Who Holds Defense Attorneys Accountable, When Clients Are Incarcerated?
Justice Star Guide is an independent attorney rating system built entirely on verified, anonymous surveys from incarcerated and formerly incarcerated clients.
INDEPENDENTLY RESEARCHED
VERIFIED PROFILES
RIGHT TO RESPOND
ADVISORY BOARD REVIEWED
INDEPENDENTLY RESEARCHED
VERIFIED PROFILES
RIGHT TO RESPOND
ADVISORY BOARD REVIEWED
INDEPENDENTLY RESEARCHED
VERIFIED PROFILES
RIGHT TO RESPOND
ADVISORY BOARD REVIEWED
INDEPENDENTLY RESEARCHED
VERIFIED PROFILES
RIGHT TO RESPOND
ADVISORY BOARD REVIEWED
Recently Recognized Firms & Attorneys
The Justice Star Rating System
Adequate Representation
- Meets minimum professional expectations
- Mixed communication and preparation scores
- Listed without premium visibility
High-Quality Representation
- Consistent communication
- Respectful client treatment
- Above-average preparation
- Eligible for premium profile
Exceptional Representation
- Strong scores across all categories
- Demonstrated commitment to clients
- Awarded sparingly
- Eligible for premium profile
A System That Rarely Hears the People Most Affected
Incarcerated clients report limited communication, pressure to plead, and lack of preparation.
Existing lawyer ratings rely on resumes, peer reviews, or public records.
There is no trusted standard for evaluating how attorneys treat clients behind bars.
A Rating System Based on Lived Experience, Not Outcomes
Justice Star Guide evaluates criminal defense attorneys using aggregated survey data from incarcerated and formerly incarcerated clients.
Ratings focus exclusively on professional conduct:
- Communication
- Preparation
- Integrity
- Client respect
Justice Star Research, Inc. (Nonprofit)
- Conducts surveys
- Maintains methodology
- Oversees ethical standards
- Publishes research reports
Justice Star Guide, LLC (For-Profit)
- Operates the public website
- Publishes ratings
- Offers premium visibility (2★+ only)
- Licenses reports and data