Criminal Defense Lawyer in Fordham, NY

Charged with a crime in Fordham? Talk to a former prosecutor before you say anything else.

Fordham is a neighborhood that moves at its own pace — from the foot traffic near Fordham University and the Grand Concourse to the late-night energy around Third Avenue. But when a police encounter near Rose Hill, a stop outside Yankee Stadium, or an arrest along Webster Avenue puts you in handcuffs or lands you a desk appearance ticket, the criminal defense lawyer you contact in those first hours can shape everything that follows. Marwaha Law Group, PLLC serves people in Fordham and across the Bronx who are facing state and federal criminal charges. Founding attorney Nipun Marwaha spent years as a prosecutor, building cases from the government's side — and he now applies that inside knowledge to defending clients who need it most. Whether you were arraigned at Bronx Criminal Court on East 161st Street, are under active investigation, or simply received a ticket requiring a mandatory court date, you should not be navigating this alone.


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What You Get When You Hire Our Fordham Criminal Defense Lawyers

A criminal defense lawyer does far more than show up and stand beside you in a Bronx courtroom. When Marwaha Law Group takes on a Fordham-area case, we engage immediately — reviewing how police conducted the stop or arrest, scrutinizing the evidence the prosecution intends to rely on, and identifying procedural problems or gaps that can be exploited. The pace of the Bronx court system is unforgiving, and if your defense team is not ahead of it from the beginning, important opportunities can quietly disappear. Our approach is to stay proactive from the first consultation through every motion, hearing, and, when necessary, trial.

  • A confidential case evaluation that walks you through the charges, realistic outcomes, and your rights — explained in plain language, not legal jargon.
  • A thorough independent investigation covering what led to your arrest, what happened during the police encounter, and what came after.
  • Representation at every stage — from your first Bronx Criminal Court arraignment through motions, hearings, plea negotiations, and trial.
  • 24/7 availability for urgent situations, because arrests in Fordham can happen during a late shift, after a night out near Fordham Road, or during a street-level police interaction.
  • Fast communication, with calls and messages returned within hours — not left sitting for days.
  • Trial-ready preparation, including case strategy testing and mock exercises designed to stress-test our approach before it matters most.


Our objective never changes from one stage to the next: protect your constitutional rights, dismantle the government's case wherever possible, and pursue the most favorable outcome the facts will support.


A Former Prosecutor's Perspective, Now Working for Your Defense

In Fordham and throughout the Bronx, many of the most consequential decisions in a criminal case happen well before any trial date is scheduled. For nearly a decade, Nipun Marwaha has structured his entire defense practice around what he saw and learned inside a prosecutor's office — how charges get evaluated, how evidence gets weaponized to push defendants toward guilty pleas, and where the government's cases are most vulnerable. He chose to leave that work after recognizing that the office prized conviction numbers over truth, and he founded Marwaha Law Group to put that hard-won perspective to work for people accused of crimes in communities like Fordham.


That prosecutorial background gives our criminal defense lawyers a distinct edge in Bronx cases. We can anticipate how the DA's office is likely to approach your case, identify the weakest pillars in its theory, and push hard for dismissals, charge reductions, or favorable resolutions where other attorneys might rush toward a plea without fully testing the evidence. Nipun has been recognized by Avvo with a 9.3 "Superb" rating as a top criminal attorney in New York City and has been named a Super Lawyers Rising Star multiple years in a row — credentials built case by case in courts across the borough, including the Bronx Supreme and Criminal Courts that handle Fordham-area matters.

The Charges Our Criminal Defense Lawyers Defend in Fordham

Our firm has handled hundreds of criminal cases spanning a broad range of charges under state and federal law. In Fordham, where a single incident may draw the attention of NYPD officers, Bronx County prosecutors, or in some cases federal authorities, we bring the same disciplined preparation to a desk appearance ticket as we do to a serious felony. Our practice covers:


  • Assault and violent crimes
  • DWI and DUI charges
  • Drug crimes and possession
  • Weapons and gun possession charges
  • Sex crimes
  • Murder and homicide
  • Federal computer and internet fraud
  • Cyber crime and identity theft
  • Insurance fraud


If the charge you are facing is not listed above, reach out regardless — our criminal defense lawyers handle the full spectrum of New York criminal law, and we regularly represent clients accused of a wide variety of offenses in Fordham, the broader Bronx, and surrounding areas.

Private Criminal Defense Lawyer vs. Public Defender: Why the Difference Matters

Public defenders do meaningful work, and some are genuinely talented attorneys — but the volume of cases the system pushes through the Bronx courts puts enormous pressure on their time. When a public defender is juggling dozens of files at once, there is simply less capacity for the kind of individual attention that can make a real difference: reviewing body camera footage closely, interviewing witnesses in the Fordham neighborhood, or filing a suppression motion with a fully developed factual record. When your freedom, your immigration status, your housing, your career, and your reputation are all on the line, being one of many cases is a risk you cannot afford.


