Charged in Omaha? A DUI arrest starts two clocks: the criminal case and a 15-day deadline to save your license.
A criminal charge in Omaha threatens your record, your job, and sometimes your freedom, and a DUI arrest adds a separate license problem with a tight deadline. Nebraska's Administrative License Revocation process runs through the DMV apart from the criminal case, and you have only 15 days to request a hearing. The first move counts. These firms defend DUI and criminal cases in Omaha and Douglas County, and most offer free consultations. Each one below has a verifiable Omaha criminal defense practice.
Criminal cases in Omaha range from a first-offense DUI or drug possession to assault, theft, domestic violence, and serious felonies. Two things make local experience valuable: a DUI charge triggers a separate license fight at the DMV with a 15-day clock, and the consequences of a conviction follow you for years. The right lawyer knows the Douglas County courts, the prosecutors, and how to challenge the stop, the testing, and the evidence. Every attorney below has a verifiable Omaha criminal defense practice.
How we picked these firms: We reviewed peer rankings (Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers, Martindale-Hubbell), Avvo and Justia ratings, state bar records, and client review patterns. Firms that appeared consistently across at least two independent sources made the list. We do not accept payment for placement, and we do not write sponsored reviews. More on our methodology →
These attorneys were selected from Super Lawyers, Avvo, Justia, Expertise.com, and Three Best Rated listings and cross-referenced against firm-published information and Nebraska records. Omaha misdemeanors and preliminary matters are heard in the Douglas County Court; felony cases move to the District Court.
Practice focus: DUI/DWI, state and federal drug charges, weapons, domestic violence, criminal defense
Why they made the list: Attorney Tom Olsen practices criminal defense exclusively and markets more than 34 years of criminal trial experience.
Practice focus: DUI, assault, drug offenses, felonies, federal crimes
Why they made the list: Attorney Thomas M. Petersen received a 2013 invitation from the National Advocacy for DUI Defense and cites more than 25 years of DUI defense experience.
Practice focus: DUI/DWI including aggravated DUI, criminal defense
Why they made the list: Attorney Cody Miltenberger is cited with more than 12 years of criminal trial experience and a dedicated aggravated-DUI practice.
Practice focus: Criminal defense, federal drug charges, plus civil and family matters
Why they made the list: Founder Stuart J. Dornan is a former Douglas County Attorney and former FBI Special Agent, selected to Super Lawyers from 2007 through 2025. The firm also fields Super Lawyers-rated attorneys.
Practice focus: Criminal defense, DUI
Why they made the list: Attorney Michael Stageman is a designated Super Lawyer and a member of the National Trial Lawyers and the National Academy of Criminal Defense Attorneys.
Practice focus: State and federal crimes, drugs, DUI, felony theft, license suspension
Why they made the list: Attorney Jim K. McGough is cited with more than 22 years defending state and federal criminal charges.
Practice focus: DUI, domestic violence, assault, drug possession, theft, traffic
Why they made the list: Attorney Timothy Sopinski is a member of the Nebraska Criminal Defense Attorneys Association and publishes Nebraska DUI legal content.
Practice focus: Criminal defense and family law
Why they made the list: Attorney Tracy Hightower-Henne is cited with more than 16 years in practice, and the firm has handled Omaha criminal defense since 2012.
Practice focus: DUI, reckless driving, traffic violations, criminal defense
Why they made the list: Listed across Super Lawyers and Avvo directory coverage and in Justia's DUI listings for Omaha, with a focus on DUI and traffic defense.
A note on our count. We list nine firms here rather than a forced ten. We would rather show you the Omaha criminal defense practices we could verify across at least two independent sources than pad the list with a name we cannot stand behind.
The first move matters, especially the 15-day license deadline after a DUI. Tell us what happened and we'll match you with a vetted criminal defense firm in the Omaha area. Free, confidential, no obligation.
