John E. MacDonald is a trial attorney with 25+ years experience practicing Criminal Defense, Family Law, Immigration Law and Post-Conviction Relief in Providence, Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Mr. MacDonald represents clients in state and federal court in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. He has aggressively and successfully defended clients charged in every type of criminal case, including capital murder, child molestation, sexual assault, felony assault, domestic assault, patient abuse, bank fraud, mail fraud and wire fraud. He is the former president of the Rhode Island Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and a member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. For a review of the prior criminal cases, see Case Results.
Mr. MacDonald is the author of Rhode Island Criminal Defense, A Practice Manual (7th Edition), a top rated trial manual used by criminal defense attorneys throughout Rhode Island. See below.
Mr. MacDonald represents clients seeking permanent residence and naturalization. He practices before the Providence Immigration Office and the Boston Immigration Court. For many clients facing deportation, the only recourse is post-conviction relief; that is, vacating the original conviction in state or federal court. Mr. MacDonald has successfully vacated convictions in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. For a review of prior immigration and post-conviction results, see Immigration Cases.
Mr. MacDonald is an honors graduate of Suffolk University Law School (1995) and a magna cum laude graduate of the University of Rhode Island (1990). He is admitted to practice in all state courts in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. He is also admitted to practice in the United States Supreme Court, the First Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States District Courts for the Districts of Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Mr. MacDonald is a member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) and past president of the Rhode Island Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (RIACDL).