Hiring a private criminal defense lawyer means your Fordham case gets the time and focus it genuinely requires. At Marwaha Law Group, we have the bandwidth to investigate thoroughly, prepare aggressively for trial when that is the right path, and craft a defense built around the real details of your situation — not a standard template applied to whoever walks through the door. We treat the people we represent like family, and we take the result personally, because for you, this is not a routine matter moving through an already overcrowded docket.

Who Needs a Criminal Defense Lawyer in Fordham — and Why Acting Early Matters

The clients who tend to benefit most from early legal involvement are the ones who contact a criminal defense lawyer before saying too much to detectives, NYPD officers, or federal investigators. If you were arrested near Fordham Road or detained anywhere in the Bronx, received a desk appearance ticket, learned through a neighbor or family member that police are asking about you, or suspect you may be under investigation, now is the time to get counsel involved. Early action can shape how the case develops, preserve critical evidence, and keep you from the kinds of statements or decisions people make when they are exhausted, frightened, or under pressure.


A criminal record creates consequences that reach far beyond the Bronx courthouse on 161st Street. For residents of Fordham, the fallout can affect employment applications, lease renewals, professional licensing, immigration proceedings, and educational opportunities for years or even decades down the line. Fighting to keep charges off your record — or resolving them as favorably as the facts allow — means protecting the future you still need to build. That is the real value of skilled defense: managing the immediate crisis while defending everything that comes after it.

How Much Does a Criminal Defense Lawyer Cost in Fordham?

There is no universal rate for a criminal defense lawyer handling a Fordham or Bronx case, because every matter carries its own demands. Factors that shape cost include the severity of the charge — a misdemeanor or desk appearance ticket is a different undertaking than a felony or federal indictment — the complexity of the evidence, the investigation required, how many court appearances the case involves, and whether it resolves through negotiation or proceeds to trial. The attorney's depth of experience also matters, because effective early defense can alter the entire direction of a case.


At Marwaha Law Group, we believe that strong legal representation should not be out of reach for Fordham residents facing the pressure of a criminal case. We keep our fees fair, offer payment plans for clients who need flexibility, and start with a free, confidential consultation so you have a clear picture of what your case may involve before any commitment is made. To talk through your specific situation and understand what your defense may realistically look like, call (516) 988-8866 and speak with us directly.

What to Do the Moment You're Arrested or Investigated in Fordham

What you do during the first hours after an arrest in Fordham can affect the entire case. Keep these steps in mind:

  • Invoke your right to remain silent. Say clearly, "I want to speak to my lawyer before answering any questions," and stop talking — even if officers in the Fordham precinct continue pressing.
  • Do not ignore a desk appearance ticket. A DAT issued anywhere in the Bronx is an official arrest notification carrying a mandatory court date — missing it creates additional and avoidable problems.
  • Preserve everything. Hold onto any paperwork, property-clerk receipts, or documents given to you by police, and write down a personal timeline of events for your attorney's review only.
  • Call a criminal defense lawyer as soon as possible. The earlier counsel is involved in your Fordham case, the more options remain available to you.

Our Fordham criminal defense lawyers are available around the clock for situations like this. If you are dealing with an arrest, DAT, or investigation in Fordham right now, call (516) 988-8866.


Frequently Asked Questions

  • When should I contact a criminal defense lawyer after an arrest?

    The honest answer is as soon as humanly possible — ideally before you answer a single question from police or investigators. Anything you say can be used to build the case against you, and well-meaning attempts to "explain your side" frequently do more harm than good. A criminal defense lawyer who is involved early can advise you on your rights, communicate with law enforcement on your behalf, begin preserving favorable evidence, and start shaping the defense before the prosecution's narrative sets in. If you have been arrested, handed a desk appearance ticket, or even just contacted by detectives or federal agents, that is your signal to call. Marwaha Law Group is available 24/7 precisely because these situations rarely wait for convenient hours.

  • Can a criminal defense lawyer get my charges reduced or dismissed?

    Every case is different, so no responsible attorney can promise a specific outcome — but a skilled criminal defense lawyer has many avenues to pursue a better result. Depending on the facts, those avenues can include challenging how evidence was obtained, exposing procedural errors that may invalidate the charges, identifying gaps in the prosecution's proof, surfacing exculpatory evidence, and negotiating from a position of strength. Because our founding attorney is a former prosecutor, we understand how the other side evaluates and pressures cases, which helps us spot weaknesses and push for dismissals or reductions where they are achievable. The most reliable way to understand what is realistically possible in your situation is a confidential consultation in which we review the specifics.

  • Do I really need a criminal defense lawyer for a misdemeanor or desk appearance ticket?

