New Hanover County Criminal Defense Lawyer
If you have been charged in New Hanover County, your case will move through the courthouse in downtown Wilmington, and you do not have to find your way through it alone. Merritt Wagoner is in these courtrooms regularly, in front of the same judges and prosecutors who will handle your case. He will tell you plainly where you stand and what to do next. The first step is simple. Call or text 910-218-9669, or book a consultation.
Where your case happens in New Hanover County
Criminal cases in New Hanover County are heard at the courthouse in downtown Wilmington. That is where your first appearance, your court dates, and most of what follows will take place. If your charge is a misdemeanor, it usually starts in District Court. More serious felony charges move on to Superior Court. Knowing which door your case goes through is part of knowing what to expect, and Merritt walks you through that early.
The courthouse can feel like a maze when you have never had a reason to be there. There are deputies, metal detectors, crowded hallways, and a calendar that does not move on your schedule. None of that means anything is going wrong. It is simply how a busy county court runs. What matters is that someone beside you already knows the building, the routine, and the people in it.
Your charge also decides who is across from you. A local prosecutor reviews the case, decides what to pursue, and makes the early offers. Merritt has stood in front of these prosecutors many times, so he reads those early signals for what they actually are.
How local experience helps you here
There is a difference between a lawyer who visits a courthouse and one who is there week after week. Merritt has defended people in North Carolina for more than 21 years, and New Hanover County is home ground. He works in front of the same judges and prosecutors on a regular basis, so when he tells you how things tend to go here, he is describing the rooms where your case will actually be decided.
That familiarity is practical, not flashy. It means he knows how a given courtroom handles a continuance, how a particular prosecutor tends to approach a first offense, and where the real pressure points in a case usually are. It does not promise any result. No honest lawyer can do that. But it does mean you are guided by someone who knows the terrain instead of learning it on your time.
Merritt handles a wide range of charges in New Hanover County, including DWI, drug charges, domestic violence matters, and felony and misdemeanor cases. He also defends people in federal court in the Eastern District of North Carolina when a case belongs there. Wherever your case lands, the goal is the same. You always know where things stand and what is coming next.
What to do next
The most useful thing you can do right now is reach out and get clear information. Call or text The Wagoner Law Firm at 910-218-9669, or book a consultation online. You share the general reason you are reaching out, and Merritt tells you what the next steps look like in plain language.
If you call after hours, the line is answered any hour by Karen, an AI assistant. Karen schedules appointments and takes messages so your information reaches Merritt. She does not transfer calls, does not give legal advice, and does not quote fees. She makes sure you are not left with a voicemail and a long night of waiting.
The office is at 401 Chestnut Street, Suite K, in Wilmington, a short distance from the courthouse, with office hours Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm. Reaching out does not lock you into anything or by itself make Merritt your lawyer. It simply gets you real answers from someone who knows these courtrooms.
What to know
Downtown Wilmington courthouse
New Hanover County criminal cases are heard at the courthouse in downtown Wilmington, minutes from the office.
District and Superior Court
Misdemeanors usually begin in District Court. Serious felonies move to Superior Court. Merritt explains which path is yours.
21+ years in NC courtrooms
More than two decades defending people in North Carolina, regularly in front of New Hanover County judges and prosecutors.
Answered any hour
Call or text 910-218-9669 day or night. After hours, Karen, an AI assistant, schedules appointments and takes messages, then gets them to Merritt. She does not transfer calls, give legal advice, or quote fees.
Questions people ask before they call
Where is the New Hanover County courthouse?
Does Merritt Wagoner handle cases in New Hanover County?
Will my case be in District Court or Superior Court?
What kinds of charges does Merritt defend in New Hanover County?
I was just arrested in Wilmington. What should I do first?
What happens if I call after office hours?
Does contacting the firm make Merritt my lawyer?
Talk through your case with someone who knows these courts.
Reach out by phone, text, or by booking a consultation. Merritt will tell you plainly where you stand and what to do next.
The line is answered 24/7 by Karen, an AI assistant who schedules appointments and takes messages. She does not transfer calls or give legal advice or fee quotes.