out of 10. I read all the good reviews from his previous clients. I called him. We talked over the phone. He told me his style and strategy. I sort of had the feeling that he is the right one! He charges more than other traffic lawyers. But it’s a one time fee for the whole case. He never asked me for extra money even after he had a bunch of pretrial conferences with the court, drove to Flagstaff from Phoenix and kept my case open for a long time. There was a time that I was facing a big dilemma: I was told that I could do the green card interview, but I probably would fail if I had the traffic case open. The immigrate office would usually require the final resolution of any criminal charge.I struggled a lot, and seeked advice from Craig. He didn’t suggest me to close the traffic case. He let me make the decision. And I chose to NOT give up the traffic case. Over all these months, it’s been a stressful experience to go through a criminal case. But it’s a big relief if you know you have someone very capable and reliable hold you up. I still remember Craig suggested me to not try as much as I can to NOT let the case affect my daily life, to live as if it’s not there and let him handle the issue on my behalf. He has been very helpful and pretty responsive. His communication style is effective, and upfront, which I like. Finally, it’s the fall 2019. Craig one day texted me that we got the favorable result I’ve been hoping for: the case was downgraded to civil one. This time he suggested me to finish the traffic course right away and I did so. I’m not super clear about how he did it, but he did it! He didn’t promise me that he would win at the beginning, but he did say that he would fight hard for me. In the end, he delivered beyond what he said: the almost impossible case got downgraded. I feel fortunate to have him as my attorney and I am forever grateful for his persistence and expertise. I would lose the case for sure if it were not him. Real ending: Craig is a very very experienced, wise, and respectful attorney. Best of the best! I highly recommend him to anyone facing criminal issues!

JS
April 16, 2019

My son had charges filed against him for an incident 2 years prior that he was involved in as a passenger in a vehicle that was pulled over. These charges came out of the blue as he was never cited for anything at the time and assumed nothing would come of the incident. For whatever reason the police waited 2 years and decided to file charges. As we had moved since the incident, we did not get any notification that charges had been filed, and they actually came up on a background check being conducted by a company he had interviewed with. This had an immediat affect on his hireablilty ot this new company and new career he was poised to begin. We contacted Mr. Orent and he immediately took over the process and set very clear expectations on the system, possible outcomes, and what steps needed to be taken next. We felt he really understood the position and responsibility of the prosecution team which must be factored in when making critical decisions throughout the process. Mr. Orent ultimately presented a case that took multiple elements into consideration that emphasized what should be in the best interest of the state and of the defendant. It was done very well and by knowing how to properly work the channels and processes within the system, we were able to achieve a full dismissal of these charges. I am not trying to set that outcome as the expectation for every situation. I am saying that I believe Mr. Orent will work smart and will work hard to achieve the best possible outcome given your circumstances, and is a very professional and capable defense attorney.

Michael
January 25, 2019

"When I hired Craig Orent to personally represent me, I was admittedly anxious. Soon that anxiety was quelled. The minute he walked through the doors in the courtroom it was like a legend had re-appeared. The judge, prosecutors, and defendants all knew who he was. Throughout the pre-trial processes, Craig Orent was reliable, communicative, and in a sense a mentor. He knew the court system in and out, often predicting what will happen before it happened. Each move of his was strategic and well timed. At times, I doubted his ethic and persistence, but that stemmed from my insecurities and, in fact, had nothing to do with how he performed. Craig Orent's passion for what he does is incredible! Craig Orent is truly a professional's professional. Following Craig Orent's advice, 6 felonies were dropped and I pleaded to a simple misdemeanor that had no description. Even during the sentencing, Craig Orent made a statement that convinced the judge to keep me off supervised probation! From day one Craig Orent fought tooth and nail for me like I was family. Craig Orent is brilliant and also on my speed dial. I would recommend him to ANYONE, there were even defendants in the courtroom whispering that they, "wish he was their lawyer", he's just that good.

Philip
December 2, 2018

Mr. Orent's compassion for his clients is by far like no one I've ever come across. With my situation i had an accidental discharge of a firearm in the home. At the time there was adult and baby present and i was facing jail time. Mr. Orent is a remarkable Attorney who refuses to loses he is very methodical professional and persistence.Mr. Orent would always say please try not to worry that's my job and i don't like to lose. A man who takes pride in what he dose and truly cares about his clients. My case was DISMISSED!! GOD BLESS

anonymous
June 24, 2018

I am beyond pleased with the representation I received from Craig. His research and knowledge of evidence from police videos and the 911 call, in person interviews and diligence, brought about the dismissal of my case. My charges were in a very rural area of northern Arizona and I am very thankful he represents clients there. He went above and beyond by traveling to conduct an in-person interview instead of a phone interview, this was the deciding factor in the prosecutor dismissing. I was kept up to date throughout the process, was able to relax and continue on with my daily life. I never thought I would be in this type of situation and did not even know where to begin to look for an attorney. I am beyond thankful for the reviews I read online that helped me decide on selecting him as my attorney. I highly recommend using Craig, he will work for you.