    Yes — and underestimating a "minor" charge is one of the most common mistakes people make. A misdemeanor conviction still creates a criminal record that can surface in background checks for employment, housing, and licensing for years, and a desk appearance ticket carries a mandatory court appearance that cannot simply be ignored. An experienced criminal defense lawyer can often resolve these matters in ways that protect your record and minimize disruption to your life, outcomes that are far harder to reach once you have already appeared unrepresented. Marwaha Law Group brings the same diligence to misdemeanors and DATs as to serious felonies, because we know how much a so-called small case can affect your future.

  • What areas of New York does Marwaha Law Group serve?

    Our criminal defense lawyers represent clients throughout the State of New York, including Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, and the Bronx, as well as Long Island, Nassau County, Suffolk County, Westchester, and the surrounding areas. Our office is located at 1539 Franklin Ave., Ste 201, in Mineola, New York, which keeps us close to courts across the region and ready to respond quickly when clients need us. Because we are available around the clock, our reach is not limited to business hours — if you are facing charges anywhere in our service area, we can begin helping right away. Call (516) 988-8866 to confirm we can assist with your specific court and charge.

  • What happens during my free consultation with a criminal defense lawyer?


    Your free consultation is a confidential, no-pressure conversation designed to give you clarity. We will listen carefully to what happened, review any paperwork or charges you have, and explain the realistic options and likely consequences in plain language so you can make informed decisions. You will leave the consultation understanding the road ahead and what working together would involve, including how fees and payment plans can be structured for your circumstances — all before making any commitment. There is no obligation, and there is no benefit to waiting; the earlier we talk, the more we can do. To schedule yours, call (516) 988-8866 at any time, day or night.


Speak With a Criminal Defense Lawyer in Fordham Today


Your freedom, your record, and your future are worth defending with everything we have. If you or someone you love is facing criminal charges in Fordham, do not wait for the situation to get more complicated. Contact Marwaha Law Group, PLLC for a free, confidential consultation with an experienced criminal defense lawyer who treats your case like it belongs to family.


Call (516) 988-8866 now — available 24/7.

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Testimonials


- Michael


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There is no words to describe Mr.Nipun ! His professionalism and his attentiveness for his clients is incredible! I hired him 2 years ago to resolve an issue, and hired him again this week for another problem and he was there the whole time throughout the process. He is a trustworthy Lawyer, Made me feel comfortable and explained everything in detail. He is one of the best lawyers I’ve met in New York! Highly Recommended.

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How We Defend You

When your freedom, reputation, and future are on the line, you need a defense team that knows New York's courts and refuses to back down. At Marwaha Law Group, we bring aggressive advocacy and personal attention to every case we take, no matter the charge. Below are the areas where we fight hardest for our clients — and wherever your case falls, we're available 24/7 to start building your defense.


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Federal Internet Fraud

We defend clients facing federal computer and internet fraud charges, building aggressive strategies to challenge the government's evidence and protect your freedom.

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Sex Crimes

We provide discreet, tenacious representation for those accused of sex crimes, fighting to protect your reputation and your rights at every stage.

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Assault Lawyer

From misdemeanor altercations to felony charges, we defend assault cases with a thorough investigation and a defense tailored to the facts.

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DWI Lawyers

Our DWI attorneys scrutinize every traffic stop, breathalyzer reading, and procedural error to challenge the charges against you and keep you on the road.

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Weapons Possession

We defend New Yorkers facing weapons possession charges under the state's strict gun laws, challenging unlawful searches and aggressive prosecution.

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Insurance Fraud

We represent individuals and businesses accused of insurance fraud, dismantling the prosecution's case and protecting you from serious financial and criminal penalties.

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Drug Crimes

From simple possession to trafficking allegations, we fight drug charges by challenging the evidence, the search, and the case the prosecution thinks it has.

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Cyber Crimes

We defend clients against an evolving range of cyber crime charges, bringing both legal experience and technical understanding to your defense.

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Murder

Facing the most serious charge in the system demands the most serious defense, and we leave no stone unturned to protect your life and liberty.

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Gun Crimes

We defend the full range of gun-related charges in New York, where penalties are severe and an experienced advocate makes all the difference.

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Identity Theft

We represent those accused of identity theft, working to expose weaknesses in the prosecution's evidence and shield you from lasting consequences.

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Your Case Is Our Top Priority


Your freedom and your rights are important. Never settle for less when it comes to protecting yourself.


Our New York criminal defense attorneys offer aggressive defense solutions for a wide variety of issues and are committed to providing the high quality professional services that our clients’ cases demand. Our NY criminal law firm is known for our aggressive approach to trial and our compassionate assistance to those who are facing serious legal issues. We are always honest and open with our clients and their legal options and never make false promises. Our reputation, however, speaks for itself.

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