Request Free Consultation →Two courts depending on the charge. Misdemeanors and preliminary felony proceedings are heard in the Douglas County Court. Felony charges move to the Douglas County District Court. Knowing each court's judges and prosecutors is part of the job.
A DUI hits your license separately. Nebraska's Administrative License Revocation process runs through the DMV apart from the criminal case. At arrest the officer takes your license and issues a 15-day temporary permit, and you must request an ALR hearing within that window or the revocation takes effect automatically.
First-offense DUI carries real penalties. Nebraska's per-se limit is 0.08. A standard first-offense DUI can bring possible jail, a fine, and license revocation, with steeper penalties for an aggravated DUI at 0.15 or higher.
Refusing the test has its own penalty. A test refusal triggers an automatic one-year license revocation through the ALR process, separate from the criminal charge.
Most Omaha criminal defense lawyers charge a flat fee for a defined matter or bill hourly for complex or trial-bound cases. The ranges below are typical; the exact number depends on the charge, your record, and whether the case goes to trial.
| Fee or cost item | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Misdemeanor or first-offense DUI | Commonly a flat fee for a defined defense; confirm the figure and what it covers with each firm. |
| Felony defense | Higher, and higher still if the case goes to trial. |
| Hourly billing (complex cases) | Used by some firms for complex matters; ask for the rate up front. |
| ALR license hearing | Sometimes billed separately from the criminal defense; ask whether it is included. |
| Free initial consultation | Offered by most firms on this list. |
Scope match. A dedicated DUI defender is the right call for a DUI or aggravated DUI; a broad criminal practice fits a mixed set of charges. Match the firm's focus to your situation.
Direct contact. Get the lawyer who will actually do the work on the phone before you sign. The access you have before signing is the access you will have during the case.
Written terms. Every firm here will give you a written fee agreement. Read it: the fee, the scope, who does the work, and whether the ALR hearing is included are all in there.
1. Get counsel before you talk. Anything you say to police can be used against you. Politely decline to answer questions and call a defense lawyer first.
2. Protect the license. If the charge is DUI, your lawyer requests the ALR hearing within the 15-day window, because that deadline is short and separate from the criminal case.
3. Review and motions. Your lawyer reviews the stop, the field tests, and any breath or blood evidence for problems, then files motions where the procedure was flawed.
4. Negotiation. Many cases turn on a motion to suppress or a negotiated plea. A strong motion can shrink or end the case, or improve any offer.
5. Trial if needed. If no acceptable resolution emerges, the case is tried. A lawyer who genuinely tries cases holds more leverage even when the matter ultimately settles.
Most firms on this list offer a free initial consultation. Use it. Bring your paperwork, write down the answers, and compare at least two firms before you sign.
Misdemeanors and preliminary felony proceedings are heard in the Douglas County Court. Felony charges are prosecuted in the Douglas County District Court.
The officer takes your license and issues a 15-day temporary permit. You must request an Administrative License Revocation hearing through the DMV within those 15 days, or the revocation takes effect automatically.
Nebraska's per-se limit is 0.08. A standard first offense can bring possible jail, a fine, and license revocation, with steeper mandatory penalties for an aggravated DUI at 0.15 or higher.
A test refusal triggers an automatic one-year license revocation through the ALR process, separate from the criminal charge.
Most firms charge a flat fee for a defined misdemeanor or DUI and more for a felony, with hourly billing on complex cases. Confirm the figure and scope with each firm.
Strongly advisable. A DUI carries criminal penalties and a separate license revocation, and a lawyer can challenge the stop, the testing, or the procedure and handle both tracks.
Most cases resolve through a motion or a negotiated plea, but a firm willing and able to try the case tends to get better offers.
Most criminal defense firms on this list offer a free initial consultation. Confirm the policy when you call.
One last thing. Choosing a defense lawyer is personal and time-sensitive, and the license clock is ticking from day one. Read the reviews, call two or three firms quickly, and ask each one how many charges like yours they have handled recently. The answer tells you a lot. — The LawFirmSquare team